Sensitivity studies of loss-of-coolant accidents in the Savannah River production reactors

Loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) analyses were completed using the Transient Reactor Analysis Code (TRAC) to support the U.S. Department of Energy efforts to restart the production reactors located at the Savannah River Site. The break location and pump operation after the LOCA were the parameters varied for these sensitivity studies. Three location of double-ended guillotine break were studied: plenum inlet, pump suction, and pump discharge. Three pump operation scenarios were also studied: continued operation of both ac and dc pumps, tripping of the ac motor at 2 s after the LOCA, and tripping of the ac motor at 200 s after the LOCA. The production reactors use low pressure and temperature heavy water as the process fluid. The reactor has a moderator tank that contains the fuel channels. Above the moderator tank is an upper plenum that distributes the heavy water to each fuel assembly. The heavy water flows down through the fuel channels and into the moderator tank. From the tank, the water is pumped back to the upper plenum through six loops. Each loop contains a pump and two heat exchangers. Four of the loops have an emergency core coolant system (ECCS) connection. This TRAC model has been benchmarkedmore » extensively against data taken in the actual reactors or in prototypical models of the components of the reactors. The calculations were completed using a version of TRAC-PF1/MOD 2 that was updated to include heavy water properties and other changes that are specific to the production reactors.« less