Leak Path Factor Evaluation: A MELCOR Application for Nonreactor Nuclear Facilities

Conference · Mon May 03 04:00:00 EDT 2004

OSTI ID:824425

POLIZZI, MARIO

This paper presents a Leak Path Factor (LPF) analysis for a postulated fire accident on a building containing plutonium powder when the resulting outside release is partly through the ventilation/filtration system and partly through other pathways such as building access doorways. When analyzing an accident scenario involving the release of radioactive powders inside a building, various pathways for the release to the outside environment can exist. This study is presented to show how the multiple building leak path factors (combination of filtered and unfiltered releases) can be evaluated in an integrated manner to assess the magnitude of the source term to be used in the consequence analysis. The core of the analysis is to calculate the leak path factor, which represents the fraction of respirable radioactive powder that is made airborne that leaves the building through the various pathways. The computer code of choice for this determination is MELCOR1. The analysis results can be used for the transport and dispersion of powder material released to the atmosphere and to estimate the resulting dose that is received by the downwind receptors of interest. This work can be used as model for performing analyses for systems similar in nature where releases can propagate to the outside environment via filtered and unfiltered pathways. This example provides guidance to analysts outlining the essential steps needed to perform a sound and defensible analysis.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-96SR18500
• OSTI ID: 824425
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS-2004-00296
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACCIDENTS
COMPUTER CODES
EVALUATION
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PLUTONIUM
SOURCE TERMS
TRANSPORT