Selection of Licensing Basis Events for the U.S. Design Certification of the PBMR
- Technology Insights, 6540 Lusk Blvd, Ste. C-102, San Diego, CA 92131 (United States)
- US Programs, PBMR Pty Ltd, P.O. Box 16789, Chattanooga, TN 37416 (United States)
In support of the pre-application interactions with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), leading to the design certification of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) in the U.S., Licensing Basis Events (LBEs) are being selected with information derived from a reactor- and design- specific Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA). This approach builds upon the risk-informed licensing approach that was developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) for the MHTGR in the 1980's [1,2] and the more recent experience with the Exelon-proposed licensing approach for the PBMR [3]. The key elements of this technology-neutral approach include (1) the use of accident frequency vs. radiological dose criteria that are derived from current U.S. licensing requirements, referred to as Top Level Regulatory (TLRC), (2) use of a full-scope PRA to select the LBEs, (3) development of reactor-specific functions, selection of the corresponding safety-related Systems, Structures, and Components (SSCs), and their regulatory design criteria, and (4) deterministic design conditions and special treatment requirements for the safety-related SSCs. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the elements of the approach that are important for the selection of LBEs. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21021052
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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