Probabilistic analysis of liquid-metal fast breeder reactor accident consequences with response surface techniques

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5129190

Vaurio, J K; Mueller, C

Response surface techniques are presented for obtaining the probability distributions of selected consequences of a liquid-metal fast breeder reactor hypothetical core disruptive accident. The uncertainties of the consequences are considered as a variability of the system and model input parameters used in the accident analysis. Probability distributions are assigned to the input parameters, and parameter values are systematically chosen from these distributions. These input parameters are then used in deterministic consequence analyses that are performed by fast-running analogs of the comprehensive mechanistic accident analysis codes. The results of these deterministic consequence analyses are used to generate the coefficients for response surface functions that approximate the consequences in terms of the selected input parameters. These approximating functions are then used to generate the probability distributions of the consequences with random sampling being used to obtain values for the accident parameters from their distributions. Two different schemes are presented for selecting the knot-point values of the input parameters. The first generates a single second-order polynomial for the entire parameter space; the second generates separate polynomials for specified regions of the parameter space. The calculation of conditional distributions of the consequences and the use of these distributions to define importance distributions of the input parameters are presented. The use of these procedures is illustrated by applications to a postulated loss-of-flow transient with failure to scram in a Clinch River Breeder-type reactor.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL
• OSTI ID: 5129190
• Journal Information: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 65:2; ISSN NSENA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500 -- Power Reactors
Breeding
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
BREEDER REACTORS
CALCULATION METHODS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PROBABILITY
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR CORE DISRUPTION
REACTORS