ML20234C175

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Discusses Why Reactors Are Not Bombs,Structural Requirements of Reactor Vessel & Purpose of Suppression Vessel,In Response to to Lowenstein
ML20234C175
Person / Time
Site: 05000000, Bodega Bay
Issue date: 12/17/1985
From: Doan R
US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
To: Rosenthal P
ROSENTHAL, P.E.
Shared Package
ML20234A767 List: ... further results
References
FOIA-85-665 NUDOCS 8709210192
Download: ML20234C175 (2)
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, e+.- d W L p. . g Docket No. 50-205 s: s. -

Mr. Paul E. Rosenthal Consulting Engineer 604 Mission Street San Francisco, California 94105

Dear Mr. Rosenthal:

Your letter to Mr. Iowenstein of May 23,1964, tequasts. further clarification of several basically technical matters with respect to the Bodega Reactor. . I hope the following will prove helpful.

The Atomic Industirial.. Forum, ~in their recent public information pamphlet on ~

reactor safety provides an explanation' of why reactors are n'ot bombs. Rather than repeat the explanation I refer you to their pamphlet, a copy of which is enclosed. I an also enclosing a pamphlet entitled, "How Safe'is a Nuclear Reactor," prepared by the AEC's Division of Public Information. -

The normal pressure retaining boundary represented by the reactor vessel and associated primary coolant piping are not required to have' the capacity of.

withstanding all conceivable pressure surges. Pressure relieving devices are-provided on nuclear reactor pressure systems, just as they .are on more-conventional pressurized plants, to allow release of the pressure effects ,

resulting from sudden energy buildup. Reactor pressure vessels ar'e thus not deliberately made thicker because of concern for large accidental releases of energy.

Vessels are required to show by tests an abil'ity to withstand 154% of design lo ading. Design loading in turn includes calculated effects of.th.. mal and hydraulic loads for normal operation plus conceivable transient effects such as sudden power demand or sudden loss of load. leuclear plants are sually operated at 807. of their design pressure. They are protected agai...t over-pressure by several mechanical devices which act.to relieve. steam in addition to several shutdown mechanisms which act to stop the nuclear chain reaction- '

when the pressure exceeds a certaia presset value always below the design pre ssure. The mechanical devices typically consist of:

1. Sensor controlled, power-operated relief valves.

, 2. A set of spring-loaded safety valves, 8709210192 851217 FOIA

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.Mr. Paul E. . Rosenthal When the pressure in the circuit approaches.approximately 95% of. design.

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pressure, the power-operated safety valves open automatically on signals from pressure sensing control eleinents. In case.the' pressure should continue to increase, the. spring-loaded safety valves open. The pressure vessel and associated protective features-(pressure relieving systems) are'thus designed to handle any anticipated behavior of the reactor and still keep the pressure boundary intact.

As to your question concerning the suppression vessel outside the inner vessel: - lhe' development of the peaceful uses of atomic. power has been marked by a cautious approach in the interest of public health and safety.

Power reactors in this country are housed within " containment" structures.

l Mis is a part of the philosophy of design of reactors in the United States that provides for .public safety by as21tiple barriers"against exposure of the public to accidental and harmful release of radioactivity. .

Like the emergency brakes in automobiles that are there as "back-up", devices, a containment buildin6 provides an added defense, 'never expected to be needed

-but nonetheless available, in the public interest "just in case. .

he purpose of our licensin6 reviews is to satisfy ourselves .that the significant potentiall' ties' for accidents- have been identified and that-adequate precautions are taken to protec't against their occufrence. In addition, licensees are required to include-safeguards in their plante which are designed to protect 'the public even if such an accident decurs despite' the' pre' vent' ire featwes. On the other . hand,' we are not concerned in our licensing reviews with problems that might .cause extended. plant down-time, ,

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unless they are such as might cause radiation exposure of the public or-employees.

l Sincerely yours, "mdDI Richard L. .Iban,. Director i Division of' Reactor Licensing .

helosures

1. AEC Press Release
2. AIF Information Pamphlet I Distribution:

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604 Mi55 ION 5TREET e 5AN FRANCi5CO a TELEPHONE SUTTER 1 2871 P05TAL CODE 94105 May 23, 1964 The Atomic Energy Commission Washington 25, D.C.

Attention: Mr. Robert Lowenstein, Assistant Director of Regulation Reference 50-co5

Dear Mr. Lowenstein:

a [$yk Your.May 21 letter re t he Bodega reactor is acknowledged with thanks.

I am sorry, however, that you saw fit to refer me to the Preliminary Hazards Analysis for answers, as it was that report which raised the questions'in my mind in the first place.'

The basic question remains the possibility of a major, " bomb-like" explosion.

On this' point I found the following on pp 214-215 of j TID 7024: " -

.. eventual melting of.the fuel elements may result in a dispersion

-to a suberitical configuration' (the reverse also being possible)."

For a fast reactor, a ctatement' on the same page indicates that the energy j equivalent during such dispersion is "not z:nre than that of several hundred pounds of TNT.." '

3 And then it goes on to say that "in addition, '

it is possible that a th'ermal reactor under adverse conditions could '

c exper_ance fast . cactor."a rapid energy release greater than that in a well-designed i i

l From the foregoing, I draw the conclusion that there is some pmbability -  !

pres: . pe:..aps small, o v asel.- of setting off explosive shock waves inside the reactor, mate. My check of the dimensions, temperatures, pressures, and 1s of the vessel indicates that no extra factors of safety have been taken beycad those ordinarily present for ASME Code construction. (There is a litt' a guessing here as the PHA indicates "about six inches" for vessel wall t.in1.aess. But even a small extra factor of- safety would make the walls vver 7-1/4.)

Is the design approach here that we build a suppression vessel outside the

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pressure vessel on the supposit. ion that the inner ' vessel will fail?

Do you feel that there is any inconsistency between the statements in TID 7024 and your May 21 letter which says "there is no possibility that a' reactor can explode like a bomb"? I would be happy to be reassured on this as I have no great desire for further worry or distraction fmm my obligaticus to earn a living on less interesting projects. '

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Mr. John T. Conway lj Executive Director Joint Conmittee on Ato:nie Energy Con 6ress of the United Sintes

Dear Fr. Cnnway:

Bis le in respolet to ;/out letters datwo April 14 and 24,19fA, requesting l comments on S. J. Res. ICT cnd H. J. Res. 10C8 relating to the recific Cas j and Flectric Company s; plication to construct a nuclear power plant at Bode 6a Head, California. Tno joint resolutions, if adopted, would require the Conminsion to report to the Jcin+ Co:nittee on Atomic .iihercy with respect to its invesstilyttion of the propoaco .aite and to vithhold the grantinc~'of a )

construction permit until it eculd certify to the Cm.c.rese "the ,;eol;.7 1cal )

adequacy and scismic safety" of the site.  !

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A comprehensive evabmtien of the cafety aspects of the ' Bode 6a Read e;ipli-cation by the Cor.::issionc P.cgule. tory ' Staff has been under way for a considerable tir:e. In view of the preni:tity or the proposed. site to the San Andreas fault, particular.atterition 'is .being paid to the' geological and seismolo61 cal aspects of the. cite and to related structural encineerir:g questions. In this connection, the Regulator / Staff has had the nasistenet: '

of the U. 5. Geological Survey of the De;crt.r. tat of Interier nod the U. /.

. Coast sul Geodetic Survey of the Departinent of Correrce. Upoc corgdetion cf its evaluation, the Regulatory Staff will prepare a complete karards analysis setting forth its positiod with respect to all the nuclear safety aspects of the applic: tion, includtre se geological and eelsmlegical aspects of the.

proposed site and related structural engineering questions. In addition, an independent reviev e .d report will'be :sce by the Comadrution's Mvisory Committee on Resetor Saferuards.

De Regulatory Staff's hazards analysis, the report of. the Mvisory Coaxittee.

on Reactor Safegards, ,and the report's submitted by the Geological Survey l and the Coast and Goodotic Survey will be available for public inspection at the Commise1on's Public Document Rooms in San Francisco' and Washington, D. C .

Following review by the Regulatory Staff and the Advisory Coe:rittee on Reactor Safeguariisi public hearings are held in cases of this type bercro atomic safety mad licensi.ng boards. At those' hearings all nuclear safety aspects of the application are explored and considered. ' The Comalacion has previously announced a hearios in the Bodega Head p meeeding would be held in Santa !bes, California. Interested sneebers of the public could participate in the hearing in accortlance with the Comatissien's " Rules of Practice"r 10 CPR Part 2, and the pmceeding, of course, would be a avstter of public record.

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o 4r. John T. Commay '- 2-F Af ter a hearing board has issued its initial de'cisica, the proceeding, may also

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be reviewed by the Commissioners, either upon their own action or upon petition by a party to the proceeding. . De initial decision of the stoaic safety and licensing board and the Coasmission's final decision are also' matters of public record.

In our opinion the " extent of the Consission's investigation into the public health and safeh" which we would be required by the proposed resolutions. to report to the Joint Committee will be fully set forth in the public record of the proceeding. Also, as you know, in all power. reactor licensing proceedings the Commissica routinely transaits to the Joint Committee copies of the Staff's hammeds analysis, the. report of, the Advisory Committee on .

Reactor, Safeguards, the initial decision. of the atomic . safety and licensing boani and say final' decision by the Commission. Prior to any construction permit that might be l'ssued la the proceeding the Commission saast first make -

the finding that the is'suance of the' permit will not, in the opinion of the Commission, be infuteal'to'the health and safety of the public. We believe that this finding would fully. entisfy the objective of the certification to the Congress that would be reesired by the proposed resolutions.

Since the objectives of the proposed resolutions are'.being amt by, the em=ainston's pmeedures under present law, we do not believe that any useful legislative Purpose would be served by the adoption of the resolutions. In

addition, we believe it would be undesirable for the Congress to adopt such resolutions'with respect to a matter which is under active' consideration'in a quasi-judicial proceeding.

- he Bureau of the Budget has advised .that there is no objection to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the Administration's program.

Sincerely yours,

'( signe'd )~ flaroid C. Prici Esruld L. Price Director of Regulation i A l Aa

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