So what do you call it when you flush vast quantities of ocean water through the whole thing to absorb excess heat?
I clearly forget the right terms. My point was just that the relative size of reactor to cooling tower is a wee bit different. You can't just look at nuclear subs and assume power plants are the same.
US Navy ship and sub reactors are all pressurized water reactors, the design of which inhibits pumping any outside water into the core. The next loop in the steam generator uses fresh water only. Sea water is only allowed in the condenser loop, where the steam exiting the turbines is chilled back to fresh water for re-use in the steam generator.
Perhaps you were alluding to the fact that if the reactor has severe accident and pops open the heat and ugly residues will be absorbed in the surrounding ocean.