Advanced nuclear reactor designs, such as the CAREM reactor, include several improvements related to safety issues either enhancing the passive safety functions or allowing plant operators more time to undertake different management actions against radioactive releases to the environment. In the development of the nuclear power plant CAREM, the possibility of including a passive metallic in-vessel container in its design is being considered, to arrest the reactor pressure vessel meltdown sequence during a core damaging event, and thereof prevent its failure. The paper comprises the analyses, via numerical simulation, for the conceptual design of such a container type. Simulation model characteristics helping to establish geometrical dimensions, materials and container compatibility with power plant engineering features is addressed. The paper also presents the first model developed to analyze the complex relocation phenomena in the core of CAREM during a severe accident sequence caused by a loss of coolant. The PC version of MELCOR 1.8.4 code has been used to predict the transient behavior of core parameters. The finite element analysis (FEA) system ALGOR has been used to evaluate the thermal regime of the reactor pressure vessel wall, when the in-vessel metallic core catcher is present and when it is not present. Two different scenarios have been considered for heat transfer outside the reactor vessel, a pessimistic (dry) and optimistic (wet) conditions in the reactor cavity. This paper presents reactor variables behavior during the first hours of the event being studied, giving preliminary conclusions about the use and capability of a metallic in-vessel core catcher.
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10th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering
April 14–18, 2002
Arlington, Virginia, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Nuclear Engineering Division
ISBN:
0-7918-3596-0
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Severe Accident Improvements for CAREM-25 to Arrest Reactor Vessel Meltdown Sequences
L. E. Pomier Ba´ez,
L. E. Pomier Ba´ez
Cuyo National University, Mendoza, Argentina
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J. E. Nun˜ez Mac Leod,
J. E. Nun˜ez Mac Leod
Cuyo National University, Mendoza, Argentina
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J. H. Baro´n
J. H. Baro´n
Cuyo National University, Mendoza, Argentina
Search for other works by this author on:
L. E. Pomier Ba´ez
Cuyo National University, Mendoza, Argentina
J. E. Nun˜ez Mac Leod
Cuyo National University, Mendoza, Argentina
J. H. Baro´n
Cuyo National University, Mendoza, Argentina
Paper No:
ICONE10-22304, pp. 195-206; 12 pages
Published Online:
March 4, 2009
Citation
Pomier Ba´ez, LE, Nun˜ez Mac Leod, JE, & Baro´n, JH. "Severe Accident Improvements for CAREM-25 to Arrest Reactor Vessel Meltdown Sequences." Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering. 10th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, Volume 2. Arlington, Virginia, USA. April 14–18, 2002. pp. 195-206. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE10-22304
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