Aiming at further improvement of prediction for consequences of LWR severe accidents

Hidaka, Akihide   

In order to investigate the radionuclides release from irradiated fuel under severe accident conditions of LWR, VEGA experimental facility that realizes the highest temperature and pressure conditions was designed and constructed at JAERI. The effect of ambient pressure on radionuclides release was uniquely quantified by using this facility. A model that explains the observed pressure effect was also proposed based on the experimental results. For this effort, the atomic energy society of Japan gave us the preeminent monograph award in FY 2002. This paper describes my encounter with the research awarded this time, fascination of this research, hard-worked points, future plans and so on.