Anticipated and Abnormal Plant Transients in Light Water Reactors: Volume 1 PDF
Preview Anticipated and Abnormal Plant Transients in Light Water Reactors: Volume 1
ANTICIPATED ABNORMAL AND PLANT TRANSIENTS IN LIGHT WATER REACTORS Volume 1 ANTICIPATED ABNORMAL AND PLANT TRANSIENTS IN LIGHT WATER REACTORS Volume 1 Edited by Pamela L. Lassahn Science Applications, Inc. Idaho Falls, Idaho Debu Majumdar Department of Energy Idaho Falls, Idaho and George F. Brockett Intermountain Technologies, Inc. Idaho Falls, Idaho SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data American Nuclear Society Topical Meeting on Anticipated and Abnormal Plant Transients in Light Water Reactors (1983: Jackson, Wyo.) Anticipated and abnormal plant transients in light water reactors. "Proceedings of an American Nuclear Society Topical Meeting on Anticipated and Abnormal Plant Transients in Light Water Reactors, held September 26-29, 1983, in Jackson, Wyoming"-T.p. verso. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Atomic power-plants-Safety measures-Congresses. 2. Transients (Dynamics)-Congresses. I. Lassahn, Pamela L. II. Majumdar, D. (Debu). Ill. Brockett, George F. IV. American Nuclear Society. V. Title. TK9152.A56 1983 621.48'35 84-13262 ISBN 978-1-4684-4801-6 ISBN 978-1-4684-4799-6 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4684-47 99-6 Proceedings of an American Nuclear Society Topical Meeting on Anticipated and Abnormal Plant Transients in Light Water Reactors, held September 26-29, 1983, in Jackson, Wyoming © Springer Science+Business Media New York 1984 Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1984 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1984 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher To the nuclear power plant operators, who carry an important responsibility but who often do not receive recognition for the magnitude of their burden. This book is dedicated to the memory of George F. Brockett, who died March 17, 1984. He spent innumerable hours compiling the program that resulted in these comprehensive proceedings on plant transients. George dedicated his life to technical excellence. He stood for what was right, not what was popular. George believed in nuclear power, and the industry has lost a powerful advocate. We will all miss him. PREFACE Over the last 30 years, reactor safety technology has evolved not so much from a need to recover from accidents or incidents, but primarily from many groups in the nuclear community asking hypo thetical, searching (what if) ~uestions. This ~uestioning has indeed paid off in establishing preventive measures for many types of events and potential accidents. Conditions, such as reactivity excursions, large break, loss of coolant, core melt, and contain ment integrity loss, to name a few, were all at one time topics of protracted discussions on hypothesized events. Historically, many of these have become multiyear, large-scale research programs aimed at resolving the "what ifs." For the topic of anticipated and abnormal plant transients, how ever, the searching ~uestions and the research were not so prolific until the mid-1970s. At that time, probabilistic risk methodolo gies began to tell us we should change our emphasis in reactor safety research and development and focus more on small pipe breaks and plant transients. Three Mile Island punctuated that message in 1979. The plant transient topic area is a multidisciplinary subject involving not only the nuclear, fluid flow, and heat transfer technologies, but also the synergistics of these with the reactor control systems, the safety s;,"stems, operator actions, maintenance and even management and the economic considerations of a given plant. This need to integrate these several disciplines formed the basis for the special American Nuclear Society (ANS) topical conference held in Jackson, Wyoming, September 26-29, 1983 -- one that seemed long overdue. Appropriately, the organizing committee felt compelled to ma-.ke this first topical meeting cover as much as possible to provide a comprehensive treatment of plant transients. This goal led to sessions on the ~xperience base, anatomy of significant events, deterministic and probabilistic methods and their applications, man-machine interface, and plant transient mangement. The hope was that an integration of these disciplines would teach the nuclear industry how to better prevent and cope with plant transients. ix One of the goals of this conference was to achieve high partic ipation by people from the nuclear industry, particularly, the utilities. For this conference, the utilities and their research arms, the Electric Power Research Institute and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, made up nearly one-third of the program committee, one-third of the authors, and one-third of the session chairmen. This is significant because ultimately the utility and its op erators must cope with the problem of preventing and mitigating transients at a nuclear power plant. Also, the other segments of the nuclear community needed to hear their side of the story. Similarly, the participation of nuclear workers from foreign countries was important because many aspects of plant design for operation are treated differently abroad, and their record of transients is a~so different from that in the United States. Here, again, the response to stimulated and invited papers was rewarding. Another goal of this conference was to compile as complete a reference document on this subject as possible. Therefore, con siderable effort was expended to complile material beyond the invited and contributed papers. Several appendixes provide extensive information on computer codes, nuclear test facilities, and actual plant transients. In addition, each chapter is briefly introduced, and the question and answer discussions that followed the paper presentations are included with each chapter. These lively discussions candidly expound on the nuclear industry's current situation. Three reviews of the conference have appeared in the literature: "Conferees in Jackson Hear Management Called Key to Accident Con trol" (Inside NRC, vol 5, pp 10-14, October 1983), "Anticipated and Abnormal Transients in LWRs" (Nuclear News, vol 26, pp 106- 110, December 1983), and "Learning from Anticipated and Abnormal Plant Transients" (Nuclear Engineering International, vol 28, pp 25-28, December 1983). These articles provide other valuable perspectives on plant transients as seen through this conference. Perhaps the most significant result of the conference was the recognition that the nuclear industry now has an evolving, world wide, and reasonably well disseminated data base on plant transient experience. If "history is the best teacher," then we must heed this experience by improving analysis, design, procedure development, training, and management. This will not only improve the record of preventing and mitigating transients, but also improve plant availability -- a tangible benefit to all -- and add to the promise that nuclear power will be available to meet our future energy needs. X ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This conference was possible because of the spontaneous sup port received from many people here and abroad. It is impossible to acknowledge them all in a small space, but some names stand out. First, many thanks to the Department of Energy, and partic ularly to Robert E. Tiller for his encouragement. Special appreciation is extended to Philip A. Anderson, the Idaho Section ANS Past-chairman, George Coulbourn and R. Jon Stouky of the National Program committee for their support and to the organizing committee members for their dedication and countless hours of work. Recognition should be made of the financial help received from the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission which enabled the committee to considerably reduce the registration fees. All the co-sponsoring organizations contributed key individuals who helped shape this meeting, and many members of the co-sponsoring ANS groups helped obtain the necessary approvals. Particularly, thanks are due to Joe Murphy, Fred Tory, and Roger Tilbrook (NRSD), Don Rowe and Chong Chiu (Thermal Hydraulics), Tony Kitz (ROD), Don Farr (Human Factors), and Dietrich Bunemann and w. Frisch (ENS). Several Idaho Falls organizations provided valuable support: Intermountain Technologies, Inc.; Energy Incorporated; EG&G Idaho, Inc.; Science Applications, Inc.; and Argonne National Laboratory. Special thanks are due to Robert Breen (EPRI/NSAC), Roger Wyrick (INPO) and Ron Colombo (SMUD) for their valuable help in providing many missing links for the program. Several people have contributed to the preparation and review of the appendices. The following names, in addition to some technical program committee members, should be recognized: J. R. Buchanan (ORNL), R. B. Duffey and M. Divakaruni (EPRI), B. Fourest (CEA/France), F. Odar (NRC), G.E. Wilson, D. M. Ogden and V. N. Shah (EG&G Idaho), D. Slaughterbeck (ITI), and F. Winkler (KWU, W. Germany). Special appreciation goes to the banquet speaker Joseph M. Hendrie, whoinspite of a bursitis attack, gave a delightful talk. Names of many people who have made this conference successful are listed below. They all deserve sincere thanks. Particularly the scientific secretaries and Helmut A. Worle as their coordinator did a marvelous job. Without their efforts there would have been no discussions recorded in the proceedings. Three people have borne with us through the ordeal of typing and assembling the final proceedings. They are Patricia A. Hammond (EG&G, Idaho), Pat Dustin (SAI), and Helen Brown (IT!). Our sincere thanks go to them. Most of all, heartfelt thanks go to Pam Lassahn, the publications chairman, for her infinite patience ~n editing and integrating the many inputs of the proceedings. Patricia M. Vann and Neil Kraner of the Plenum Publishing Corporation are cordially thanked for their guidance and role in publishing this book. Finally, all the spouses of the organizing committee members deserve gratitude from us for their support and tolerance. Debu Majumdar General Chairman MEETING OFFICIALS General Chairman Debu Majumdar Department of Energy Program Chairman George F. Brockett Intermountain Technologies, Inc. Asst. General Chairmen Richard E. Ireland Nuclear Regulatory Commission Secretary Vincent G. AQuino Argonne National Laboratory - West Finance Earl E. Burdick and Joseph Henscheid EG&G Idaho, Inc. Arrangements Milton F. Adam and Vincent G. AQuino Argonne National Laboratory - West Publicity Bernie F. Saffell, Carl F. Obenchain, and Rita Scott EG&G Idaho, Inc. Publications Pamela L. Lassahn Science Applications, Inc. xii
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