Predicting unprotected reactor upset response using the maximum likelihood method

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6964483

Vilim, R B ^[1]

---

1. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

A number of advanced reactor concepts incorporate intrinsic design features that act to safely limit reactor response during upsets. In the integral fast reactor (IFR) concept, for example, metallic fuel is used to provide sufficient negative reactivity feedback to achieve a safe response for a number of unprotected upsets. In reactors such as the IFR that rely on passive features for part of their safety, the licensing of these systems will probably require that they be periodically tested to verify proper operation. Commercial light water plants have similar requirements for active safety systems. The approach to testing considered in this paper involves determining during normal operation the values of key reactor parameters that govern the unprotected reactor response and then using these values to predict upset response. The values are determined using the maximum likelihood method. If the predicted reactor response is within safe limits, then one concludes that the intrinsic safety features are operating correctly.

• OSTI ID: 6964483
• Report Number(s): CONF-920606-; CODEN: TANSA
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States), Vol. 65; Conference: American Nuclear Society annual meeting, Boston, MA (United States), 7-12 Jun 1992; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
IFR REACTOR
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTOR SAFETY
ALLOY NUCLEAR FUELS
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR OPERATION
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
TRANSIENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FLUID MECHANICS
FUELS
KINETICS
MATERIALS
MECHANICS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OPERATION
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SAFETY
SOLID FUELS
ZERO POWER REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210500 - Power Reactors
Breeding