An assessment of BWR (boiling water reactor) Mark-II containment challenges, failure modes, and potential improvements in performance
- EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (USA)
- Science Applications International Corp., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
This report assesses challenges to BWR Mark II containment integrity that could potentially arise from severe accidents. Also assessed are some potential improvements that could prevent core damage or containment failure, or could mitigate the consequences of such failure by reducing the release of fission products to the environment. These challenges and improvements are analyzed via a limited quantitative risk/benefit analysis of a generic BWR/4 reactor with Mark II containment. Point estimate frequencies of the dominant core damage sequences are obtained and simple containment event trees are constructed to evaluate the response of the containment to these severe accident sequences. The resulting containment release modes are then binned into source term release categories, which provide inputs to the consequence analysis. The output of the consequences analysis is used to construct an overall base case risk profile. Potential improvements and sensitivities are evaluated by modifying the event tree spilt fractions, thus generating a revised risk profile. Several important sensitivity cases are examined to evaluate the impact of phenomenological uncertainties on the final results. 75 refs., 25 figs., 65 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (USA). Div. of Safety Issue Resolution; EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USNRC
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-76ID01570
- OSTI ID:
- 6675119
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR-5528; EGG-2593; ON: TI90015628; TRN: 90-028844
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS
CONTAINMENT
FAILURE MODE ANALYSIS
B CODES
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DESIGN
FAILURES
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
M CODES
RADIATION DOSES
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR SAFETY
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOURCE TERMS
ACCIDENTS
COMPUTER CODES
DOSES
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
FLUID MECHANICS
MECHANICS
REACTORS
SAFETY
SYSTEM FAILURE ANALYSIS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210100 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
990200 - Mathematics & Computers