Nuclear risk analysis of the Ulysses mission
- NUS Corporation, 910 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877-0962 (USA)
- Office of New Production Reactors, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. 20585 (USA)
The use of a radioisotope thermoelectric generator fueled with plutonium-238 dioxide on the Space Shuttle-launched Ulysses mission implies some level of risk due to potential accidents. This paper describes the method used to quantify risks in the Ulysses mission Final Safety Analysis Report prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy. The starting point for the analysis described herein is following input of source term probability distributions from the General Electric Company. A Monte Carlo technique is used to develop probability distributions of radiological consequences for a range of accident scenarios thoughout the mission. Factors affecting radiological consequences are identified, the probability distribution of the effect of each factor determined, and the functional relationship among all the factors established. The probability distributions of all the factor effects are then combined using a Monte Carlo technique. The results of the analysis are presented in terms of complementary cumulative distribution functions (CCDF) by mission sub-phase, phase, and the overall mission. The CCDFs show the total probability that consequences (calculated health effects) would be equal to or greater than a given value.
- OSTI ID:
- 5573806
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910116-; CODEN: APCPC; TRN: 91-020033
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 217:1; Conference: 8. symposium on space nuclear power systems, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 6-10 Jan 1991; ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
SPACE SHUTTLES
ACCIDENTS
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
RISK ASSESSMENT
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PLUTONIUM 238
PROBABILITY
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
ROCKETS
SAFETY ENGINEERING
SUN
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
AIRCRAFT
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ENGINEERING
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAT SOURCES
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
SILICON 32 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
SPACE VEHICLES
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
STARS
VEHICLES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOT
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
300302* - Thermoelectric Generators- Performance & Testing
070300 - Isotopic Power Supplies
070500 - Isotope & Radiation Source Technology- Health & Safety- (1990-)