Topaz II preliminary safety assessment

Conference · Sun Jan 10 04:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43185· OSTI ID:6541429

Marshall, A C ^[1]; Standley, V ^[2]; Voss, S S ^[3]; Haskin, E ^[4]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
2. Air Force Phillips Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110 (United States)
3. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
4. Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Department, Institute for Nuclear Power Studies, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110 (United States)

The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) decided to investigate the possibility of launching a Russian Topaz II space nuclear power system. A preliminary safety assessment was conducted to determine whether or not a space mission could be conducted safely and within budget constraints. As part of this assessment, a safety policy and safety functional requirements were developed to guide both the safety assessment and future Topaz II activities. A review of the Russian flight safety program was conducted and documented. Our preliminary safety assessment included a top level event tree, neutronic analysis of normal and accident configurations, an evaluation of temperature coefficients of reactivity, a reentry and disposal analysis, and analysis of postulated launch abort impact accidents, and an analysis of postulated propellant fire and explosion accidents. Based on the assessment, it appears that it will be possible to safely launch the Topaz II system in the U.S. with some possible system modifications. The principal system modifications will probably include design changes to preclude water flooded criticality and to assure intact reentry.

• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6541429
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States) Journal Volume: 271:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210600* -- Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
EXPLOSIONS
FIRES
HYDRIDE MODERATED REACTORS
MISSION ANALYSIS
POWER REACTORS
REACTIVITY COEFFICIENTS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR CORE DISRUPTION
REACTORS
REENTRY
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY ANALYSIS
TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT
TOPAZ REACTOR