Hazards Summary Report for the Army Package Power Reactor

Technical Report · Wed Jul 27 04:00:00 EDT 1955

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1089149· OSTI ID:1089149

The APPR-I is described and the various hazards are reviewed. Because of the reactor's location near the nation's Capitol, containment is of the utmost importance. The maximum energy release in any possible accident is 7.4 million Btu's which is completely contained within a 7/8 inch thick steel cylindrical shell with hemispherical ends. The vapor container is 60 ft high and 32 ft in diameter and is lined on the inside with 2 ft of reinforced concrete which provides missile protection and is part of the secondary shield. All possible nuclear excursions are reviewed and the energy from any of these is insignificant compared to the stored energy in the water. The maximum credible accident is caused hy the reactor running constantly at its maximum power of 10 Mw and through an extremely unlikely sequence of failures, causing the temperature of the water in the primary and secondary systeras to rise to saturation; whereupon a rupture occurs releasing the stored energy of 7.4 million Btu's into the vapor container. If the reactor core melts during the incident, a maximum of 10⁸ curies of activity is released. While it appears impossible for a rupture of the vapor container to oecur except by sabotage or bombing, the hazards to the surrounding area are discussed in the event of such a rupture occurring simultaneously with the maximum credible accident.

• Research Organization: Alco Products, Inc., Schenectady, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• OSTI ID: 1089149
• Report Number(s): APAE--2-SUPPL1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS