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Improved reliability of residual heat removal capability in pressurized water reactors

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6174637
The work presented in this paper was performed by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in supporting Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) effort towards the resolution of Generic Issue 99 ''Reactor Coolant System (RCS)/Residual Heat Removal (RHR) Suction Line Interlocks on Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs).'' Operational experience of US PWRs indicates that numerous loss of RHR events have occurred during plant shutdown. Of particular significance is the loss of RHR suction due to the inadvertent closure of the RHR suction/isolation valves or an excess lowering of the water level in the reactor vessel. In the absence of prompt mitigative action by the operator, the core may become uncovered. Various design/operational changes have been proposed. The objective of this paper is to estimate the improvement in the RHR reliability and the risk reduction potential provided by those proposed RHR design/operational changes. The benefits of those changes are expressed in terms of the reduction in the frequency of loss-of-cooling events and the frequency of core damage.
Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
OSTI ID:
6174637
Report Number(s):
BNL-NUREG-39975; CONF-870820-5; ON: DE87012873
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English