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An approach for assessing ALWR passive safety system reliability

Conference ·
OSTI ID:10107109
Many advanced light water reactor designs incorporate passive rather than active safety features for front-line accident response. A method for evaluating the reliability of these passive systems in the context of probabilistic risk assessment has been developed at Sandia National Laboratories. This method addresses both the component (e.g. valve) failure aspect of passive system failure, and uncertainties in system success criteria arising from uncertainties in the system`s underlying physical processes. These processes provide the system`s driving force; examples are natural circulation and gravity-induced injection. This paper describes the method, and provides some preliminary results of application of the approach to the Westinghouse AP600 design.
Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
10107109
Report Number(s):
SAND--91-1459C; CONF-911079--15; ON: DE92004013
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English