SBLOCA analysis for nuclear plant shutdown operations

• Main Author: Wang, Yi
• Other Authors: Reyes, Jose N. Jr
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Nuclear power plants > Safety measures > Evaluation; Nuclear power plants > Accidents
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/35895

A series of small break loss of coolant accident (SBLOCA) analyses in nuclear plant shutdown operations was simulated using the code RELAP5A,MOD3 version 8.0 to predict the SBLOCA phenomena in the Zion-l nuclear power plant The first objective is to study the impact of SBLOCA (1" and 2" breaks) on plant conditions while in the shutdown mode. In particular, to determine the time to "core uncovery" without operator interaction. The other objective is to study the effect of RHR heat exchanger elevation on natural circulation mass flow rate, fluid temperature and peak fuel pin temperature. Peak temperature and time to core uncovery were found for two small break LOCA cases. The natural circulation mass flow rate after break initiation was affected by varying the RHR heat exchanger elevation. The system pressure and temperature were not affected much by the elevation change in the RHR heat exchanger. The current version of RELAP5/MOD3 was found to be sensitive to the initial conditions in studies of low pressure,low temperature plant systems, especially for a large break LOCA. === Graduation date: 1994