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Title: MORECA: A computer code for simulating modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor core heatup accidents

Abstract

The design features of the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) have the potential to make it essentially invulnerable to damage from postulated core heatup accidents. This report describes the ORNL MORECA code, which was developed for analyzing postulated long-term core heatup scenarios for which active cooling systems used to remove afterheat following the accidents can be assumed to the unavailable. Simulations of long-term loss-of-forced-convection accidents, both with and without depressurization of the primary coolant, have shown that maximum core temperatures stay below the point at which any significant fuel failures and fission product releases are expected. Sensitivity studies also have been done to determine the effects of errors in the predictions due both to uncertainties in the modeling and to the assumptions about operational parameters. MORECA models the US Department of Energy reference design of a standard MHTGR.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Regulatory Applications; Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USNRC; Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
5955421
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-5712; ORNL/TM-11823
ON: TI92003495
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; HTGR TYPE REACTORS; REACTOR ACCIDENTS; REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS; SAFETY ANALYSIS; AFTER-HEAT REMOVAL; DEPRESSURIZATION; HEAT TRANSFER; HYDRAULICS; M CODES; REACTOR SAFETY; SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS; ACCIDENTS; COMPUTER CODES; COOLING SYSTEMS; ENERGY TRANSFER; FLUID MECHANICS; GAS COOLED REACTORS; GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS; MECHANICS; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; REMOVAL; SAFETY; 220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety; 210300 - Power Reactors, Nonbreeding, Graphite Moderated; 990200 - Mathematics & Computers

Citation Formats

Ball, S J. MORECA: A computer code for simulating modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor core heatup accidents. United States: N. p., 1991. Web. doi:10.2172/5955421.
Ball, S J. MORECA: A computer code for simulating modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor core heatup accidents. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5955421
Ball, S J. 1991. "MORECA: A computer code for simulating modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor core heatup accidents". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5955421. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5955421.
@article{osti_5955421,
title = {MORECA: A computer code for simulating modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor core heatup accidents},
author = {Ball, S J},
abstractNote = {The design features of the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) have the potential to make it essentially invulnerable to damage from postulated core heatup accidents. This report describes the ORNL MORECA code, which was developed for analyzing postulated long-term core heatup scenarios for which active cooling systems used to remove afterheat following the accidents can be assumed to the unavailable. Simulations of long-term loss-of-forced-convection accidents, both with and without depressurization of the primary coolant, have shown that maximum core temperatures stay below the point at which any significant fuel failures and fission product releases are expected. Sensitivity studies also have been done to determine the effects of errors in the predictions due both to uncertainties in the modeling and to the assumptions about operational parameters. MORECA models the US Department of Energy reference design of a standard MHTGR.},
doi = {10.2172/5955421},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5955421}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}