Determination of the end state of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident using neutron transport analysis

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6766385

Bandini, B R; Baratta, A J ^[1]; Fricke, V R ^[2]

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1. The Pennsylvania State Univ., Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 231 Sackett Building, University Park, PA (US)
2. Burns and Roe Inc., TMI Nuclear Station, P.O. Box 480, Middletown, PA (US)

Since the March 1979 accident, the source range monitors (SRMs) at Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) have been reading several orders of magnitude higher than would be expected in a normal shutdown core. A study in which these anomalous SRM readings are analyzed and the cause determined is reported. Here, the DOT 4.3 two-dimensional transport code was used to simulate the SRM response and the response of an axial string of solid-state track recorders by modeling the neutronics of the damaged TMI-2 core. This modeling has indicated the presence of -- 10 tonnes of fuel material in the lower vessel plenum, a condition that was subsequently verified by direct observation. The computational model, the method of cross-section preparation, and an analysis of the various core neutron sources are described, as well as the results obtained from this effort.

• OSTI ID: 6766385
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 81:3; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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