Optimal operation of hybrid-SITs under a SBO accident

Abstract

A hybrid safety injection tank (H-SIT) is designed to enhance the capability of pressurized water reactors against high-pressure accidents which might be caused by the combined accidents accompanied by station blackout (SBO), and is suggested as a useful alternative to electricity-driven motor injection pumps. The main purpose of the H-SIT is to provide coolant to the core so that core safety can be maintained for a longer period. As H-SITs have a limited inventory, their efficient use in cooling down the core is paramount to maximize the available time for long-term cooling component restoration. Therefore, an optimum operation strategy must be developed to support the operators for the most efficient H-SIT use. In this study, the main factors which have to be carefully treated in the development of an operation strategy are first identified. Then the optimal value of each main factor is investigated analytically, a process useful to get the basis of the global optimum points. Based on these analytical optimum points, a thermal-hydraulic analysis using MARS code is performed to get more accurate values and to verify the results of the analytical study. The available time for long-term cooling component restoration is also estimated. Finally, an integrated optimum operation strategy for H-SITs in SBO is suggested.