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Neutronic static analysis of Chernobyl accident; Analisi neutronica statica dell`incidente di Chernobyl

Abstract

In the present analysis, estimates were made of the positive reactivity introduced through the growth of the coolant void fraction in a Graphite-water steam-generating reactor both at the average value of burnup given by the Soviets and at the maximum value. Using Monte Carlo models, various possible axial distribution of burnup, displacer models, conditions in the control channels and positions of the control rods were considered in calculating the insertion of positive reactivity with the fall of the manual and emergency control rods; that is the positive scram. The possibility of positive reactivity insertion due to the creation of a mixture of fuel, water and cladding in a number of central fuel channels has been examined. This situation corresponds to the explosion of these channels, and is considered in the present work as the cause of the second reactivity peak. At the level of the data presented in this study, vaporization of cooling water in the fuel channels can be considered as the cause of the Chernobyl accident. The accident began in the region of the channels close to the axis of the reactor and spread to its periphery. The positive reactivity due to insertion of the manual and emergency  More>>
Authors:
Buccafurni, A; Landeyro, P A [1] 
  1. ENEA, Rome (Italy). Direzione Sicurezza Nucleare e Protezione Sanitaria
Publication Date:
Dec 31, 1989
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
ENEA-RT-DISP-89-5
Reference Number:
SCA: 210200; 570100; PA: AIX-23:008748; SN: 92000619710
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 1989
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; CHERNOBYLSK-4 REACTOR; REACTOR ACCIDENTS; REACTOR KINETICS; MONTE CARLO METHOD; REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS; SCRAM; 210200; 570100; POWER REACTORS, NONBREEDING, LIGHT-WATER MODERATED, NONBOILING WATER COOLED; REAL ACCIDENTS
OSTI ID:
10104124
Research Organizations:
ENEA, Rome (Italy)
Country of Origin:
Italy
Language:
Italian
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ON: DE92612895; TRN: IT9100008008748
Availability:
OSTI; NTIS (US Sales Only); INIS
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
87 p.
Announcement Date:
Jun 30, 2005

Citation Formats

Buccafurni, A, and Landeyro, P A. Neutronic static analysis of Chernobyl accident; Analisi neutronica statica dell`incidente di Chernobyl. Italy: N. p., 1989. Web.
Buccafurni, A, & Landeyro, P A. Neutronic static analysis of Chernobyl accident; Analisi neutronica statica dell`incidente di Chernobyl. Italy.
Buccafurni, A, and Landeyro, P A. 1989. "Neutronic static analysis of Chernobyl accident; Analisi neutronica statica dell`incidente di Chernobyl." Italy.
@misc{etde_10104124,
title = {Neutronic static analysis of Chernobyl accident; Analisi neutronica statica dell`incidente di Chernobyl}
author = {Buccafurni, A, and Landeyro, P A}
abstractNote = {In the present analysis, estimates were made of the positive reactivity introduced through the growth of the coolant void fraction in a Graphite-water steam-generating reactor both at the average value of burnup given by the Soviets and at the maximum value. Using Monte Carlo models, various possible axial distribution of burnup, displacer models, conditions in the control channels and positions of the control rods were considered in calculating the insertion of positive reactivity with the fall of the manual and emergency control rods; that is the positive scram. The possibility of positive reactivity insertion due to the creation of a mixture of fuel, water and cladding in a number of central fuel channels has been examined. This situation corresponds to the explosion of these channels, and is considered in the present work as the cause of the second reactivity peak. At the level of the data presented in this study, vaporization of cooling water in the fuel channels can be considered as the cause of the Chernobyl accident. The accident began in the region of the channels close to the axis of the reactor and spread to its periphery. The positive reactivity due to insertion of the manual and emergency control rods - positive scram -played a marginal role in the development of the accident. Fracture of the fuel followed by bursting of the channels around the axis of the reactor, due to contact between the hot UO2 particles and the cooling water at th end of the first peak, could have started a mechanism capable of producing a second peak in reactivity, in the case of fuel damage extended to a sufficiently large portion of the core.}
place = {Italy}
year = {1989}
month = {Dec}
}