Quantification of the probability of containment failure caused by an in-vessel steam explosion for the Sizewell B PWR

Turland, B. D., Fletcher, D. F., Hodges, K. I. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0894-229X and Attwood, G. J. (1995) Quantification of the probability of containment failure caused by an in-vessel steam explosion for the Sizewell B PWR. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 155. pp. 445-458. ISSN 0029-5493 doi: 10.1016/0029-5493(94)00888-6

Abstract/Summary

AEA Technology has provided an assessment of the probability of α-mode containment failure for the Sizewell B PWR. After a preliminary review of the methodologies available it was decided to use the probabilistic approach described in the paper, based on an extension of the methodology developed by Theofanous et al. (Nucl. Sci. Eng. 97 (1987) 259–325). The input to the assessment is 12 probability distributions; the bases for the quantification of these distributions are discussed. The α-mode assessment performed for the Sizewell B PWR has demonstrated the practicality of the event-tree method with input data represented by probability distributions. The assessment itself has drawn attention to a number of topics, which may be plant and sequence dependent, and has indicated the importance of melt relocation scenarios. The α-mode failure probability following an accident that leads to core melt relocation to the lower head for the Sizewell B PWR has been assessed as a few parts in 10 000, on the basis of current information. This assessment has been the first to consider elevated pressures (6 MPa and 15 MPa) besides atmospheric pressure, but the results suggest only a modest sensitivity to system pressure.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/184
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	Elsevier
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