Core coolability limits in LMFBR loss-of-heat-sink accidents

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6758881

Rose, S D; Carbajo, J J

Considerable attention has been devoted to the loss-of-heat-sink (LOHS) accident after successful reactor shutdown in a liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR). It has been estimated that this accident accounts for more than 80% of the risk of hypothetical core disruptive accidents; therefore, attention should be focused on this specific contributor. In this paper, an analytical study has been performed to estimate the decay heat powers that can be safely removed by sustained free convection boiling without causing cladding damage for a complete range of inlet temperatures from nominal to saturation. This study has been performed with the codes LOOP-1C, a one-dimensional (1-D) loop code; LOOP-TH, a two-dimensional (2-D) bundle code with 1-D loop modeling; and THORAX, a 2-D bundle code. The geometry used has been one 19-pin test bundle in parallel with a return leg connected by lower and upper plena.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6758881
• Report Number(s): CONF-840614-66; ON: DE84014254
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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