Engineered safety features for in-vessel retention of large power reactors

K. Y. Suh; Y. H. Kim; S. D. Lee; C. S. Kim; J. L. Rempe; F. B. Cheung; S. B. Kim

Engineered safety features for in-vessel retention of large power reactors

K. Y. Suh, Y. H. Kim, S. D. Lee, C. S. Kim, J. L. Rempe, F. B. Cheung, S. B. Kim

Mechanical Engineering

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

In-vessel retention (IVR) of core melt is a key severe accident management strategy adopted by some operating nuclear power plants and proposed for some advanced light water reactors (ALWRs). If there were inadequate cooling during a reactor accident, a significant amount of core material could become molten and relocate to the lower head of the reactor vessel, as happened in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident. If it is possible to ensure that the vessel head remains intact so that relocated core materials are retained within the vessel, the enhanced safety associated with these plants can reduce concerns about containment failure and associated risk. However, it is not clear that currently-proposed external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) could provide sufficient heat removal for higher power reactors. A United States (U.S.)-Korean International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (INERI) project has been initiated in which the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Seoul National University (SNU), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) will determine if IVR is feasible for reactors up to 1500 MWe. This paper summarizes results from the first year of this three year project.

Original language	English (US)
State	Published - 2003
Event	2nd International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP 2003 - Cordoba, Spain Duration: May 4 2003 → May 7 2003

Other

Other	2nd International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP 2003
Country	Spain
City	Cordoba
Period	5/4/03 → 5/7/03

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology

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@conference{4cbf0df8c7214737a429e441575ce083,

title = "Engineered safety features for in-vessel retention of large power reactors",

abstract = "In-vessel retention (IVR) of core melt is a key severe accident management strategy adopted by some operating nuclear power plants and proposed for some advanced light water reactors (ALWRs). If there were inadequate cooling during a reactor accident, a significant amount of core material could become molten and relocate to the lower head of the reactor vessel, as happened in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident. If it is possible to ensure that the vessel head remains intact so that relocated core materials are retained within the vessel, the enhanced safety associated with these plants can reduce concerns about containment failure and associated risk. However, it is not clear that currently-proposed external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) could provide sufficient heat removal for higher power reactors. A United States (U.S.)-Korean International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (INERI) project has been initiated in which the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Seoul National University (SNU), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) will determine if IVR is feasible for reactors up to 1500 MWe. This paper summarizes results from the first year of this three year project.",

author = "Suh, {K. Y.} and Kim, {Y. H.} and Lee, {S. D.} and Kim, {C. S.} and Rempe, {J. L.} and Cheung, {F. B.} and Kim, {S. B.}",

year = "2003",

language = "English (US)",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - Engineered safety features for in-vessel retention of large power reactors

AU - Suh, K. Y.

AU - Kim, Y. H.

AU - Lee, S. D.

AU - Kim, C. S.

AU - Rempe, J. L.

AU - Cheung, F. B.

AU - Kim, S. B.

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - In-vessel retention (IVR) of core melt is a key severe accident management strategy adopted by some operating nuclear power plants and proposed for some advanced light water reactors (ALWRs). If there were inadequate cooling during a reactor accident, a significant amount of core material could become molten and relocate to the lower head of the reactor vessel, as happened in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident. If it is possible to ensure that the vessel head remains intact so that relocated core materials are retained within the vessel, the enhanced safety associated with these plants can reduce concerns about containment failure and associated risk. However, it is not clear that currently-proposed external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) could provide sufficient heat removal for higher power reactors. A United States (U.S.)-Korean International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (INERI) project has been initiated in which the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Seoul National University (SNU), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) will determine if IVR is feasible for reactors up to 1500 MWe. This paper summarizes results from the first year of this three year project.

AB - In-vessel retention (IVR) of core melt is a key severe accident management strategy adopted by some operating nuclear power plants and proposed for some advanced light water reactors (ALWRs). If there were inadequate cooling during a reactor accident, a significant amount of core material could become molten and relocate to the lower head of the reactor vessel, as happened in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident. If it is possible to ensure that the vessel head remains intact so that relocated core materials are retained within the vessel, the enhanced safety associated with these plants can reduce concerns about containment failure and associated risk. However, it is not clear that currently-proposed external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) could provide sufficient heat removal for higher power reactors. A United States (U.S.)-Korean International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (INERI) project has been initiated in which the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Seoul National University (SNU), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) will determine if IVR is feasible for reactors up to 1500 MWe. This paper summarizes results from the first year of this three year project.

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M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:84933182520

T2 - 2nd International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP 2003

Y2 - 4 May 2003 through 7 May 2003

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