Abstract

The work presented in this paper applies the MELCOR code developed at Sandia National Laboratories to evaluate the source terms from potential accidents in non-reactor nuclear facilities. The present approach provides an integrated source term approach that would be well-suited for uncertainty analysis and probabilistic risk assessments. MELCOR is used to predict the thermal-hydraulic conditions during fires or explosions that includes a release of radionuclides. The radionuclides are tracked throughout the facility from the initiating event to predict the time-dependent source term to the environment for subsequent dose or consequence evaluations. In this paper, we discuss the MELCOR input model development and the evaluation of the potential source terms from the dominated fire and explosion scenarios for a spent fuel nuclear reprocessing plant.

Volume Subject Area:
Nuclear Safety, Security, and Cyber Security
Keywords:
MELCOR, reprocessing, fire, aerosol transport, source term, non-reactor safety analysis
Topics:
Accidents, Fire, Explosions, Radioisotopes, Aerosols, Model development, Nuclear power stations, Probabilistic risk assessment, Safety, Spent nuclear fuels, Uncertainty analysis
This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright © 2020 by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). This work was authored in part by a U.S. Government employee in the scope of his/her employment. ASME disclaims all interest in the U.S. Government’s contribution.
You do not currently have access to this content.