EPRI Core Protection Nantel

EPRI Core Protection Nantel What is the primary safety concern for nuclear power plant operations? - correct answer Preventing significant radiation exposure to the public during routine and accident conditions.How is the primary safety concern for nuclear power plant operations achieved? - correct answer Employing fission product barriers and engineered safety features.Identify ways a core can fail - correct answer Any loss of core geometry, particularly into a configuration where cooling becomes impractical, is considered a core failure List three ways that the core has an inability to fully remove the heat created by the fuel - correct answer

• A failure of the heat removal systems
• An increase of heat created beyond the ability of the heat removal systems
• The inability to transfer heat from the fuel

What are the three fission product barriers? - correct answer 1. fuel pellet and cladding

• Reactor Coolant System (RCS) pressure boundary
• Containment

Prevents the escape of fission products from cladding - correct answer Fuel pellet and cladding (first fission product barrier) Contains the radionuclides that escaped the cladding or were produced outside the cladding - correct answer RCS pressure boundary (second fission product barrier) Holds radionuclides that have escaped from the RCS - correct answer Containment (third fission product barrier) 1 / 2

The defense-in-depth policy states that a utility should: - correct answer 1. Design to prevent the occurrence of nuclear accidents

• Assume that accidents will occur
• Provide proven capability to meet the range of worst-case accidents

Defined as hypothesized events that affect one or more of the radioactive material barriers and that are not expected during plant operations - correct answer Accidents What are two accident types that are considered? - correct answer 1. Mechanical failure of a single component leading to the release of radioactive material from one or more barriers

• Arbitrary rupture of any single pipe up to and including complete severance of the largest pipe in the

nuclear system process barrier By definition, what is typically a worst-case accident of interest - correct answer Design Basis Accident (DBA) When designing a plant, the philosophy documented in the FSAR contains several layers. Which of the following assumptions are used to ensure core protection? - correct answer a. The plant is operating in a given band via proper control

• The plant is assumed to be in steady state prior to the transient
• The plant is being operated within Technical Specifications

A design basis accident is typically a worst-case accident of interest.... T/F - correct answer True

• It is the specification to which a plant is designed

Primary safety concern for nuclear power plant operation is.... - correct answer the protection of the public from the release of fission products First line of defense is.... - correct answer keeping the core covered, cooled, and properly reactive The systems of the plant are designed with several layers of protection including.... - correct answer automatic controls, alarms, and automatic protective systems.

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