Loss of Coolant

PWR, BWR, CANDU Gas-Cooled, Na-Cooled Pebble Bed, GEN IV

Complexity

More Breakdowns

Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA)

Component(s) breakdown Interruption of normal coolant flow Reactor shutdown Decay heat buildup Alternative systems needed to prevent damage to reactor

Operational States
Normal Operation
Continuous Power Generation

Upset Conditions
~1 per reactor year Not normal operating event Expected occurrence
Lightning strike Power lines broken Pump failure Loss of feedwater

Operational Transients
~10 per reactor year Shifts in steady-state conditions
Startup Shutdown Maintenance Routines

Little or no damage No radiation release

Operational States
Emergency Events
1 in 100 reactor years Some damage to power plant components
Break in reactor pipes Relief valves stuck open Electrical Fires

Limiting Fault
1 in 10,000 reactor years Design Basis Accident Radiation release possible
Earthquake Plane impact

No radiation release

Unprotected, Beyond DBA

Asteroid impact Act of God

Engineered Safety Systems

Main safety systems
tripping the fission reaction Emergency core cooling system (ECCS)

Safety achievement
Duplication
Multiple sensors, processors, and control devices to monitor reactor Multiple safety systems to prevent and/or contain accidents

Diversity
Monitoring different parameters to confirm results

Design Basis Accident

Postulated events that cause limiting faults
Earthquake Plane impact Flood Terrorist activities Volcanic eruption

Beyond DBA Events too unlikely to occur for that reactor

Simultaneous DBA events Asteroid impact Geological upset in an area without history for that type of event Dinosaur stampede

LWR Conditions
Upsets
Loss of coolant through relief valve Addition of extra coolant through pump Changes in feedwater conditions Improper operation of reactor controls

Emergency events
Valves stuck open Small breaks in steam line Loss of flow from all reactor coolant pumps

Limiting faults
Large break in steam line Large break in coolant pipe Steam generator rupture Main coolant pump failure Failure of control rods

PWR Heat Regulators

Accumulators
Pressurized water vessels

ECCS Sumps
Recirculate water which has escaped from the primary circuit

High-Pressure Injection System (HPIS)

Low injection rate of high pressure water

Power-Operated Relief Valve (PORV)

Release valve to release built up steam and energy from the reactor Depressurize vessel

Low-Pressure Injection System (LPIS)

High injection rate of low pressure water

BWR Heat Regulators

High-Pressure Corespray System (HPCS)
Regularly spray water from storage tank or suppression pool onto core and fuel for any pressure level

Low-Pressure Corespray System (LPCS)

Spray water from suppression pool to remove heat at low pressures

Automatic Depressurization System (ADS)

Release vessel water into a suppression pool Lowers vessel pressure

Low-Pressure Coolant Injection System (LPCI)

Pump water from suppression pool for longterm heat removal

CANDU
Headers
Distributors of D2O to and from core

Disadvantages
Horizontal tubes can get steam bubbles Reactivity increases in areas where no coolant is present

Emergency Coolant Injection System (ECI)

Separate system to supply H2O to the reactor

Advantages
Lower operational temperature and pressure Significant heat transfer to moderator (when present)

Similar HPIS and LPIS designs

Gas-Cooled Conditions
Operational Transients
Startup and Shutdown Online refueling

Emergency Conditions
Interruption of electricity supply to power station Reactor trip Loss of boiler feedwater Steam line break Water entering reactor

Upsets
Loss of site power Turbine trip Steam fault Failure of gas circulators

Limiting Fault
Rupture of containment Loss of control rods Blocked channel flow

Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor

Operational Transients
Slow response of molten sodium to heat input

Upsets
Similar to water- and gas-cooled reactors

Emergency Conditions
Similar to water- and gas-cooled reactors

Gen IV Reactors
LOCA concerns are vital in the design and construction of new nuclear power plants Extra safety features are implemented into the Gen III+ and Gen IV reactor designs to protect against LOCA accidents and prevent reactor core meltdown

Examples and Problems 4.1

LOCA in a PWR

Examples and Problems 4.2

Inlet Pipe Rupture in a Magnox Reactor

Examples and Problems 4.3

Pumps On or Pumps Off?
What Events Occur When the Main Circulating Pumps are Stopped (Path 1) or Left Operating (Path 2) During a Small LOCA Event? Core Coverage Core Damage Heat Transfer What Should You Do?

Examples and Problems 4.3

Other Problems
What about a large LOCA event? What could you do to prevent the core from melting?

Additional Analysis
If you had knowledge of the location of the break, how would that affect your decision? What measures could be taken to avoid future LOCA events of the same type?