The Chernobyl Reactor: Design Features and Reasons for Accident
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Table 2.Iii.1. Fissionable Isotopes1
FISSIONABLE ISOTOPES Charles P. Blair Last revised: 2012 “While several isotopes are theoretically fissionable, RANNSAD defines fissionable isotopes as either uranium-233 or 235; plutonium 238, 239, 240, 241, or 242, or Americium-241. See, Ackerman, Asal, Bale, Blair and Rethemeyer, Anatomizing Radiological and Nuclear Non-State Adversaries: Identifying the Adversary, p. 99-101, footnote #10, TABLE 2.III.1. FISSIONABLE ISOTOPES1 Isotope Availability Possible Fission Bare Critical Weapon-types mass2 Uranium-233 MEDIUM: DOE reportedly stores Gun-type or implosion-type 15 kg more than one metric ton of U- 233.3 Uranium-235 HIGH: As of 2007, 1700 metric Gun-type or implosion-type 50 kg tons of HEU existed globally, in both civilian and military stocks.4 Plutonium- HIGH: A separated global stock of Implosion 10 kg 238 plutonium, both civilian and military, of over 500 tons.5 Implosion 10 kg Plutonium- Produced in military and civilian 239 reactor fuels. Typically, reactor Plutonium- grade plutonium (RGP) consists Implosion 40 kg 240 of roughly 60 percent plutonium- Plutonium- 239, 25 percent plutonium-240, Implosion 10-13 kg nine percent plutonium-241, five 241 percent plutonium-242 and one Plutonium- percent plutonium-2386 (these Implosion 89 -100 kg 242 percentages are influenced by how long the fuel is irradiated in the reactor).7 1 This table is drawn, in part, from Charles P. Blair, “Jihadists and Nuclear Weapons,” in Gary A. Ackerman and Jeremy Tamsett, ed., Jihadists and Weapons of Mass Destruction: A Growing Threat (New York: Taylor and Francis, 2009), pp. 196-197. See also, David Albright N 2 “Bare critical mass” refers to the absence of an initiator or a reflector. -
FT/P3-20 Physics and Engineering Basis of Multi-Functional Compact Tokamak Reactor Concept R.M.O
FT/P3-20 Physics and Engineering Basis of Multi-functional Compact Tokamak Reactor Concept R.M.O. Galvão1, G.O. Ludwig2, E. Del Bosco2, M.C.R. Andrade2, Jiangang Li3, Yuanxi Wan3 Yican Wu3, B. McNamara4, P. Edmonds, M. Gryaznevich5, R. Khairutdinov6, V. Lukash6, A. Danilov7, A. Dnestrovskij7 1CBPF/IFUSP, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2Associated Plasma Laboratory, National Space Research Institute, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil, 3Institute of Plasma Physics, CAS, Hefei, 230031, P.R. China, 4Leabrook Computing, Bournemouth, UK, 5EURATOM/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, UK, 6TRINITI, Troitsk, RF, 7RRC “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, RF [email protected] Abstract An important milestone on the Fast Track path to Fusion Power is to demonstrate reliable commercial application of Fusion as soon as possible. Many applications of fusion, other than electricity production, have already been studied in some depth for ITER class facilities. We show that these applications might be usefully realized on a small scale, in a Multi-Functional Compact Tokamak Reactor based on a Spherical Tokamak with similar size, but higher fields and currents than the present experiments NSTX and MAST, where performance has already exceeded expectations. The small power outputs, 20-40MW, permit existing materials and technologies to be used. The analysis of the performance of the compact reactor is based on the solution of the global power balance using empirical scaling laws considering requirements for the minimum necessary fusion power (which is determined by the optimized efficiency of the blanket design), positive power gain and constraints on the wall load. In addition, ASTRA and DINA simulations have been performed for the range of the design parameters. -
Core Safety of Indian Nuclear Power Plants (Npps) Under Extreme Conditions
Sadhan¯ a¯ Vol. 38, Part 5, October 2013, pp. 945–970. c Indian Academy of Sciences Core safety of Indian nuclear power plants (NPPs) under extreme conditions JBJOSHI1,∗, AKNAYAK2, M SINGHAL3 and D MUKHOPADHAYA4 1Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400 094, India 2Reactor Engineering Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India 3Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400 0094, India 4Reactor Safety Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India e-mail: [email protected] Abstract. Nuclear power is currently the fourth largest source of electricity produc- tion in India after thermal, hydro and renewable sources of electricity. Currently, India has 20 nuclear reactors in operation and seven other reactors are under construction. Most of these reactors are indigenously designed and built Heavy Water Reactors. In addition, a 300 MWe Advanced Heavy Water Reactor has already been designed and in the process of deployment in near future for demonstration of power production from Thorium apart from enhanced safety features by passive means. India has ambi- tious plans to enhance the share of electricity production from nuclear. The recent Fukushima accident has raised concerns of safety of Nuclear Power Plants world- wide. The Fukushima accident was caused by extreme events, i.e., large earthquake followed by gigantic Tsunami which are not expected to hit India’s coast considering the geography of India and historical records. Nevertheless, systematic investigations have been conducted by nuclear scientists in India to evaluate the safety of the current Nuclear Power Plants in case of occurrence of such extreme events in any nuclear site. -
ESTIMATION of FISSION-PRODUCT GAS PRESSURE in URANIUM DIOXIDE CERAMIC FUEL ELEMENTS by Wuzter A
NASA TECHNICAL NOTE NASA TN D-4823 - - .- j (2. -1 "-0 -5 M 0-- N t+=$j oo w- P LOAN COPY: RET rm 3 d z c 4 c/) 4 z ESTIMATION OF FISSION-PRODUCT GAS PRESSURE IN URANIUM DIOXIDE CERAMIC FUEL ELEMENTS by WuZter A. PuuZson una Roy H. Springborn Lewis Reseurcb Center Clevelund, Ohio NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON, D. C. NOVEMBER 1968 i 1 TECH LIBRARY KAFB, NM I 111111 lllll IllH llll lilll1111111111111 Ill1 01317Lb NASA TN D-4823 ESTIMATION OF FISSION-PRODUCT GAS PRESSURE IN URANIUM DIOXIDE CERAMIC FUEL ELEMENTS By Walter A. Paulson and Roy H. Springborn Lewis Research Center Cleveland, Ohio NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION For sale by the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information Springfield, Virginia 22151 - CFSTl price $3.00 ABSTRACl Fission-product gas pressure in macroscopic voids was calculated over the tempera- ture range of 1000 to 2500 K for clad uranium dioxide fuel elements operating in a fast neutron spectrum. The calculated fission-product yields for uranium-233 and uranium- 235 used in the pressure calculations were based on experimental data compiled from various sources. The contributions of cesium, rubidium, and other condensible fission products are included with those of the gases xenon and krypton. At low temperatures, xenon and krypton are the major contributors to the total pressure. At high tempera- tures, however, cesium and rubidium can make a considerable contribution to the total pressure. ii ESTIMATION OF FISSION-PRODUCT GAS PRESSURE IN URANIUM DIOXIDE CERAMIC FUEL ELEMENTS by Walter A. Paulson and Roy H. -
Liquid Metal Cooled Reactors: Experience in Design and Operation
IAEA-TECDOC-1569 Liquid Metal Cooled Reactors: Experience in Design and Operation December 2007 IAEA-TECDOC-1569 Liquid Metal Cooled Reactors: Experience in Design and Operation December 2007 The originating Sections of this publication in the IAEA were: INIS and Nuclear Knowledge Management and Nuclear Power Technology Development Sections International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS: EXPERIENCE IN DESIGN AND OPERATION IAEA, VIENNA, 2007 IAEA-TECDOC-1569 ISBN 978–92–0–107907–7 ISSN 1011–4289 © IAEA, 2007 Printed by the IAEA in Austria December 2007 FOREWORD In 2002, within the framework of the Department of Nuclear Energy’s Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR), and according to the expressed needs of the TWG-FR Member States to maintain and increase the present knowledge and expertise in fast reactor science and technology, the IAEA established its initiative seeking to establish a comprehensive, international inventory of fast reactor data and knowledge. More generally, at the IAEA meeting of senior officials convened to address issues of nuclear knowledge management underlying the safe and economic use of nuclear science and technology (Vienna, 17–19 June 2002), there was widespread agreement that, for sustainability reasons for fissile sources and waste management, long-term development of nuclear power as a part of the world’s future energy mix will require the fast reactor technology. Furthermore, given the decline in fast reactor development projects, data retrieval and knowledge preservation efforts in this area are of particular importance. This consensus concluded from the recognition of immediate need gave support to the IAEA initiative for fast reactor data and knowledge presevation. -
Reactor Physics Calculations in the Nordic Countries
ESPOO 2003 VTT SYMPOSIUM 230 The eleventh biennial meeting on reactor physics calculations in the Nordic VTT SYMPOSIUM 230 countries was arranged by VTT Processes in Otaniemi, Espoo and on board Tallink´s m/s Romantika on April 9–10, 2003. General reactor physics, calculational methods, a code system adapted for RBMK reactor analyses, and transmutation of nuclear waste were presented by representatives of universities and programme developers. Computer programmes are the most important tools of reactor physics. At the meeting there were presentations of VTT Processes’ new deterministic 3- dimensional radiation transport code MultiTrans and BWR simulator ARES based upon the AFEN model, and also of new features in internationally wellknown codes like CASMO-4E and POLCA (POLCA-T) together with Reactor physics calculations in the Nordic countries results obtained by these programmes. A code for PWR loading pattern search, called LP-fun, is being developed by Westinghouse and others. On the subject of code validation, measurements on SVEA-96+ fuel bundles in the PROTEUS facility had been analyzed with the PHOENIX4 code, reactor scram experiments in the Loviisa and Mochovce VVER reactors using CASMO-4, MCNP4B and HEXTRAN, results of gamma scanning by the PHOENIX4/POLCA7 combination. Some difficulties in predicting the power distribution in the reactor core with sufficiently good accuracy using any of the available code systems were reported by OKG. Heating of non-fuel regions by gamma radiation and neutrons had been investigated using the HELIOS lattice code. Calculational results for heat deposition from gamma radiation in the moderator tank of the Forsmark-1 reactor were reported by Risø. -
Compilation and Evaluation of Fission Yield Nuclear Data Iaea, Vienna, 2000 Iaea-Tecdoc-1168 Issn 1011–4289
IAEA-TECDOC-1168 Compilation and evaluation of fission yield nuclear data Final report of a co-ordinated research project 1991–1996 December 2000 The originating Section of this publication in the IAEA was: Nuclear Data Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria COMPILATION AND EVALUATION OF FISSION YIELD NUCLEAR DATA IAEA, VIENNA, 2000 IAEA-TECDOC-1168 ISSN 1011–4289 © IAEA, 2000 Printed by the IAEA in Austria December 2000 FOREWORD Fission product yields are required at several stages of the nuclear fuel cycle and are therefore included in all large international data files for reactor calculations and related applications. Such files are maintained and disseminated by the Nuclear Data Section of the IAEA as a member of an international data centres network. Users of these data are from the fields of reactor design and operation, waste management and nuclear materials safeguards, all of which are essential parts of the IAEA programme. In the 1980s, the number of measured fission yields increased so drastically that the manpower available for evaluating them to meet specific user needs was insufficient. To cope with this task, it was concluded in several meetings on fission product nuclear data, some of them convened by the IAEA, that international co-operation was required, and an IAEA co-ordinated research project (CRP) was recommended. This recommendation was endorsed by the International Nuclear Data Committee, an advisory body for the nuclear data programme of the IAEA. As a consequence, the CRP on the Compilation and Evaluation of Fission Yield Nuclear Data was initiated in 1991, after its scope, objectives and tasks had been defined by a preparatory meeting. -
Nuclear Power
No.59 z iii "Ill ~ 2 er0 Ill Ill 0 Nuclear Family Pia nning p3 Chernobyl Broadsheet ·, _ I. _ . ~~~~ George Pritchar d speaks CONTENTS COMMENT The important nuclear development since the Nuclear Family Planning 3 last SCRAM Journal was the Government's The CEGB's plans, and the growing opposition, after Sizewell B by go ahead for Sizewell B: the world's first HUGH RICHARDS. reactor order since Chernobyl, and Britain's News 4-6 first since the go ahead was given to Torness Accidents Will Happen 1 and Heysham 2 in 1978. Of great concern is Hinkley Seismic Shocker 8-9 the CEGB's announced intention to build "a A major article on seismic safety of nuclear plants in which JAMES small fanilty• of PWRs, starting with Hinkley GARRETT reveals that Hinkley Point C. At the time of the campaign In the Point sits on a geological fault. south west to close the Hinkley A Magnox Trouble at Trawsfynydd 10-11 station, and .a concerted push in Scotland to A summary of FoE's recent report on increasing radiation levels from prevent the opening of Torness, another Trawsfynydd's by PATRICK GREEN. nuclear announcement is designed to divide Pandora's POX 12 and demoralise the opposition. But, it should The debate over plutonium transport make us more determined. The article on the to and from Dounreay continues by facing page gives us hope: the local PETE MUTTON. authorities on Severnside are joining forces CHERNOBYL BROADSHEET to oppose Hinkley C, and hopefully they will Cock-ups and Cover-ups work closely with local authorities in other "Sacrificed to • • • Nuclear Power" threatened areas - Lothian Region, The Soviet Experience Northumberland, the County Council Coalition "An Agonising Decision• 13 against waste dumping and the Nuclear Free GEORGE PRITCHARD explains why Zones - to formulate a national anti-nuclear he left Greenpeoce and took a job strategy. -
Vver and Rbmk Cross Section Libraries for Origen-Arp
VVER AND RBMK CROSS SECTION LIBRARIES FOR ORIGEN-ARP Germina Ilas, Brian D. Murphy, and Ian C. Gauld, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA Introduction An accurate treatment of neutron transport and depletion in modern fuel assemblies characterized by heterogeneous, complex designs, such as the VVER or RBMK assembly configurations, requires the use of advanced computational tools capable of simulating multi-dimensional geometries. The depletion module TRITON [1], which is part of the SCALE code system [2] that was developed and is maintained at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), allows the depletion simulation of two- or three-dimensional assembly configurations and the generation of burnup-dependent cross section libraries. These libraries can be saved for subsequent use with the ORIGEN-ARP module in SCALE. This later module is a faster alternative to TRITON for fuel depletion, decay, and source term analyses at an accuracy level comparable to that of a direct TRITON simulation. This paper summarizes the methodology used to generate cross section libraries for VVER and RBMK assembly configurations that can be employed in ORIGEN-ARP depletion and decay simulations. It briefly describes the computational tools and provides details of the steps involved. Results of validation studies for some of the libraries, which were performed using isotopic assay measurement data for spent fuel, are provided and discussed. Cross section libraries for ORIGEN-ARP Methodology The TRITON capability to perform depletion simulations for two-dimensional (2-D) configurations was implemented by coupling of the 2-D transport code NEWT with the point depletion and decay code ORIGEN-S. NEWT solves the transport equation on a 2-D arbitrary geometry grid by using an SN approach, with a treatment of the spatial variable that is based on an extended step characteristic method [3]. -
Nuclear Fuel Optimization and Problem of Xa9953256 Increasing Burnup and Cost Efficiency of Light Water Reactors in Russia
NUCLEAR FUEL OPTIMIZATION AND PROBLEM OF XA9953256 INCREASING BURNUP AND COST EFFICIENCY OF LIGHT WATER REACTORS IN RUSSIA M.I. SOLONIN, Yu. K. BIBLASHCVLI, F.G. RESHETNIKOV, F.F. SOKOLOV, A.A. BOCHVAR All-Russia Research Institute of Inorganic Materials, Moscow, Russia Abstract Brief analysis is given of the results of WWER-1000 and WWER-440 fuel assembly (FA) and fuel rod operation to the average burn-up of 44 and 34 MW-day/kg U, respectively. The reliable operation of the fuel is noted which made it possible to outline the paths of further improvements in their fuel cycles. Based on a series of improvements reactors are being switched on a 4-year cycle; a 5-year cycle is contemplated for the WWER- 440. The fuel cycle of the boiling RBMK reactors is subjected to essential alterations. Specifically, the use of erbium oxide as an integral burnable absorber allows a higher enrichment of uranium and bum-up. To extend the burn-up a new zirconium alloy E-635 is assumed to be used as fuel rod claddings and other FA components; the alloy has higher corrosion and irradiation resistance. INTRODUCTION The current technical level of the PWR and BWR fuel production and the perfected system of the reactor management have allowed to provide the successful operation of PWR NPP to the average burn-up of ~45 MW* day/kg U in all countries of developed nuclear power. The differences in the reliability and FA serviceability as well as in the number of leaky fuel rods are rather small and the attention is usually not focused on this issue. -
Before the Flood Greenhouse Effect Plutonium Flights of Fancy Ministry
., Th~ Safe Energy ,J - Journal - July I August 19 88 75p Before the Flood Greenhouse Effect Plutonium Fl ights of Fancy Ministry of Truth - Chernobyl Lies CONTENTS COMMENT Flights of Fancy? 3 In the words of Or Tom Wheldon, at the Fourth STEVE MARTIN reviews the regulatory Annual Low Level Radiation and Health Conference log-jam in the US over planned held in Stirling, to say that radiation has existed in plutonium flights from Europe to Japan. the environment since the dawn of humankind and News 4-7 is therefore not a problem is just as daft as saying Ministry of Truth 8-9 that crocodiles have been around since the begin PATRICK GREEN accuses MAFF of ning with no perceived adverse effects - they will trying to rewrite history in their evidence to the Agriculture Com still bite your leg off, given half a chance. mittee. The Irresistible Force 10-11 The second report on the incidence of childhood meets the Immovable Object leukaemia near Dounreay from COMARE, of which ANDREW HOLMES asks what will Or Wheldon is a member, is a valuable contribution happen to nuclear research after privatisation. to the debate; but don't forget what happened to Snug as a Bug ••• 12 the 1976 Flowers Report. For the uninitiated, DON ARNOTT assesses the evidence Flowers recommended, among other things, that no that bacteria have been found in the large scale nuclear power ordering programme be burned-out core of the Three Mile Is land reactor. embarked on until the nuclear waste problem had Milk of Human Kindness? 14-15 been solved. -
INIS-Mf —14954 CA9600857
i-\ I- S I *• t. -^ INIS-mf —14954 III CA9600857 v // / A ^r^-14 i I ULJ n ^^ ISSN 0S3?-O299 CURRENT ISSUE PAPER i 17 NCIIERNOBYL, THREE MILE ISLAND AND BEYOND; LESSONS FOR ONTARIO? Prepared by: K. Lewis Yeagcr Research C fficer Legij'ative Research Service March 1991 y Ho-sonrch So THKSSSim Nuclear power has been a fact of life in the developed world for two generations. It is v. workhorse supplier of base electricity loads in Ontario, France. Belgium, Japan and many American states. Highly publicized accidents at Chernobyl, and .to.a.lesser..:. extent Three Mile Island, have raised public concern around the world about the safety of nuclear generatin;;, -nations. Since the planning process which will guide the Province's 'power generic:1. for <!ie next 25'years is now under way, it isimportant" that the public and elected officials understand how and why these and other nuclear accidents occurred and whether there are lessons.to.be learned in designing and-, operating CANUU facilities in Ontario. Tilts Current Issue Paper reviews major accidents which nave occurred at commercial and military nuclear facilities, and provides basic background on nuclear power and reactor design features to assist the novice in understanding the very complex technical issues surrounding these events. Above all, the role of human factors in the prevention of potential accident situations is emphasized. ih>- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No l-xncurivr-: SUMMARY . j INTRODUCTION , ] BACKGROUND 2 . General Principles of Nuclear Power 2 Types of Reactors " " " ~ ' 3 Nuclear Safety Philosophy 5 THREE MILE ISLAND .... 8 The Plant : 8 The Accident ; ft Local Impacts .