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Title: A simplified model of decontamination by BWR steam suppression pools

Abstract

Phenomena that can decontaminate aerosol-laden gases sparging through steam suppression pools of boiling water reactors during reactor accidents are described. Uncertainties in aerosol properties, aerosol behavior within gas bubbles, and bubble behavior in plumes affect predictions of decontamination by steam suppression pools. Uncertainties in the boundary and initial conditions that are dictated by the progression of severe reactor accidents and that will affect predictions of decontamination by steam suppression pools are discussed. Ten parameters that characterize boundary and initial condition uncertainties, nine parameters that characterize aerosol property and behavior uncertainties, and eleven parameters that characterize uncertainties in the behavior of bubbles in steam suppression pools are identified. Ranges for the values of these parameters and subjective probability distributions for parametric values within the ranges are defined. These uncertain parameters are used in Monte Carlo uncertainty analyses to develop uncertainty distributions for the decontamination that can be achieved by steam suppression pools and the size distribution of aerosols that do emerge from such pools. A simplified model of decontamination by steam suppression pools is developed by correlating features of the uncertainty distributions for total decontamination factor, DF(total), mean size of emerging aerosol particles, d{sub p}, and the standard deviation of themore » emerging aerosol size distribution, {sigma}, with pool depth, H. Correlations of the median values of the uncertainty distributions are suggested as the best estimate of decontamination by suppression pools. Correlations of the 10 percentile and 90 percentile values of the uncertainty distributions characterize the uncertainty in the best estimates. 295 refs., 121 figs., 113 tabs.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Systems Technology; Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
481867
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-6153; SAND-93-2588
ON: TI97006384; TRN: 97:011217
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: May 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
22 NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY; 21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; CONDENSATION CHAMBERS; EFFICIENCY; RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS; DECONTAMINATION; BWR TYPE REACTORS; REACTOR ACCIDENTS; REACTOR SAFETY; PRESSURE SUPPRESSION; STEAM; MONTE CARLO METHOD; THERMODYNAMIC MODEL

Citation Formats

Powers, D A. A simplified model of decontamination by BWR steam suppression pools. United States: N. p., 1997. Web. doi:10.2172/481867.
Powers, D A. A simplified model of decontamination by BWR steam suppression pools. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/481867
Powers, D A. 1997. "A simplified model of decontamination by BWR steam suppression pools". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/481867. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/481867.
@article{osti_481867,
title = {A simplified model of decontamination by BWR steam suppression pools},
author = {Powers, D A},
abstractNote = {Phenomena that can decontaminate aerosol-laden gases sparging through steam suppression pools of boiling water reactors during reactor accidents are described. Uncertainties in aerosol properties, aerosol behavior within gas bubbles, and bubble behavior in plumes affect predictions of decontamination by steam suppression pools. Uncertainties in the boundary and initial conditions that are dictated by the progression of severe reactor accidents and that will affect predictions of decontamination by steam suppression pools are discussed. Ten parameters that characterize boundary and initial condition uncertainties, nine parameters that characterize aerosol property and behavior uncertainties, and eleven parameters that characterize uncertainties in the behavior of bubbles in steam suppression pools are identified. Ranges for the values of these parameters and subjective probability distributions for parametric values within the ranges are defined. These uncertain parameters are used in Monte Carlo uncertainty analyses to develop uncertainty distributions for the decontamination that can be achieved by steam suppression pools and the size distribution of aerosols that do emerge from such pools. A simplified model of decontamination by steam suppression pools is developed by correlating features of the uncertainty distributions for total decontamination factor, DF(total), mean size of emerging aerosol particles, d{sub p}, and the standard deviation of the emerging aerosol size distribution, {sigma}, with pool depth, H. Correlations of the median values of the uncertainty distributions are suggested as the best estimate of decontamination by suppression pools. Correlations of the 10 percentile and 90 percentile values of the uncertainty distributions characterize the uncertainty in the best estimates. 295 refs., 121 figs., 113 tabs.},
doi = {10.2172/481867},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/481867}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997},
month = {Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997}
}