Preliminary analysis of loss-of-coolant accident in Fukushima nuclear accident

Journal Article · Wed Jun 06 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4725470· OSTI ID:22004173

Su'ud, Zaki; Anshari, Rio ^[1]

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1. Nuclear and Biophysics Research Group, Dept. of Physics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Jl.Ganesha 10, Bandung, 40132 (Indonesia)

Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) in Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) especially on Fukushima Nuclear Accident will be discussed in this paper. The Tohoku earthquake triggered the shutdown of nuclear power reactors at Fukushima Nuclear Power station. Though shutdown process has been completely performed, cooling process, at much smaller level than in normal operation, is needed to remove decay heat from the reactor core until the reactor reach cold-shutdown condition. If LOCA happen at this condition, it will cause the increase of reactor fuel and other core temperatures and can lead to reactor core meltdown and exposure of radioactive material to the environment such as in the Fukushima Dai Ichi nuclear accident case. In this study numerical simulation has been performed to calculate pressure composition, water level and temperature distribution on reactor during this accident. There are two coolant regulating system that operational on reactor unit 1 at this accident, Isolation Condensers (IC) system and Safety Relief Valves (SRV) system. Average mass flow of steam to the IC system in this event is 10 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 3,2 hours and fully uncovered in 4,7 hours later. There are two coolant regulating system at operational on reactor unit 2, Reactor Core Isolation Condenser (RCIC) System and Safety Relief Valves (SRV). Average mass flow of coolant that correspond this event is 20 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 73 hours and fully uncovered in 75 hours later. There are three coolant regulating system at operational on reactor unit 3, Reactor Core Isolation Condenser (RCIC) system, High Pressure Coolant Injection (HPCI) system and Safety Relief Valves (SRV). Average mass flow of water that correspond this event is 15 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 37 hours and fully uncovered in 40 hours later.

• OSTI ID: 22004173
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1448; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EARTHQUAKES
FUKUSHIMA-1 REACTOR
FUKUSHIMA-2 REACTOR
FUKUSHIMA-3 REACTOR
FUKUSHIMA-4 REACTOR
HIGH PRESSURE COOLANT INJECTION
ISOLATION CONDENSERS
LOSS OF COOLANT
MELTDOWN
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
RCIC SYSTEMS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR FUELING
RELIEF VALVES
SHUTDOWN
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION