Loss of Coolant Accident Analysis for IRR 1


Loss of Coolant Accident Analysis for IRR 1

Rachamin, R.; Elias, E.; Galperin, A.

Detailed LOCA analysis has been performed for the 5MWth swimming pool type IRR-1, which utilizing highly enriched uranium fuel. The analysis was aimed to assess the possibility of passively cooling the exposed reactor core by natural convection of air and thermal radiation. The core uncover time was estimated by assuming that the LOCA was induced by a guillotine break of a 10 inch water pipe at the bottom of the pool, causing the core to uncover about 20 min after reactor SCRAM.
The effect of the reflector on the core cooling was studied by comparing the total heat transfer from the core with and without considering the thermal contact between the core and the graphite reflector elements. It has been shown that for uncover time of 20 min the core may reach melting point if thermal contact with the graphite is neglected. On the other hand, considering perfect thermal contact between the core and the graphite reflector, the core temperature is predicted to remain below the clad melting point.

Keywords: Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA); Decay heat; Natural convection; Thermal radiation; IRR-1

  • Lecture (Conference)
    The 26th Conference of the Nuclear Societies in Israel, 21.-23.02.2012, Dead Sea, Israel
  • Open Access Logo Contribution to proceedings
    The 26th Conference of the Nuclear Societies in Israel, 21.-23.02.2012, Dead Sea, Israel

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-16571
Publ.-Id: 16571