Summary of PWR leak detection studies

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6951668

Cho, J H; Elia, Jr, F A

Thermal-hydraulic analysis can be used to determine the location and magnitude of leaks inside and location of leaks outside a pressurized water reactor (PWR) containment as required by plant technical specifications. The major advantage of this detection method is that it minimizes radiation exposure of maintenance personnel because most of the leak detection process is performed from the control room outside containment. Plant-specific analyses are utilized to predict change in parameters such as local dew point temperature, relative humidity, dry bulb temperature, and flow rate to sump for various leak rates and enthalpies. These parameter responses are then programmed into the plant computer and instrumentation is provided for area monitoring. The actual inputs are continuously monitored and compared to the predicted plant responses to identify the leak location and quantify the leak. This study concludes that a system that monitors dew point (or relative humidity) and dry bulb temperature changes together with the flow rate to the sump will provide the capability to both locate and quantify a leak inside a containment, while a system that monitors dew point temperature (or relative humidity) changes will provide the capability to locate a leak outside a containment.

• Research Organization: Stone and Webster Engineering Corp., Boston, MA
• OSTI ID: 6951668
• Report Number(s): CONF-861102-
• Journal Information: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 53; Conference: American Nuclear Society and Atomic Industrial Forum joint meeting, Washington, DC, USA, 16 Nov 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS
LEAKS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR SAFETY
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
HEAT TRANSFER
HUMIDITY
HYDRAULICS
LEAK DETECTORS
PIPES
RUPTURES
SPECIFICATIONS
T CODES
TEMPERATURE MONITORING
US NRC
CONTAINMENT
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
FAILURES
FLUID MECHANICS
MECHANICS
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
REACTORS
SAFETY
SIMULATION
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210200 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled