Development of LORL evaluation method and its application to a loop-type sodium-cooled fast reactor

Imaizumi, Yuya ; Yamada, Fumiaki; Arikawa, Mitsuhiro*; Yada, Hiroki ; Fukano, Yoshitaka  

A calculation program was developed to evaluate and discuss the effectiveness of the countermeasures such as sodium pump-up and siphon-breaking against the loss-of-reactor-level (LORL) where the coolant circulation path is lost in loop-type sodium-cooled fast reactors. Due to the non-negligible possibility obtained by probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), sodium leakages in two points both occurred in primary heat transport system (PHTS) was assumed in this study. In addition, the crack size was discussed and evaluated realistically, instead of the value that was assumed in the conventional studies. Representative sequences and leakage positions were chosen, and the sodium level transient in reactor vessel (RV) was calculated. The calculations were also conducted where the larger crack size was set for the second leakage, in order to investigate additional requirements to maintain the RV sodium level. The evaluation results clarified that the coolant circulation loop can be maintained even after the second leakage in PHTS, taking into account the effects by the countermeasures.