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Title: Safety significance of ATR (Advanced Test Reactor) passive safety response attributes

Abstract

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory was designed with some passive safety response attributes which contribute to the safety posture of the facility. The three passive safety attributes being evaluated in the paper are: (1) In-core and in-vessel natural convection cooling, (2) a passive heat sink capability of the ATR primary coolant system (PCS) for the transfer of decay power from the uninsulated piping to the confinement, and (3) gravity feed of emergency coolant makeup. The safety significance of the ATR passive safety response attributes is that the reactor can passively respond for most transients, given a reactor scram, to provide adequate decay power removal and a significant time for operator action should the normal active heat removal systems and their backup systems both fail. The ATR Interim Level 1 Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) model ands results were used to evaluate the significance to ATR fuel damage frequency (or probability) of the above three passive response attributes. The results of the evaluation indicate that the first attribute is a major safety characteristic of the ATR. The second attribute has a noticeable but only minor safety significance. The third attribute has no significant influence on themore » ATR Level 1 PRA because of the diversity and redundancy of the ATR firewater injection system (emergency coolant system). 8 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (USA)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE/NE
OSTI Identifier:
6387047
Report Number(s):
EGG-M-89059; IAEA-SM-310/22P; CONF-891027-9
ON: DE91001931; TRN: 90-035989
DOE Contract Number:  
AC07-76ID01570
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: International symposium on research reactor safety, operations and modifications, Chalk River (Canada), 23-27 Oct 1989
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; ATR REACTOR; REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS; REACTOR SAFETY; AFTER-HEAT REMOVAL; ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS; HEAT TRANSFER; HYDRAULICS; LOSS OF FLOW; RISK ASSESSMENT; ACCIDENTS; COOLING SYSTEMS; ENERGY SYSTEMS; ENERGY TRANSFER; ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS; FLUID MECHANICS; IRRADIATION REACTORS; MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS; MECHANICS; REACTOR ACCIDENTS; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; REMOVAL; RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS; SAFETY; TANK TYPE REACTORS; TEST REACTORS; THERMAL REACTORS; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WATER MODERATED REACTORS; 220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety; 220600 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research, Test & Experimental Reactors

Citation Formats

Atkinson, S A. Safety significance of ATR (Advanced Test Reactor) passive safety response attributes. United States: N. p., 1989. Web.
Atkinson, S A. Safety significance of ATR (Advanced Test Reactor) passive safety response attributes. United States.
Atkinson, S A. 1989. "Safety significance of ATR (Advanced Test Reactor) passive safety response attributes". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6387047.
@article{osti_6387047,
title = {Safety significance of ATR (Advanced Test Reactor) passive safety response attributes},
author = {Atkinson, S A},
abstractNote = {The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory was designed with some passive safety response attributes which contribute to the safety posture of the facility. The three passive safety attributes being evaluated in the paper are: (1) In-core and in-vessel natural convection cooling, (2) a passive heat sink capability of the ATR primary coolant system (PCS) for the transfer of decay power from the uninsulated piping to the confinement, and (3) gravity feed of emergency coolant makeup. The safety significance of the ATR passive safety response attributes is that the reactor can passively respond for most transients, given a reactor scram, to provide adequate decay power removal and a significant time for operator action should the normal active heat removal systems and their backup systems both fail. The ATR Interim Level 1 Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) model ands results were used to evaluate the significance to ATR fuel damage frequency (or probability) of the above three passive response attributes. The results of the evaluation indicate that the first attribute is a major safety characteristic of the ATR. The second attribute has a noticeable but only minor safety significance. The third attribute has no significant influence on the ATR Level 1 PRA because of the diversity and redundancy of the ATR firewater injection system (emergency coolant system). 8 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6387047}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989}
}

Conference:
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