Doubled-ended breaks in reactor primary piping. [Guillotine breaks]
Results indicate that the probability of double-ended guillotine break (DEGB) in the reactor coolant loop piping of Westinghouse and Combustion Engineering plants is extremely low. It is recommended that the NRC seriously consider eliminating DEGB as a design basis event for reactor coolant loop piping in Westinghouse plants. Pipe whip restraints on reactor coolant loop piping could then be excluded or removed, and the requirement to design supports to withstand asymmetric blowdown loads could be eliminated. It is also recommended that the current requirement to couple safe shutdown earthquake (SSE) and DEGB be eliminated. Recognizing however that seismically induced support failure is the weak link in the DEGB evaluation, it is recommended that the strength of component supports, currently designed for the combination of SSE plus DEGB, not be reduced. The study indicates that the probability of DEGB in reactor coolant loop piping is sufficiently low under all plant conditions, including seismic events, to justify eliminating it entirely as a basis for plant design.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6280449
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-91731; CONF-8410142-39; ON: DE85003145
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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