Overview of the LOFT experimental program

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6111013

Burtt, J. D.

The Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) facility, operated by EG and G Idaho, Inc., for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is designed as an integral test facility to study the behavior of commercial pressurized water reactors (PWRs) during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). For this mission, six nuclear and one nonnuclear test series have been proposed to provide data on PWR transient behavior, but plans must be recognized as tentative and subject to change for a number of reasons. The Nonnuclear Test Series, completed in April 1978, consisted of six loss-of-coolant experiments (LOCEs) performed with isothermal primary coolant temperatures. The Power Ascension Test Series, Series L2, proposes five LOCEs, simulating double-ended cold leg breaks (DECLB), to provide a controlled power escalation to a peak power of 52.49 kW/m. The Small and Intermediate Breaks Test Series, Series L3, will consist of three LOCEs designed to study the effects of smaller primary coolant system ruptures. These tests will be initiated by cold leg ruptures ranging from scaled 6.4-cm pipe ruptures to scaled 0.05-m/sup 2/ pipe cracks. Five LOCEs are proposed for the Alternate Emergency Core Cooling Systems (ECCS) Test Series, designated Series L4. These DECLBs will be used to study systems such as lower plenum emergency core coolant injection, hot leg injection, and combined hot and cold leg injection. Also included in the L4 series is a test involving upper plenum-downcomer pressure equalization valves. The Hot Leg Rupture Test Series, Series L5, will study PWR behavior during a double-ended hot leg rupture.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-07-1570
• OSTI ID: 6111013
• Report Number(s): CONF-790646--6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
BLOWDOWN
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECCS
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
LOFT REACTOR
LOSS OF COOLANT
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR PROTECTION SYSTEMS
REACTOR SAFETY EXPERIMENTS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
REVIEWS
TANK TYPE REACTORS
TEST REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS