Thermal-hydraulic analysis on the effect of operator action in the loss of shutdown cooling system accident in a PWR

It is necessary to develop PSA methodology and integrated accident management technology during low power/shutdown operations. To develop this technology, thermal-hydraulic analysis is necessarily required to access the trend of plant process parameters and operator's grace time after initiation of the accident. In this study, the thermal-hydraulic behavior in the loss of shutdown cooling system accident during low power/shutdown operations at the Korean standard nuclear power plant was analyzed using the best-estimate thermal-hydraulic analysis code, MARS2.1. The effects of operator's action and initiation of accident mitigation system, such as safety injection and gravity feed on mitigation of the accident during shutdown operations are also analyzed.When steam generators are unavailable or vent paths with large cross-sectional area are open in the accident, the core damage occurs earlier than the cases of steam generators available or vent paths with small cross-sectional area. If an operator takes an action to mitigate the accident, the accident can be mitigated considerably. To mitigate the accident, high-pressure safety injection is more effective in POS4B and gravity feed is more effective in POS5. The results of this study can contribute to the plant safety improvement because those can provide the time for an operator to take an action to mitigate the accident by providing quantitative time of core damage. The results of this study can also provide information in developing operating procedure and accident management technology.     

Thermal-hydraulic calculations using MARS code applied to low power and shutdown probabilistic safety assessment in a PWR

The methods developed for full-power probabilistic safety assessment, including thermal-hydraulic methods, have been widely applied to low power and shutdown conditions. Experience from current low power and shutdown probabilistic safety assessments, however, indicates that the thermal-hydraulic methods developed for full-power probabilistic safety assessments are not always reliable when applied to low power and shutdown conditions and consequently may yield misleading and inaccurate risk insights. To increase the usefulness of the low power and shutdown risk insights, the current methods and tools used for thermal-hydraulic calculations should be examined to ascertain whether they function effectively for low power and shutdown conditions. In this study, a platform for relatively detailed thermal-hydraulic calculations applied to low power and shutdown conditions in a pressurized water reactor was developed based on the best estimate thermal-hydraulic analysis code, MARS2.1. To confirm the applicability of the MARS platform to low power and shutdown conditions, many thermal-hydraulic analyses were performed for the selected topic, i.e. the loss of shutdown cooling events for various plant operating states at the Korean standard nuclear power plant. The platform developed in this study can deal effectively with low power and shutdown conditions, as well as assist the accident sequence analysis in low power and shutdown probabilistic safety assessments by providing fundamental data. Consequently, the resulting analyses may yield more realistic and accurate low power and shutdown risk insights.     

Treatment of the thermal–hydraulic uncertainties in the pressurized thermal shock analysis

The pressurized thermal shock (PTS) analysis is a quantitative analysis to calculate the vessel failure probability of the embrittled reactor pressure vessel. The PTS analysis consists of three major parts, such as the probabilistic safety analysis (PSA), the thermal–hydraulic analysis (T/H), and the probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis. Because each analysis involves many parameters and assumptions associated with the uncertainties, it is important to identify and incorporate them into the analysis. Though the PSA and PFM analysis can be easily treated statistically, the thermal–hydraulic analysis results are very difficult to be treated statistically. Instead, sensitivity analyses of the thermal–hydraulic inputs were performed to understand the significance of the variation in the thermal–hydraulic inputs to the PFM analysis. In this study, the existing PFM code was modified to incorporate the uncertainties in the thermal–hydraulic inputs for the PFM analysis. The effects of the uncertainties in the thermal–hydraulic inputs for the vessel failure probabilities were evaluated using the modified code. The results showed the effects of uncertainties in the thermal–hydraulic inputs on the vessel failure probabilities are not significant for the ranges of the transient types. Even for the larger uncertainties, the effects on the vessel failure probabilities are small. Also, the effects of the thermal–hydraulic uncertainties vary depending on the transient characteristics such that the effects are greatest for the pressure dominant transient. Within the transient, the relative increases in the failure probabilities are greatest for the circumferentially oriented semi-elliptical flaws. It was found that the results of the sensitivity analysis using one standard deviation are conservative enough to bound the analysis results considering the uncertainties in the thermal–hydraulic inputs.     

Application of PSA Methodology to Design Improvement of JAERI Passive Safety Reactor (JPSR)

A probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) technique was applied to the design of JAERI Passive Safety Reactor (JPSR). A PSA was performed to clarify safety features and identify vulnerabilities of the original design. Based on the PSA results and considering thermal-hydraulic analyses and experiments, the JPSR design was improved to enhance plant safety. The improved design was re-evaluated with the PSA. Initiating events selected in this study were: large-break LOCA, medium- and small-break LOCAs, SGTR, main steam line break, loss of offsite power, loss of feed water, and other transients. Fault tree analyses were used to evaluate the system unavailabilities. The total core damage frequency due to internal events was estimated to be less than 10^?7/RY. The contribution of high frequency non-LOCA events could be significantly reduced by the design modification. The dominant initiating event was the small break LOCA and the dominant sequence was the failure of residual heat removal system. The present study indicated that the improved JPSR design has sufficient safety margin and the PSA methodology is very effective to improve reactor safety systems in a conceptual design phase.     

多用途一体化轻水堆初步设计方案和安全分析

为满足未来区域性核能供电、核供热、大规模制氢、海水淡化等需求,迫切需要一种结构简单、固有安全性高、经济性高的多用途反应堆.基于此,一种多用途的一体化轻水堆设计概念被提出,包括不同设备的初步设计方案和参数;根据其特点,利用最佳估算程序RELAP5对其中一个设计方案进行了稳压器汽腔破口事故和主泵断电引起的丧失流量事故的确定论安全分析.结果表明,在保守假设条件下,其固有特性和安全系统仍能保证堆芯始终处于被淹没状态,非能动余热排出系统可有效导出停堆后的长期衰变热,从而为进一步研究一体化轻水堆的设计和运行安全特性打下了基础.     

Severe accident mitigation strategy for the generation II PWRs in France – Some outcomes of the on-going periodic safety review of the French 1300 MWe PWR series

The 3rd Periodic Safety Review of the French 1300 MWe PWRs series includes some modifications to increase their robustness in case of a severe accident. Their review is based on both deterministic and probabilistic approaches, keeping in mind that severe accidents frequencies and radiological consequences should be as low as reasonably practicable, severe accidents management strategies should be as safe as possible and the robustness of equipment used for severe accident management should be ensured.Consequently, the IRSN level 2 probabilistic safety assessment (L2 PSA) studies for the 1300 MWe reactors have been used to re-assess the results of the utility's L2 PSA and rank them to identify the containment failure modes contributing the most to the global risk. This ranking helped the review of plant modifications.Regarding strategies for accident management, the EDF management of water in the reactor cavity during a severe accident for the 1300 MWe PWRs is presented as well as the IRSN position on this strategy: this is an example where the optimal severe accident management strategy choice is not so easy to define.Regarding the robustness of equipment used for severe accident management, the interest of a diversification or redundancy of the French emergency filtered containment venting opening is one example among many others.This paper presents the analysis conducted by IRSN during the 3rd periodic safety review of the French 1300 MWe PWRs. Future NPP upgrades to limit radioactive releases in case of containment filtered venting, to prevent containment venting and basemat melt-through are analysed in another framework (post-Fukushima and long-term operation projects).     

大型非能动压水堆核电厂安全注射系统旋启式止回阀阻力变化对长期堆芯冷却影响分析

大型非能动压水堆核电厂在发生失水事故(LOCA)后的长期堆芯冷却阶段依靠重力向堆芯注入应急冷却水,其注射管线上设置的旋启式止回阀的阻力可随流量变化,管线的阻力可能将非预期地增加。根据旋启式止回阀阻力特性,为失水事故最佳估算系统分析程序添加相应的计算功能,对压力容器直接注射(DVI)管线双端断裂事故后长期堆芯冷却工况进行了计算分析。结果表明:安全注射管线上旋启式止回阀阻力变化对大型非能动压水堆核电厂LOCA后长期冷却的影响较小;在安全裕量不足的情况下,旋启式止回阀的阻力特性将影响到非能动注射管线的安全注射功能的执行。     

压水堆核电站大破口失水事故分析

压水堆核电站安全分析报告是核安全监管部门对其进行安全审查的重要文件,大破口失水事故是核电站运行的设计基准事故,是安全分析报告中的重要内容。本文使用RELAP5/MOD3.2进行压水堆冷管段大破口失水事故的计算,对比发现一回路冷管段发生双端断裂大破口时燃料元件包壳温度峰值（PCT）最高,且长时间维持在较高温度,此条件下反应堆最危险。计算结果表明,事故发生后,一回路压力迅速下降,堆芯冷却剂的流动性变差,导致堆芯裸露,燃料包壳温度又重新回升。通过安注系统和辅助给水系统等一系列动作,能保证燃料元件包壳温度不超过1204 ℃的限值。     

概率安全评价在CPR1000机组严重事故预防与缓解措施分析中的应用

文章阐述了概率安全评价（PSA）与严重事故分析之间的关系,介绍了PSA在严重事故预防与缓解措施分析中的应用过程与方法,通过PSA分析,发现了核电厂严重事故预防与缓解的薄弱环节,提出相应的改进措施,并从核安全风险角度对这些措施的有效性进行评价。文章结合CPR1000机组严重事故预防与缓解措施的研究,说明了PSA在严重事故研究中的应用。     

Accident management following loss-of-coolant accidents during cooldown in a Westinghouse two-loop PWR

Operation of pressurised water reactors involves shutdown periods for refuelling and maintenance. In preparation for this, the reactor system is cooled down, depressurised and partially drained. Although reactor coolant pressure is lower than during full-power operation, there remains the possibility of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), with a certain but low probability. While the decay heat to be removed is lower than that from a LOCA at full power, the reduced availability of safety systems implies a risk of failing to maintain core cooling, and hence of core damage. This is recognised though probabilistic safety analyses (PSA), which identify low but non-negligible contributions to core damage frequency from accidents during cooldown and shutdown. Analyses are made for a typical two-loop Westinghouse PWR of the consequences of a range of LOCAs during hot and intermediate shutdown, 4 and 5 h after reactor shutdown respectively. The accumulators are isolated, while power to some of the pumped safety injection systems (SIs) is racked out. The study assesses the effectiveness of the nominally assumed SIs in restoring coolant inventory and preventing core damage, and the margin against core damage where their actuation is delayed. The calculations use the engineering-level MELCOR1.8.5 code, supplemented by the SCDAPSIM and SCDAP/RELAP5 codes, which provide a more detailed treatment of coolant system thermal hydraulics and core behaviour. Both treatments show that the core is readily quenched, without damage, by the nominal SI which assumes operation of only one pump. Margins against additional scenario and model uncertainties are assessed by assuming a delay of 900 s (the time needed to actuate the remaining pumps) and a variety of assumptions regarding models and the number of pumps available in conjunction with both MELCOR and versions of SCDAP. Overall, the study provides confidence in the inherent robustness of the plant design with respect to LOCA during cooldown to cold shutdown, and in the validity of a two-tier calculational method. The results have been directly used in updating the plant shutdown PSA, by changing the success criteria for core cooling during cooldown of the plant and showing a reduction in overall risk.     

非能动堆芯冷却系统LOCA下冷却能力分析

本文基于机理性分析程序建立了包括反应堆一回路冷却剂系统、专设安全设施及相关二次侧管道系统的先进压水堆分析模型,对典型的小破口失水事故和大破口失水事故开展了全面分析。针对不同破口尺寸、破口位置的失水事故,分析了非能动堆芯冷却系统（PXS）中非能动余热排出系统（PRHRS）、堆芯补水箱（CMT）、安注箱（ACC）、自动卸压系统（ADS）和安全壳内置换料水箱（IRWST）等关键系统的堆芯注水能力和冷却效果。研究表明,虽然破口尺寸、破口位置会影响事故进程发展,但所有事故过程中燃料包壳表面峰值温度不超过1 477 K,且反应堆堆芯处于有效淹没状态。PXS能有效排出堆芯衰变热,将反应堆引导到安全停堆状态,防止事故向严重事故发展。     

Thermal hydraulic behaviors during loss of RHR system at mid-loop operation of Chinese 300 MWe PWR NPP

Thermal hydraulic behavior of nuclear power plant (NPP) is analyzed by using mechanistic computer code for loss of residual heat removal (RHR) system during mid-loop operation of Chinese 300 MWe two-loop pressurized water reactor is presented. In the absence of recovery of RHR or other accident management measures, the reactor core will be uncovered for a long term resulting in core heat-up, degradation and relocation to the lower plenum. The effectiveness of available mitigate measures, such as safety injection system, gravity feed from refueling water storage tank (RWST) and steam generator (SG) reflux-condensation, are investigated. Coolant injection is highly effective in halting the accident progression and make the core recovered. The cooling capability of SG reflux-condensation has a relationship with different availabilities of steam generators and decay heat power. 6 days after shutdown, 2SG operation can keep the water level at mid-line of hot leg. 12 days after shutdown, both 2SG operation and 1SG operation can keep the water level at mid-line of hot leg. The analyses also indicate that the cooling mechanism of safety injection system is more effective than gravity feed from RWST and SG reflux-condensation. Through confirming the success criteria of SG reflux-condensation, time windows can be devided. Then, event trees for loss of RHR system under mid-loop operation are built with considering the analysis results and abnormal procedure.     

核电站严重事故后果概率安全评价方法研究

核电站严重事故后果概率安全评价(PSA)是采用概率论的方法对核电站放射性后果进行分析,并定量给出放射性物质对核电站周围公众的健康效应影响。以国内某压水堆核电站为参考厂址,建立合适的场外后果分析模型。采用分层抽样方法对参考厂址1a的气象数据进行抽样,源项和释放特征等数据取自二级PSA的研究结果。利用事故后果评价程序对核电站严重事故后果进行计算,并用概率论方法对结果进行评估。通过计算将各事故和事故谱的场外个人剂量表示为CCDF曲线和总频率-剂量曲线,再用概率论方法得到不同距离处个人剂量超过指定剂量的条件概率;也可用此方法对确定烟羽应急计划区的安全准则中所描述的"大多数严重事故序列"进行量化。     

动态可靠性评价方法在AP1000核电厂严重事故中的应用研究

动态可靠性评价方法能模拟系统状态发生连续或多重变化的情况,是核电厂概率安全研究的一个新发展点。本文利用动态可靠性评价方法,使用严重事故程序MAAP对AP1000核电厂全厂断电事故进行分析,并将动态可靠性评价结果应用于二级概率安全评价（PSA）分析,最终评价对放射性裂变产物的影响。研究结果表明,系统动态特性对核电厂PSA的分析结果有一定影响,且动态可靠性评价过程可挖掘更多信息,有利于更好地指导核电厂设计及提高核电厂的安全性。     

Effect of uncertainties in best-estimate thermal hydraulic analysis on core damage frequency for PSA

Generally, thermal hydraulic (TH) analyses have been performed as part of a probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) to construct event trees and to evaluate success criteria. Even though an accident scenario in an event tree for PSA is exceedingly dependent on many uncertainty parameters, TH analysis in PSA, up to now, has been performed without considering the uncertainties for the important parameters. In the present study, TH analysis was carried out using the MARS code to simulate the large break loss of coolant accident (LBLOCA) which is one of the event sequences of level 1 PSA in an optimized power reactor 1000 MWe (OPR1000). First, the phenomena identification and ranking table (PIRT) for LBLOCA were established, and the candidate parameters were set-up. Once the input file for the MARS code was made with consideration of the uncertainties of the candidate parameters, and a parameter assessment was carried out with the MARS code to rank the candidate parameters according to the effect on peak cladding temperature (PCT). For the five highest-ranking parameters resulting from parameter assessment, the probability density function (PDF) of PCT was derived by the response surface method (RSM), and comparative Monte Carlo calculations were also performed to assess the accuracy of the RSM. As a result, it was shown that by considering the uncertainties of the TH analysis, the accident sequence, which had filed in the PSA result in the established PSA results, had a possibility of succeeding, and thus, be able to modify the core damage frequency (CDF).     

Assessment methodology for confidence in safety margin for large break loss of coolant accident sequences

Deterministic Safety Analysis and Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) analyses are used to assess the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) safety. The conventional deterministic analysis is conservative. The best estimate plus uncertainty analysis (BEPU) is increasingly being used for deterministic calculation in NPPs. The PSA methodology integrates information about the postulated accident, plant design, operating practices, component reliability and human behavior. The deterministic and probabilistic methodologies are combined by analyzing the accident sequences within design basis in the event trees of a postulated initiating event (PIE) by BEPU. The peak clad temperature (PCT) distribution provides an insight into the confidence in safety margin for an initiating event.     

超临界流体的泄压过程研究

超临界水堆(SCWR)的LOCA研究是安全分析的重点和难点,其中压力容器的喷放泄压过程的研究至关重要。本文通过对反应堆压力容器进行简化,建立了简单容器喷放的数学物理模型,开发了超临界流体的喷放瞬态计算程序。将该程序的计算结果与超临界二氧化碳的泄压喷放过程的实验数据进行了比较,计算值与实验结果吻合良好,验证了模型的正确性。运用该验证后的程序对超临界水的容器喷放过程进行了深入研究和分析,分析了不同初始条件、破口面积及加热功率等对泄压过程瞬态特性的影响。结果表明,本文建立的简单容器模型能模拟从超临界到亚临界压力的喷放泄压过程。计算结果可为超临界水堆的LOCA分析提供理论基础。     

压水堆主管道破裂工况下的非线性动力响应

在用特征线法和控制体体积积分方法较为精确地计算出压水堆主管道１１个断点破裂工况下各点的受力和力矩的基础上,对主管道和虚拟支撑进行了简化和特殊处理,采用更新的Ｌａｇｒａｎｇｅ法（ＡＤＩＮＡ程序）对破裂管道的非线性动力响应进行了分析研究,获得了较为的主管道运动位移随时间变化曲线。这一研究结果为虚拟支撑和管道的设计提供了依据。     

池式钠冷快堆放射性释放风险概率安全评价事件树分析

池式钠冷快堆的安全特性和放射性释放机制与压水堆有着显著不同,在核安全新要求下,亟待开展放射性释放风险概率安全评价（PSA）研究。本文以池式钠冷快堆为研究对象,通过分析放射性来源、包容边界及破坏包容边界完整性的严重事故现象,确定了池式钠冷快堆大量放射性释放的主要位置和释放模式,构建分析了放射性释放事件树。本文分析结果可为进一步开展池式钠冷快堆放射性释放风险PSA提供参考。     

压水堆大破口失水事故引发的严重事故研究

采用机理性严重事故最佳估算程序SCDAP/RELAP5/MOD3.2，以美国西屋公司Surry核电站为参考对象，建立了1个典型的3环路压水堆核电站的严重事故分析模型，分别对主回路冷段和热段发生25cm大破口失水事故（LBLOCA）导致的堆芯熔化事故进行研究分析。结果表明，压水堆发生大破口失水事故时，堆芯熔化进程较快，大量堆芯材料熔化并坍塌至下腔室，反应堆压力容器下封头失效较早，且主回路冷段破口比热段破口更为严重。