Simulating unprotected accidents for advanced liquid metal reactors using the SAS4A accident analysis code

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5011228

Tentner, A M; Dunn, F E; Kalimullah,; Miles, K J

To ensure that the public health and safety are protected during any accident in a Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR), many accidents are analyzed for their potential consequences. The SAS4A code system, described in this paper, provides such an analysis capabililty, including the ability to analyze low probability events such as the Hypothetical Core Disruptive Accidents (HCDAs). The SAS4A code system has been designed to simulate the events that occur in a LMFBR core during the initiating phase of a Hypothetical Core Core Disruptive Accident. During such postulated accident scenarios as the Loss-of-Flow and Transient Overpower events, a large number of interrelated physical phenomena occur during a relatively short time. These phenomena include transient heat transfer and hydrodynamic events, coolant boiling and fuel and cladding melting and relocaton. Due to the strong neutronic feedback present in a nuclear reactor, these events can significantly influence the reactor power. The SAS4A code system is used in the safety analysis of nuclear reactors, in order to estimate the energetic potential of very low probability accidents. The results of SAS4A simulations are also used by reactor designers in order to build safer reactors and eliminate the possibility of any accident which could endanger the public safety.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5011228
• Report Number(s): CONF-880455-3; ON: DE88009934
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
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& Computer Programs-- (1987-1989)
ACCIDENTS
BREEDER REACTORS
COMPUTER CODES
ENERGY TRANSFER
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FLUID MECHANICS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
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LOSS OF COOLANT
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PUBLIC HEALTH
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR CORE DISRUPTION
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
RISK ASSESSMENT
S CODES
SAFETY
SIMULATION
TRANSIENTS