Version 1
: Received: 29 April 2024 / Approved: 30 April 2024 / Online: 1 May 2024 (04:26:07 CEST)
How to cite:
Edo, A. K.; Ergun, S. Enhancing Research Reactor Safety: Insights from Independent Assessment and Uncertainty Analysis. Preprints2024, 2024050003. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0003.v1
Edo, A. K.; Ergun, S. Enhancing Research Reactor Safety: Insights from Independent Assessment and Uncertainty Analysis. Preprints 2024, 2024050003. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0003.v1
Edo, A. K.; Ergun, S. Enhancing Research Reactor Safety: Insights from Independent Assessment and Uncertainty Analysis. Preprints2024, 2024050003. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0003.v1
APA Style
Edo, A. K., & Ergun, S. (2024). Enhancing Research Reactor Safety: Insights from Independent Assessment and Uncertainty Analysis. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0003.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Edo, A. K. and Sule Ergun. 2024 "Enhancing Research Reactor Safety: Insights from Independent Assessment and Uncertainty Analysis" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0003.v1
Abstract
This paper investigates the importance of enhancing the safety of research reactors, especially in newcomer countries where experience may be limited. The focus is on the role of Independent Assessment (IA) and assessors in addition to using Best Estimate plus Uncertainty (BEPU) approach in enhancing safety measures. By using the best estimate codes to perform uncertainty calculations, the BEPU technique logically connects nuclear thermal hydraulics and nuclear reactor safety. BEPU is based on an understanding of the phenomena related to the reactor state. Reactor circumstances, such as those related to operations or accidents, could be identified in this way. The IA process, involves experts supporting design, installation, safety analysis, decommissioning, and modification. In order to shape the use of IA process in this study feedback from nuclear professionals was collected through questionnaires, revealing a consensus on the necessity of qualified regulatory bodies in newcomer countries. Additionally, the questionnaires highlighted the potential benefits of IA, such as minimizing accident risks and providing valuable insights for future analyses. The results indicate a global anticipation of increased research reactor construction, particularly in newcomer countries.
The study discusses the propagation of input uncertainties, emphasizing the importance of considering various factors and parameters in safety assessments. The BEPU method was applied by using the COBRA-TF code by modeling onset of nucleate boiling (ONB) conditions for VVR-K research reactor. For uncertain parameters; ±1% inlet/initial pressure, ±1% inlet temperature, and ±1% linear heat rate, the ONB temperature in the axial region with the average cladding temperature was calculated to be 114.44℃. Table 2 (our references) provided a value of 114.6℃. The close agreement between the reference value and the COBRA-TF result shows that the model used in the calculation of the reference value and the Chen relation used by COBRA-TF are compatible.
Keywords
Research Reactor; Independent Assessment; Safety Assessment; COBRA-TF
Subject
Engineering, Other
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
