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Title: Analysis of boron dilution in a four-loop PWR

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/204245· OSTI ID:204245

Thermal mixing and boron dilution in a pressurized water reactor were analyzed with COMMIX codes. The reactor system was the four loop Zion reactor. Two boron dilution scenarios were analyzed. In the first scenario, the plant is in cold shutdown and the reactor coolant system has just been filled after maintenance on the steam generators. To flush the air out of the steam generator tubes, a reactor coolant pump (RCP) is started, with the water in the pump suction line devoid of boron and at the same temperature as the coolant in the system. In the second scenario, the plant is at hot standby and the reactor coolant system has been heated up to operating temperature after a long outage. It is assumed that an RCP is started, with the pump suction line filled with cold unborated water, forcing a slug of diluted coolant down the downcomer and subsequently through the reactor core. The subsequent transient thermal mixing and boron dilution that would occur in the reactor system is simulated for these two scenarios. The reactivity insertion rate and the total reactivity are evaluated.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
204245
Report Number(s):
ANL/ET/CP-86340; CONF-9510225-3; ON: TI96007247; TRN: 96:008705
Resource Relation:
Conference: OECD/Committee on Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) specialist meeting on boron dilution reactivity transients, State College, PA (United States), 18-20 Oct 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English