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Title: Technical support for the hydrogen control requirement for the EPRI advanced light water reactor requirements document

Conference · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)
OSTI ID:5655314

Hydrogen could be a significant contributor to severe-accident risk if hydrogen generation and combustion were to lead to containment failure and resulting release of fission products. To eliminate hydrogen as a significant risk contributor for advanced light water reactors (ALWRs), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) ALWR requirements document has imposed a hydrogen control requirement. This requirement specifies an upper limit of 13 dry vol% for the allowable hydrogen concentration in containment. The requirement also considers hydrogen generation during severe accidents and states an upper bound on the hydrogen source equivalent to that generated by oxidizing 75% of the active cladding (commonly stated as 75% metal/water reaction (MWR)). The purpose of this paper is to technically support and substantiate the EPRI ALWR hydrogen requirement. The current understanding of hydrogen generation and combustion is evaluated as it applies to reactor systems, and it is concluded that both experimental results and analytical methods provide a sound technical basis for the requirement.

OSTI ID:
5655314
Report Number(s):
CONF-881011-; CODEN: TANSA; TRN: 89-029072
Journal Information:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Vol. 57; Conference: Joint meeting of the European Nuclear Society and the American Nuclear Society, Washington, DC (USA), 30 Oct - 4 Nov 1988; ISSN 0003-018X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English