Analysis of the SL-1 Accident Using RELAPS5-3D

Conference · Thu Nov 08 04:00:00 EST 2007

OSTI ID:923320

On January 3, 1961, at the National Reactor Testing Station, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the Stationary Low Power Reactor No. 1 (SL-1) experienced a major nuclear excursion, killing three people, and destroying the reactor core. The SL-1 reactor, a 3 MW{sub t} boiling water reactor, was shut down and undergoing routine maintenance work at the time. This paper presents an analysis of the SL-1 reactor excursion using the RELAP5-3D thermal-hydraulic and nuclear analysis code, with the intent of simulating the accident from the point of reactivity insertion to destruction and vaporization of the fuel. Results are presented, along with a discussion of sensitivity to some reactor and transient parameters (many of the details are only known with a high level of uncertainty).

• Research Organization: Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory (BAPL), West Mifflin, PA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC11-98PN38206
• OSTI ID: 923320
• Report Number(s): B-T-3710
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ACCIDENTS
BOILING
EVAPORATION
INEEL
MAINTENANCE
POWER REACTORS
REACTIVITY INSERTIONS
REACTOR CORES
SENSITIVITY
SL-1 REACTOR
TRANSIENTS
WATER