Preservation of FFTF Data Related to Passive Safety Testing
One of the goals of the Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program (FCRD) is to preserve the knowledge that has been gained in the United States on Liquid Metal Reactors (LMR). A key area deserving special attention for preservation is the data relating to passive safety testing that was conducted in FFTF and EBR-II during the 1980’s. Accidents at Unit 4 of the Chernobyl Station and Unit 2 at Three Mile Island changed the safety paradigm of the nuclear power industry. New emphasis was placed on assured safety based on intrinsic plant characteristics that protect not only the public, but the significant investment in the plant as well. Plants designated to perform in this manner are considered to be passively safe since no active sensor/alarm system or human intervention is required to bring the reactor to a safe shutdown condition. The liquid metal reactor (LMR) has several key characteristics needed for a passively safe reactor: reactor coolant with superior heat transfer capability and very high boiling point, low (atmospheric) system pressures, and reliable negative reactivity feedback. The credibility of the design for a passively safe LMR rests on two issues: the validity of analytic methods used to predict passive safety performance and the availability of relevant test data to calibrate design tools. Safety analysis methods used to analyze LMRs under the old safety paradigm were focused on calculating the source term for the Core Disruptive Accident. Passive safety design requires refined analysis methods for transient events because treatment of the detailed reactivity feedbacks is important in predicting the response of the reactor. Similarly, analytic tools should be calibrated against actual test experience in existing LMR facilities. The principal objectives of the combined FFTF natural circulation and Passive Safety Testing program were: 1) to verify natural circulation as a reliable means to safely remove decay heat, 2) to extend passive safety experience to a large-size LMR and obtain data for validating design analysis computer codes, and 3) to develop and test passive safety enhancements that might be used for future LMRs. These tests were designed to provide data sufficient to allow separation of fuel temperature effects from structural temperature effects. The data developed through this testing program were used to verify the predictive capability of passive safety analysis methods as well as provide a data base for calibrating design tools such as the SASSYS/SAS4A codes. These tests were instrumental in improving understanding of reactivity feedback mechanisms in LMRs and demonstrating passive safety margins available in an LMR. Knowledge preservation at the FFTF is focused on the areas of design, construction, startup, and operation of the reactor. This information may be of potential use for international exchanges with other LMR programs around the world. This information provides the basis for creating benchmarks for validating and testing large scale computer programs. All information preserved to date is now being stored and categorized consistent with the IAEA international standardized taxonomy. The test results information exists in several different formats depending upon the final stage of the test evaluation. Over 100 documents relevant to passive safety testing have been identified and are being recovered, scanned, and catalogued. Attempts to recover plant data tapes are also in progress. Documents related to passive safety testing are now being categorized consistent with internationally agreed upon IAEA standards. Documents are being converted to electronic format compatible with a general search engine being developed by INL. The data from the FFTF passive safety tests provides experimental verification of structural reactivity effects that should be very useful to innovative designers seeking to optimize passive safety in the design of new LMRs.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1012521
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-70221; TANSAO; AF5820000; TRN: US1102294
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, 102(1):556-557, Vol. 102, Issue 1; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BOILING POINTS
COMPUTER CODES
DESIGN
FUEL CYCLE
HEAT TRANSFER
KNOWLEDGE PRESERVATION
LIQUID METALS
NATURAL CONVECTION
NUCLEAR POWER
PRESERVATION
SAFETY
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SAFETY MARGINS
SOURCE TERMS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TESTING
FFTF
liquid metal reactor
data preservation
passive safety testing