Severe accident consequence mitigation by filtered containment venting at Canadian nuclear power plants. (April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lebel, Luke S.; Morreale, Andrew C.; Korolevych, Volodymyr; Brown, Morgan J.; Gyepi-Garbrah, Sam
• Is Part Of: Annals of nuclear energy. Volume 102(2017:Apr.)
• Page Start: 297
• Page End: 308
• Publication Date: 2017-04
• Subjects: Filtered containment venting -- Nuclear accident analysis -- MAAP-CANDU -- ADDAM; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2016.08.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4549

Abstract

Highlights: Use of filtered containment venting during a severe accident assessed. Severe accident simulations performed using MAAP-CANDU and ADDAM. Flow capacity, initiation protocols, efficiency, mass and thermal loading evaluated. Efficient, robust system drastically reduces accident consequences. Abstract: Having the capability to use filtered containment venting during a severe nuclear accident can significantly reduce its overall consequences. This study employs the MAAP-CANDU severe accident analysis code and the ADDAM atmospheric dispersion code to study the progression of: an unmitigated station blackout accident at a generic pressurized heavy water reactor, the release of radioactive material into the environment, the subsequent dispersion of the fission products through the atmosphere and the subsequent consequences (evacuation radius). The goal is to evaluate the application of filtered venting as an accident mitigation technology. Several aspects of filtered containment venting system design, like flow capacity, initiation protocols, filter efficiency, mass loading, and thermal loading are considered. An efficient and robust filtered containment venting system can reduce the amount of radiological materials emitted during an accident by 25 times or more, and as a result considerably reduce the off-site consequences of an accident.