Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
10.4 Severe Accident Management Measures
The publication of the US Reactor Safety Study [
9
] and the German Reactor Safety
Studies A and B [
10
,
64
] as well as the occurrence of the severe reactor accidents of
Chernobyl and Fukushima prompted the introduction of a number of severe acci-
dent management measures which can be applied by the operation team during the
course of a severe accident. This improves the safety of presently operating LWRs.
Many of these accident management measures—described below—will also be
applied to the new LWR designs described in Chap.
3
.
10.5 Plant Internal Severe Accident Management
Measures
The safety concept of plant internal severe accident management measures was
introduced around 1990. It has been elaborated by safety experts with the assistance
of the operational staff of LWR plants [
64
,
83
,
84
]. They will be applied in the case
of accident events which lead to beyond design basis accidents, i.e. when essential
safety systems failed to act and core melt is to occur.
The planned procedures of internal severe accident management measures are
described, e.g. in Germany, in a severe accident management handbook which
complements the operational handbook.
The procedures laid down in the operation and in the severe accident manage-
ment handbook are trained by operators, e.g. in Germany, in special reactor
simulation centers.
Severe accident management procedures enable the use of especially prepared
components and systems of the reactor plant. The main objectives to be accom-
plished by the severe accident management procedures are to ensure the required
protection goals as described in Sect.
5.2
(shut down and subcriticality of the core,
long term cooling of the core, no release of radioactivity).
10.6 Examples for Severe Accident Management Measures
for LWRs
10.6.1 Examples for Severe Accident Management Measures
for PWRs
10.6.1.1 Securing the Emergency Electrical Power in PWRs
In addition to the regular emergency diesel generators the following systems can be
applied: gas turbines, mobile motor engines with generators or pumps, especially
