ML20234B652

Advises That Question of Possibility of bomb-like Explosion at Bodega Reactor Still Remains,Per .Questions Ability of Inner Vessel to Fail & Inconsistency Between Statements in TID 7024 &

ML20234B652
Person / Time
Site:	05000000, Bodega Bay
Issue date:	05/23/1964
From:	Rosenthal P AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Lowenstein R US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
Shared Package
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References
FOIA-85-665 NUDOCS 8709210027
Download: ML20234B652 (2)

Text

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PAUL E.

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R O S ti)N T H o ACL 3

O N S U L T I'N G ENGINEER

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+V May 23, 1964-The Atomic Energy Commission .

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Attentions Mr. Robert Lowenstein, Assistant Director ~of Regulat 6 Referance 50 405 4 ca Dear Mr. Iowensteins . File COPY .

Your May 21 letter re the 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 j questions in my mind in the first place.

s j The basic question remains the possibility of.a. major, " bomb-like" '

explosion. On this point I found the following on pp 214-215 of 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 statement on the same page indicates that the energy -

equivalent during such dispersion. is "not-nore than that of several

)

hundred pounds of TNT."~And'then it.goes on to say that."in addition, 1 it is possible that a thermal reactor under adverse conditions could . J experience a rapid energy release greater than that in a.well-designed 4 ,, fast reactor."

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1 From the foregoing, I draw the conclusion that there is some probability -

small, perhaps - of setting off explosive shock waves inside the reactor, pressure vessel.

My check of the dimensions, temperatures, pressures, and materials of the vessel indicates that no art,ra factors of _ safety have been taken beyond those ordinarily present for ASME Code construction. (There-is a little guessing here as the PHA indicates "about 'six inches" for vessel ~

wall thinkness. But even a small extra factor of. safety would make the walls over 7-1/4.)

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' Is the design approach here that we build a suppression vessel outside the pressure-vessel on the supposition that the inner vessel yg1 fail?'

D you feel that there is any inconsistency between the statement's'. 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 . , ,, x

• have no great desire for further worry or distraction from agr. obligations to earn a living on less interesting projects. '

ery truly urs, ca Y

a. C . p ,

Paul Rosenthal " $@ '

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