Test results employed by General Electric for boiling water reactor containment and vertical vent loads

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1975

OSTI ID:4133903

Fukushima, T Y; Singh, A; James, A J; Winkler, W D; Walenciak, M R; Rosa, J M

During a safety relief valve blowdown, air contained in the relief line discharges into the suppression pool with the resulting oscillations of the air bubble causing dynamic loading on the containment. The magnitude and characteristics of such loading depend upon the geometry of the discharge device at the end of the safety relief line. Extensive small scale and large scale testing was performed to evaluate the performance of a four-arm quencher discharge device. Results of these tests, description of test facility, instrumentation and test procedures are described. During a loss-of-coolant accident, steam flows through vertical vent pipes such as employed in Mark I and II Containments and condenses in the suppression pool at the vent exit. During this condensation process, a steam bubble which forms at the vent exit will collapse irregularly leading to water impingement on the vent pipe. The water impingement phenomenon causes lateral loading on the vertical vents. The loading phenomena and series of tests performed to evaluate the load magnitudes are described. During a later part of the safety relief valve blowdown, steam discharges into the suppression pool through the safety relief line end discharge device. Extensive tests were carried out to investigate the high temperature condensation phenomenon and the temperature threshold limits for the occurrence of condensation vibrations for various configurations including the quencher configuration, of the relief line and discharge device. Results of these tests including a description of the test facility, instrumentation and test procedures have been included. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., San Jose, Calif. (USA). Boiling Water Reactor Systems Dept.
• NSA Number: NSA-33-008772
• OSTI ID: 4133903
• Report Number(s): NEDO--21078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*BWR TYPE REACTORS-- LOSS OF COOLANT
*CONTAINMENT
220900* --Nuclear Reactor Technology--Reactor Safety
N77100 --Reactors--Power Reactors
Non-breeding
Light-water Moderated
Boiling Water-cooled
N77900* --Reactors--Reactor Safety & Environmental Aspects
PRESSURE SUPPRESSION
RELIEF VALVES
STRESSES
VENTS