Safety analysis for K reactor and impact of cooling tower installation

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6843992

Fields, C C; Wooten, L A; Geeting, M W; Morgan, C E ^[1]; Buczek, J A ^[2]; Smith, D C ^[3]

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1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
2. ABBGSI, Aiken, SC (United States)
3. SAIC, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

This paper describes the safety analysis of the Savannah River site K-reactor loss-of-cooling-water-supply (LOCWS) event and the impact on the analysis of a natural-draft cooling tower, which was installed in 1992. Historically (1954 to 1992), the K-reactor secondary cooling system [called the cooling water system (CWS)] used water from the Savannah River pumped to a 25-million-gal basin adjacent to the reactor. Approximately 170 000 gal/min were pumped from the basin through heat exchangers to remove heat from the primary cooling system. This water then entered a smaller basin, where it flowed over a weir and eventually returned to the Savannah River. The 25-million-gal basin is at a higher elevation than the heat exchangers and the smaller basin to supply cooling by gravity flow (which is sufficient to remove decay heat) if power to the CWS pumps is interrupted. Small amounts of cooling water are also used for other essential equipment such as diesels, motors, and oil coolers. With the cooling tower installed, [approximately]85% of the cooling water flows from the small basin by gravity to the cooling tower instead of returning to the Savannah River. After being cooled, it is pumped back to the 25-million-gal basin. River water is supplied only to make up for evaporation and the blowdown stream.

• OSTI ID: 6843992
• Report Number(s): CONF-931160--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 69
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220600 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
COOLING SYSTEMS
COOLING TOWERS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTORS
K REACTOR
LOSS OF COOLANT
PRODUCTION REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTORS
RIVERS
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SAVANNAH RIVER
SPECIAL PRODUCTION REACTORS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS