Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

SEVERE ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT CONCEPT OF THE VVER-1000 AND THE JUSTIFICATION OF CORIUM RETENTION IN A CRUCIBLE-TYPE CORE CATCHER

  • Published : 2009.06.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

First ex-vessel core catcher has been applied to the practical design of NPPs with VVER-1000 reactors built in China (Tyanvan) and India (Kudankulam) for severe accident management (SAM) and mitigation of SA consequences. The paper presents the concept and basic design of this crucible-type core catcher as well as an evaluation of its efficiency. The important role of oxidic sacrificial material is discussed. Insight into the behaviour of the molten pool, which forms in the catcher after core relocation from the reactor vessel, is provided. It is shown that heat loads on the water-cooled vessel walls are kept within acceptable limits and that the necessary margins for departure from nucleate boiling (DNB) and of vessel failure caused by thermo-mechanical stress are satisfactorily provided for.

Keywords

References

  1. O. Kumalainen, H. Tuomisto, T.G. Theofanous, “In-vessel retention of corium of the Loviisa plant”, Nucl. Eng. Design, 169, p.109-130 (1997) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(96)01280-0
  2. T.G. Theofanous, C. Liu, S. Addition, et al., “In-vessel coolability and retention of a core melt”, Nucl. Eng. Design, 169, p. 1-48 (1997) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(97)00009-5
  3. M.F. Rogov, I.V. Kukhtevich, V.B. Khabenskii, et al., “Analyzing the Corium in the Vessel of a VVER-640 Reactor in a Severe Accident with a Damaged Core”, Thermal Engineering, v. 43, 11, p. 888-892 (1996)
  4. T.N. Dinh, J.P. Tu, T.G. Theofanous, “Two-Phase Natural Circulation Flow in AP-1000 In-Vessel Retention – Related ULPU-V Facility Experiments”, Proc. of ICAPP'04, Paper 4242, p. 928-938, Pittsburgh, USA, June 13-17, 2004
  5. N.T. Kolev, “SWR 1000 Severe Accident Control the Rough In-Vessel Melt Retention by External Cooling”, Proc. of ICONE9, $9^{th}$ Int. Conf. on Nucl. Eng., Nice, France, April 8-12, 2001
  6. Lindholm I., Berg O., Nonbol E., "Safety against releases in severe accidents. Final Report of the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research Project RAK-2", NKS(97)FRZ. ISBN 87- 783-022-7, December (1997)
  7. I.V. Kukhtevich, V.V. Bezlepkin, V.S. Granovskii, et al., “The Concept of Localization of the Corium Melt in the Ex-vessel Stage of a Severe Accident at a Nuclear Power Station with a VVER-1000 Reactor”, Thermal Engineering, v. 48, 9, p. 699-707 (2001)
  8. V.G. Asmolov, S.V. Bechta, V.M. Berkovich, et al., “Crucibletype Core Catcher for VVER-1000 Reactor”, Proc. of ICAPP'05, Seoul, Korea, May 15-19, 2005, Paper 5328 (2005)
  9. A.S. Sidorov, A.B. Nedorezov, M.F. Rogov, et al., “The Device for Core Melt Localization at the Tyan'van Nuclear Power Station with a VVER-1000 Reactor”, Thermal Engineering, v. 48, 9, p. 707 (2001)
  10. M. Fischer, “The severe accident mitigation concept and the design measures for core melt retention of the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR)”, Nucl. Eng. Design, 230, p. 169-180 (2004) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2003.11.034
  11. Yu. A. Bezrukov, S.A. Logvinov, A.P. Onshin, “Studies of heat release from the lower reactor head in an accident with fuel meltdown”, First Russian national conference on heat transfer, Moscow, v. 4, p. 19-25 (1994), (in Russian)
  12. T.G. Theofanous, S. Syri, T. Salmassi, et al., "Critical Heat Flux through Curved, Downward Facing, Thick Walls", Proc. of the Workshop on Large Molten Pool Heat Transfer, Grenoble, France, March 9-11, 1994
  13. A.A. Sulatski, O.D. Cherny, and V.K. Efimov, “Investigation of Boiling Crisis at a Downward-Facing Inclined Surface”, Proc. of the 12-th Int. Heat Transfer Conf., v.3, p. 509- 514, Grenoble, France, August 18-23, 2002
  14. V.V. Gusarov, V.B. Khabenskii, S.V. Bechta, et al., “A Sacrificial Material of the Device for Localization of the Corium Melt in Off-Design Accidents at Nuclear Power Stations Equipped with VVER-1000 Reactors: the Concept of the Development, Its Substation and Implementation”, Workshop on Problems of Safety at NPPs Equipped with VVER, Saint Petersburg, 12-14 September, 2000 (in Russian)
  15. V.V. Gusarov, V.I. Al'myashev, S.V. Bechta, et al., ”Sacritical Materials for Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Stations: A New Class of Functional Materials”, Thermal Engineering, v. 48, 9, p. 721 (2001)
  16. V.G. Asmolov, V.N. Zagriazkin, V.Yu. Vishnevskiy, et al., “Selecting Buffer Material of the Catcher to Retain Molten Corium of VVER-1000 Core”, J. Atomnaya Energiya (Atomic Energy), v. 92, 1, p. 7-18 (2002), (in Russian)
  17. V.V. Gusarov, V.I. Almjashev, V.B. Khabensky, et al.,. ”Physicochemical modeling and analysis of the interaction between a core melt of the nuclear reactor and a sacrificial material”, Glass Physics and Chemistry, v. 31, 1, p. 53-66 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10720-005-0024-x
  18. V.V. Gusarov, V.I. Al'miashev, V.B. Khabensky et al., “New class of functional materials for the core catcher”, Russian chemical journal, v. XLIX, 4, p. 42-53 (2005), (in Russian)
  19. S.V. Bechta, E.V. Krushinov, V.I. Almiashev et al., ”Phase relations in the ZrO2FeO system”, J. of Nonorganic Chemistry, v. 51, 2, p. 325-331 (2006), (in Russian) https://doi.org/10.1134/S0036023606020227
  20. V.V. Gusarov, V.I. Almjashev, V.B. Khabensky, et al., ”Distribution of components between immiscible melts of a system under nonisothermal conditions”, Glass Physics and Chemistry, v. 32, 6, p. 638-642 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1134/S1087659606060083
  21. S.V. Bechta, E.V. Krushinov, V.I. Almjashev, et al., “Phase Diagram of the ZrO2–FeO System”, Journal of Nuclear Materials, v. 348, 1-2, p. 114–121 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2005.09.009
  22. S.V. Bechta, E.V. Krushinov, V.I. Almjashev, et al., “Phase transformation in the binary section of the $UO_{2}$ – FeO – Fe system”, Radiochemistry, v. 49, 1, p. 20-24 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1134/S1066362207010031
  23. S.V. Bechta, E.V. Krushinov, V.I. Almjashev, et.al., “Phase Diagram of the $UO_{2}$–${FeO}_{1+x}$ System”, Journal of Nuclear Materials, v. 362, p. 46-52 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2006.11.004
  24. V.I. Almjashev, M. Barrachin, S.V. Bechta, et al., “Eutectic crystallization in the ${FeO}_{1,5}-{UO}_{2+x}-{ZrO}_2$ system”, Journal of Nuclear Materials, v. 389, No. 1, p. 52-56 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2009.01.006
  25. A.A. Sulatsky, S.V. Bechta, V.S. Granovsky, et al., “Molten Corium Interaction with Oxidic Sacrificial Material of VVER Core Catcher”, Proc. of ICAPP'05, Paper 5240, Seoul, Korea, May 15-19, 2005
  26. V.G. Asmolov, A.A. Sulatskii, S.V. Bechta, et al., “The interaction of nuclear reactor core melt with oxide sacrificial material of localization device for a nuclear power plant with water-moderated water-cooled power reactor”, High Temperature, v. 45, 1, p. 22 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1134/S0018151X0701004X
  27. V.V. Gusarov, V.I. Almjashev, V.B. Khabensky, et al., “Interaction of a material based on aluminium and iron oxides with a metal melt”, Russian Journal of Appjied Chemistry, v. 80, 4, p. 515-522 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1134/S1070427207040015
  28. V.V. Gusarov, V.I. Almjashev, V.B. Khabensky, et al., “Physicochemical simulation of the combustion of materials with the total endotermal effect”, Glass Physics and Chemistry, v. 33, 5, p. 492-497 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1134/S1087659607050112
  29. S.V. Bechta, V.S. Granovsky, A.A. Sulatsky, et al., “Model of Interaction of Molten Steel with Sacrificial Material of VVER Core Catcher”, Proc. of Research Workshop “Evaluation of experimental data and verification of computer codes”, Sosnovy Bor, Russia, October 4-6, 2004 (in Russian)
  30. V.G. Asmolov, S.V. Bechta, V.B. Khabensky, et al., “Partitioning of U, Zr and FP between molten oxidic and metallic corium”, MASCA Seminar, Aix-en-Provence, France, June 10-11, 2004
  31. S.V. Bechta, V.S. Granovsky, V.B. Khabensky, et al., “Corium Phase Equilibrium from MASCA, METCOR and CORPHAD Results”, Nucl. Eng. Design, 238, p. 2761- 2771 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2008.04.018
  32. S.V. Bechta, V.B. Khabensky, S.A. Vitol, et al., “Experimental Studies of Oxidic Corium Interaction with Reactor Vessel Steel Samples”, Rasplav Seminar, Int. Meeting Centre of Science, Munich, Germany, November 14-15, 2000
  33. S.V. Bechta, V.B. Khabensky, S.A. Vitol, et al., "Experimental Studies of Oxidic Molten Corium-Vessel Steel Interaction", Nucl. Eng. Design, 210, p. 193-224 (2001) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(01)00377-6
  34. S.V. Bechta, V.B. Khabensky, V.S. Granovsky, et al., “New Experimental Results on the Interaction of Molten Corium with Reactor Vessel Steel”, Proc. of ICAPP’04, Paper 4114, p. 1072-1081, Pittsburgh, PA USA, June 13- 17, 2004
  35. S.V. Bechta, V.B. Khabensky, S.A. Vitol, et al., “Corrosion of Vessel Steel during its Interaction with Molten Corium. Part 1: Experimental”, Nucl. Eng. Design, 236, 1810-1829 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2005.12.011
  36. S.V. Bechta, V.B. Khabensky, S.A. Vitol, et al., “Corrosion of Vessel Steel during its Interaction with Molten Corium. Part 2: Model Development”, Nucl. Eng. Design, 236, 1362-1370 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2005.12.008
  37. S.V. Bechta, V.S. Granovsky, V.B. Khabensky, et al., “Experimental Study of Interaction between Suboxidized Corium and Reactor Vessel Steel”, Proc. of ICAPP'06, Paper 6054, Reno, NV USA, June 4-6, 2006
  38. S.V. Bechta, V.S. Granovsky, V.B. Khabensky, et al., “Interaction between Molten Corium UO2+x–ZrO2–FeOy and VVER Vessel Steel”, Proc. of ICAPP'08, Paper 8052, Anaheim, CA USA, June 8-12, 2008
  39. S.V. Bechta, V.S. Granovsky, V.B. Khabensky, et al., “VVER Vessel Steel Corrosion of Interaction with Molten Corium in Oxidizing Atmosphere”, Nucl. Eng. Design, (in press), (2009) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2008.12.009
  40. S.V. Bechta, S.A. Vitol, E.V. Krushinov, et al., 'Water Boiling on the Corium Melt Surface under VVER Severe Accident Conditions', Nucl. Eng. Design, 195, p. 45-56 (2000) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(99)00198-3
  41. D.B. Lopukh, I.A Loginov, V.S. Granovskii, et al., 'Experimental investigation of processes arising when flooding a steel melt', Thermal Engineering, v. 48, 9, p. 725 (2001)
  42. A.M. Beard, S.V. Bechta, C.G Benson, et al., “Late Phase Source Term Phenomena: Summary Final Report”, AEAT, SAM-LPP-D032, July, 2003
  43. S.V. Bechta, S.A. Vitol, E.V. Krushinov, et al., “Fission Product Release from Molten Pool: Ceramic Melt Tests”, Proc. of SARJ Meeting, Tokyo, Japan, November 4-6, 1998
  44. A.M. Beard, S.V. Bechta, C.G Benson, et al., “Late Phase Source Term Phenomena: Summary Final Report”, Proc. of FISA 2003-EU Research in Reactor Safety, Luxemburg, November 10-13, 2003
  45. S.V. Bechta, E.V. Krushinov, S.A. Vitol, et al., “Influence of corium oxidation on fission product release from molten pool”, Proc. of ICAPP'09, Paper 9145, Tokyo, Japan, May 10-14, 2009
  46. A.A. Sulatskii, O.D. Chernyi, V.K. Efimov, et al., “Burnout on the external surface of a VVER reactor vessel”, Thermal Engineering, v.45, 11, p. 913 (1998).
  47. V.G. Artemov, A.S.Ivanov, A.S. Karpov, et al., “Investigating the subcriticality of a molten core localization device using ferric- and aluminium- oxide base fillers”, Thermal Engineering, v. 48, 9, p. 707 (2001)
  48. V.V. Bezlepkin, V.G. Sidorov, A.V. Lukin, et al., “Development of computer codes for the simulation of severe accidents at nuclear power stations”, Thermal Engineering, v. 51, 2, p. 88 (2004)
  49. S.V. Onufrienko, I.V. Kukhtevich, V.V. Bezlepkin, et al., “Analysis of the Processes in the VVER-1000 Core under Severe Accidents with Application of Russian Integral Code RATEG/SVECHA/GEFEST”, Proc. of CKTI, “Atomnoe Energomashinostroenie”, v. 282, p. 89-100, CKTI, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 2002, (in Russian)
  50. U. Steinberner, H.H. Reineke, “Turbulent buoyancy convection heat transfer with internal heat sources”, Proc. 6-th Int. Heat Transfer Conf., NC-21, p. 305-310, Toronto, Canada. Aug. 1978
  51. V.A. Grigoriev and V.M. Zorin (editors), “Theoretical basics of thermal engineering. Thermal technology experiment”, Reference book, M.: Energoatomizdat, 1988 (in Russian)
  52. “Light water reactor lower head failure analysis (draft)”, NUREG/CR-5642, EGG-2612 (1992)
  53. I.S. Grigoriev and E.Z. Mejlikhov (editors), “Physical values”. Reference book. M.: Energoatomizdat, 1991 (in Russian)
  54. Journeau C., “TG3: Physical Properties. Density Data for Liquid Corium”, DEN/CAD/DTP/STH/LMA 05/06/03 ECoStar Meeting, Berlin, April, 2003
  55. M. Barrachin, F. Defoort, “Thermophysical properties of in-vessel corium: MASCA program related results”, Proc. of MASCA Seminar, Aix-en-Provance, France, 2004

Cited by

  1. Environmental characteristics of the current Generation III nuclear power plants vol.3, pp.2, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1002/wene.81
  2. Radiative and Convective Heat Transfer in the Gas Cavity of VVER-1200 Melt Trap pp.1573-8205, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-018-0451-0