Historical perspectives of BEPU research in US
Abstract
Civilian nuclear energy started in earnest in the 1950s and experienced rapid growth in 1960-80s with increasingly larger reactors. These reactors were initially regulated based on the experience from the smaller reactors, but this could not be applied to the larger power reactors. Therefore, in 1974 the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission set up safety requirements based on defense in depth in 10 CFR 50.46, and set of guidance in 10 CFR 50 presented in Appendix K, for models and simulations of reactor safety analyses, to ensure conservatism in predicted safety parameters. These methods resulted in both conservative safety margins as well as economic and operational penalties. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a large number of experiential programs provided data that allowed for the creation of best estimate models. These best estimate models showed the conservatism in Appendix K models. In 1988-89, USNRC modified the regulations and allowed the use of best estimate models provided they were coupled to a reliable and defensible measure of uncertainty in the prediction of safety parameters. This change in regulation strongly encouraged global activity for the development of best estimate codes and methods. To aide in this development, the USNRC provided one acceptablemore »
- Authors:
-
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Rockville, MD (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Nonproliferation and Verification Research and Development (NA-22)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1601334
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-213628-2020-JAAM
Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5493; TRN: US2103626
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0012704
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Nuclear Engineering and Design
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 358; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5493
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
Citation Formats
Rohatgi, Upendra S., and Kaizer, Joshua S. Historical perspectives of BEPU research in US. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110430.
Rohatgi, Upendra S., & Kaizer, Joshua S. Historical perspectives of BEPU research in US. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110430
Rohatgi, Upendra S., and Kaizer, Joshua S. Tue .
"Historical perspectives of BEPU research in US". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110430. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1601334.
@article{osti_1601334,
title = {Historical perspectives of BEPU research in US},
author = {Rohatgi, Upendra S. and Kaizer, Joshua S.},
abstractNote = {Civilian nuclear energy started in earnest in the 1950s and experienced rapid growth in 1960-80s with increasingly larger reactors. These reactors were initially regulated based on the experience from the smaller reactors, but this could not be applied to the larger power reactors. Therefore, in 1974 the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission set up safety requirements based on defense in depth in 10 CFR 50.46, and set of guidance in 10 CFR 50 presented in Appendix K, for models and simulations of reactor safety analyses, to ensure conservatism in predicted safety parameters. These methods resulted in both conservative safety margins as well as economic and operational penalties. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a large number of experiential programs provided data that allowed for the creation of best estimate models. These best estimate models showed the conservatism in Appendix K models. In 1988-89, USNRC modified the regulations and allowed the use of best estimate models provided they were coupled to a reliable and defensible measure of uncertainty in the prediction of safety parameters. This change in regulation strongly encouraged global activity for the development of best estimate codes and methods. To aide in this development, the USNRC provided one acceptable approach, the Code Scaling, Acceptability and Uncertainty Evaluation Methodology (CSAU). This approach was later refined in the Evaluation Model Development and Assessment Process (EMDAP).},
doi = {10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110430},
journal = {Nuclear Engineering and Design},
number = C,
volume = 358,
place = {United States},
year = {2019},
month = {11}
}
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