Exploring bron monitoring solutions in Pressurized Water Reactors for enhanced loss of coolant accidents mitigation
Résumé
Monitoring key parameters within Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) is crucial to mitigate the consequences of Loss of Coolant Accidents (LOCAs). This study aims to elucidate the prospective benefits and difficulties of deploying boron monitoring instrumentation in the Reactor Cooling System (RCS) for rapid and accurate LOCA assessment, encompassing break size and location. We comprehensively assess boron concentration evolution in PWR’s coolant loops during 5-inch, 6-inch, and 7-inch cold leg breaks using the CATHARE-3 code for thermal-hydraulic simulations. Subsequently, we identify the optimal location for boron monitoring within the primary coolant
loops to enhance the effectiveness and accuracy of boron concentration measurement during a LOCA. We also assess the performance of a preliminary design of a non-intrusive Boron Concentration Measuring System (BCMS) via Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNP6.2 code.
Results derived from CATHARE-3 simulations indicate that placing the BCMS near the crossover (intermediate) leg offers advantages for both short-term and long-term LOCA scenarios. Differences in boron concentration between ruptured and intact loops identify compromised loop, while variations in boron concentration within the crossover leg correlate with break characteristics. Outcomes from MCNP6.2 calculations help to determine the ideal measuring configuration and expose the key challenges of incorporating boron instrumentation within the RCS, particularly regarding the impact of temperature on counting rates and resolving power.
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