Estimation of the Spent Fuel Pool Water Temperature at a Loss-of-Pool-Cooling Accident

Authors: Chan Hee Park, Arim Lee, Jung Min Lee, Joo Hyun Moon

Abstract:

Accident in spent fuel pool (SFP) of Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4 showed the importance of continuous monitoring of the key environmental parameters such as water temperature, water level, and radiation level in the SFP at accident conditions. Because the SFP water temperature is one of the key parameters indicating SFP conditions, its behavior at accident conditions shall be understood to prepare appropriate measures. This study estimated temporal change in the SFP water temperature at Kori Unit 1 with 587 MWe for 1 hour after initiation of a loss-of-pool-cooling accident. For the estimation, ANSYS CFX 13.0 code was used. The estimation showed that the increasing rate of the water temperature was 3.90C per hour and the SFP water temperature could reach 1000C in 25.6 hours after the initiation of loss-of-pool-cooling accident.

Keywords: Spent fuel pool, water temperature, Kori Unit 1, a loss-of-pool-cooling accident.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1335620

References:

[1] Charles Miller et al., "Recommendations for enhancing reactor safety in the 21st century," U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, (2012).
[2] C. H. Park et al., “An auxiliary system to monitor the key environmental variables in spent fuel pool at the loss of power accident”, International High Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (2013).
[3] Shingori 1, 2 Final Safety Analysis Report, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power CO. (2010).
[4] Kori 1, Final Safety Analysis Report, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power CO. (1989).
[5] ANSYS CFX. http://www.ansys.com/Products/Simulation+ Technology/Fluid + Dynamics/ Fluid+ Dynamics+ Products/ ANSYS+ CFX.
[6] Dean Wang et al., “Study of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Station Unit 4 Spent-Fuel Pool,” Nuclear Technology, 180, 2 (2012).