Core thermal response and hydrogen generation of the N Reactor hydrogen mitigation design basis accident
Calculations were performed to determine core heatup, core damage, and subsequent hydrogen production of a hypothetical loss-of-cooling accident at the Department of Energy's N Reactor. The thermal transient response of the reactor core was solved using the TRUMP-BD computer program. Estimates of whole-core thermal damage and hydrogen production were made by weighting the results of multiple half-length pressure tube simulations at various power levels. The Baker-Just and Wilson parabolic rate equations for the metal-water chemical reactions modeled the key phenomena of chemical energy and hydrogen evolution. Unlimited steam was assumed available for continuous oxidation of exposed Zircaloy-2 surfaces and for uranium metal with fuel cladding beyond the failure temperature (1038 C). Intact fuel geometry was modeled. Maximum fuel temperatures (1181 C) in the cooled central regions of the core were predicted to occur one-half hour into the accident scenario. Maximum fuel temperatures of 1447 C occurred in the core GSCS-regions at the end of the 10-h transient. After 10-h 26% of the fuel inventory was predicted to have failed. Peak hydrogen evolution equaled 42 g/s, while 10-h integrated hydrogen evolution equaled 167 kg. 12 refs., 12 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-87RL10930; AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6428030
- Report Number(s):
- WHC-SA-0155; CONF-880724-28; ON: DE89010103
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 25. American Society of Mechanical Engineers/American Institute of Chemical Engineers/American Nuclear Society national heat transfer conference, Houston, TX, USA, 24 Jul 1988; Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
N-REACTOR
REACTOR SAFETY
DESIGN BASIS ACCIDENTS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
LOSS OF COOLANT
MITIGATION
REACTOR CORES
T CODES
ACCIDENTS
COMPUTER CODES
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FLUID MECHANICS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
LWGR TYPE REACTORS
MECHANICS
PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SAFETY
WATER COOLED REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220700 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Plutonium & Isotope Production Reactors