Modelling steam explosions for the Savannah River Site reactor probabilistic risk assessment
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Science Applications International Corp., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
As part of the probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) for the Savannah River Site (SRS) reactors, a theoretical model has been used to evaluate the magnitude of steam explosions that could occur during postulated severe accidents at the plant. The model predicts pressure, steam generation and mechanical work during the explosion phase of the interaction. The model is applied to two hypothetical events illustrating typical small-scale and large-scale explosions found in the PRA. These two examples show that yield predictions may range from megajoules to gigajoules for kinetic energy, 10 to 1000 kg for steam generated, and 10 to 1000 atm for peak explosion-zone pressures. A brief study is made to characterize the sensitivity of kinetic energy yield to initial fuel mass and fuel temperature. Explosion kinetic energy increases linearly in proportion to fuel mass, but displays a non-linear dependence on fuel temperature over parameter values of interest.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 6752113
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-92-387-Rev.1; CONF-930116-31-Rev.1; ON: DE93005069
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Probabilistic safety assessment international topical meeting (PSA 93), Clearwater Beach, FL (United States), 27-29 Jan 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Steam explosion analysis in support of the SRS reactor safety assessment
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
RISK ASSESSMENT
STEAM
EXPLOSIONS
COMPUTER CODES
CORIUM
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAT TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
REACTOR SAFETY
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
ENERGY TRANSFER
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SAFETY
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220600 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors