BWR Reactor Vessel Bottom Head Failure Modes

Abstract

Boiling water reactors (BWRs) incorporate many unique structural features that make their expected response under severe accident conditions very different from that predicted in the case of pressurized water reactor accident sequences. The effect of the BWR procedural and structural differences upon the progression of a severe accident sequence during the period preceding movement of core debris into the reactor vessel lower plenum has been discussed previously. It is the purpose of this paper to briefly address the events occurring after debris relocation past the core plate and to describe the subsequent expected modes of bottom head pressure boundary failure. As an example, the calculated timing of events for the unmitigated short-term station blackout severe accident sequence at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station is also presented. 14 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.