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Title: Summary of PWR leak detection studies

Abstract

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.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Stone and Webster Engineering Corp., Boston, MA
OSTI Identifier:
6951668
Report Number(s):
CONF-861102-
Journal ID: CODEN: TANSA
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 53; Conference: American Nuclear Society and Atomic Industrial Forum joint meeting, Washington, DC, USA, 16 Nov 1986
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
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

Citation Formats

Cho, J H, and Elia, Jr, F A. Summary of PWR leak detection studies. United States: N. p., 1986. Web.
Cho, J H, & Elia, Jr, F A. Summary of PWR leak detection studies. United States.
Cho, J H, and Elia, Jr, F A. 1986. "Summary of PWR leak detection studies". United States.
@article{osti_6951668,
title = {Summary of PWR leak detection studies},
author = {Cho, J H and Elia, Jr, F A},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6951668}, journal = {Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 53,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986}
}

Conference:
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