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Title: Towards intrinsically safe light-water reactors

Abstract

Most of the present impediments to the rational use of the nuclear option have their roots in the reactor safety issue. The approach taken to satisfy the escalating safety concerns has resulted in excessively complex and expensive plant designs but has failed to create public confidence. This paper describes a new approach based on the principle of Process Inherent Ultimate Safety (PIUS). With the PIUS principle, ultimate safety is obtained by guaranteeing core integrity under all credible conditions. This is accomplished on the basis of the laws of gravity and thermohydraulics alone, interacting with the heat extraction process in an intact or damaged primary circuit, without recourse to engineered safety systems that may fail or dependence on error-prone human intervention. Application of the PIUS principle to the pressurized water reactor involves a substantial redesign of the reactor and primary system but builds on established PWR technology where long-term operation is needed for verification.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge Associated Univ., Oak Ridge, TN (United States); ASEA-ATOM AB, Vaesteraas (Sweden)
OSTI Identifier:
5723960
Report Number(s):
ORAU/IEA-83-2(M)-Rev.
ON: DE83017859
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76OR00033
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; PWR TYPE REACTORS; REACTOR ACCIDENTS; AFTER-HEAT REMOVAL; HEAT TRANSFER; HYDRAULICS; AFTER-HEAT; DESIGN; MODIFICATIONS; REACTOR SAFETY; ACCIDENTS; ENERGY TRANSFER; FLUID MECHANICS; MECHANICS; REACTORS; REMOVAL; SAFETY; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WATER MODERATED REACTORS; 220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety; 210200 - Power Reactors, Nonbreeding, Light-Water Moderated, Nonboiling Water Cooled

Citation Formats

Hannerz, K. Towards intrinsically safe light-water reactors. United States: N. p., 1983. Web. doi:10.2172/5723960.
Hannerz, K. Towards intrinsically safe light-water reactors. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5723960
Hannerz, K. 1983. "Towards intrinsically safe light-water reactors". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5723960. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5723960.
@article{osti_5723960,
title = {Towards intrinsically safe light-water reactors},
author = {Hannerz, K},
abstractNote = {Most of the present impediments to the rational use of the nuclear option have their roots in the reactor safety issue. The approach taken to satisfy the escalating safety concerns has resulted in excessively complex and expensive plant designs but has failed to create public confidence. This paper describes a new approach based on the principle of Process Inherent Ultimate Safety (PIUS). With the PIUS principle, ultimate safety is obtained by guaranteeing core integrity under all credible conditions. This is accomplished on the basis of the laws of gravity and thermohydraulics alone, interacting with the heat extraction process in an intact or damaged primary circuit, without recourse to engineered safety systems that may fail or dependence on error-prone human intervention. Application of the PIUS principle to the pressurized water reactor involves a substantial redesign of the reactor and primary system but builds on established PWR technology where long-term operation is needed for verification.},
doi = {10.2172/5723960},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5723960}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983},
month = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983}
}