Synergistic failure of BWR internals
- INEEL
- NRC
Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) core shrouds and other reactor internals important to safety are experiencing intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission has followed the problem, and as part of its investigations, contracted with the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to conduct a risk assessment. The overall project objective is to assess the potential consequences and risks associated with the failure of IGSCC-susceptible BWR vessel internals, with specific consideration given to potential cascading and common mode effects. An initial phase has been completed in which background material was gathered and evaluated, and potential accident sequences were identified. A second phase is underway to perform a simplified, quantitative probabilistic risk assessment on a representative high-power BWR/4. Results of the initial study conducted on the jet pumps show that any cascading failures would not result in a significant increase in the core damage frequency. The methodology is currently being extended to other major reactor internals components.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-99ID13727
- OSTI ID:
- 758130
- Report Number(s):
- INEEL/CON-99-01142; TRN: US0003762
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Water Reactor Safety Meeting, Bethesda, MD (US), 10/25/1999--10/27/1999; Other Information: PBD: 25 Oct 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A Program for Risk Assessment Associated with IGSCC of BWR Vessel Internals
Preliminary Risk Assessment Associated with IGSCC of BWR Vessel Internals
Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
SHROUDS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
RISK ASSESSMENT
STRESS CORROSION
INTERGRANULAR CORROSION
CRACK PROPAGATION
FAILURES
BOILING WATER REACTOR
CORE SHROUDS
INTERGRANULAR STRESS CORROSION CRACKING (IGSCC)
VESSEL INTERNALS
ACCIDENT SEQUENCES
CASCADING FAILURES