Engineering design ideas

[only_huce]

For my bioengineering class, my project group and I were presented with the following problem for a design report:

There is a nuclear reactor which uses a pipe system for cooling. This pipe system is comprised of 2 units with 6 pipes each. Each of the pipes contain a pump, and each of them create a flow rate of 760 m^3/s. The thickness of these pipes are 2.5 cm, and each of the pipes are 2.74 m. Quagga Mussels have been nestling themselves on the interior of the pipes and reducing flow. We have to figure out a way to keep the flow within 95% of flow without the mussels. There is no price limit, but the solution has to be reasonable. I'm not looking for a specific answer, but I was just wondering if someone could give a general direction for a solution.
Some possible solutions that I have thought of have been adding a grate system (filters).

 

[Q_Goest]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pipe+pigging"

 

[skeptic2]

For my bioengineering class, my project group and I were presented with the following problem for a design report:

There is a nuclear reactor which uses a pipe system for cooling. This pipe system is comprised of 2 units with 6 pipes each. Each of the pipes contain a pump, and each of them create a flow rate of 760 m^3/s. The thickness of these pipes are 2.5 cm, and each of the pipes are 2.74 m. Quagga Mussels have been nestling themselves on the interior of the pipes and reducing flow. We have to figure out a way to keep the flow within 95% of flow without the mussels. There is no price limit, but the solution has to be reasonable. I'm not looking for a specific answer, but I was just wondering if someone could give a general direction for a solution.
Some possible solutions that I have thought of have been adding a grate system (filters).

What questions must be answered before you can begin working on a solution?

 

[Danger]

Maybe not what you're looking for, but...
If it's a guaranteed-closed system, I'd throw some cyanide into the coolant.