Containment Dome Specs?

tehfrr

Does anyone know where I can find some info on (U.S.) containment dome specs? We are studying a petition to ammend 10 CFR 73, and I am trying to make the point that a containment dome can withstand a 16 psig overpressure. After several hours of searching (including nrc.gov), I could only find two articles that mentioned containment is designed to accommodate overpressures of about 50 psia. Both articles are not really worthy of citation though. Is this considered sensitive data? And if so, any idea of somewhere reputable I could at least get a ballpark figure?

jdsneeder

I'm unclear on your request. I will try to help out if you can clarify your request for me.

Exactly what part of 10CFR73 are you looking at?
Are you referring to a PWR or BWR containment?
What do your mean by "16 psig overpressure"? It almost sounds like you are talking external pressure since by desgin, containments can handle internal pressures of much greater than 16 psig. Are you referring to "overpressure" as it refers to ECCS NPSH?

I think the NRC has removed individual plant safety analysis reports (SARs) from the web page after 9/11/01 but I will take a look around. Many plant's technical specifications are still on the NRC web page and usually give a containment design pressure for LOCA.

Astronuc

ASME code
Section III, Division 2: Code for Concrete Reactor Vessels and Containments

As I understand it, the containment building should be able to handle about 45 psig (or about 4 bar (60 psia)).

See - http://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/doe/...s/00416679.pdf - which mentions 4 bar.

On the other hand, a containment building should probably be able to handle about 10 bar of pressure - before leaking. Actual rupture should take a bit more, perhaps about 12 bar.

Morbius

Astronuc,

Yes - the nominal overpressure for a containment dome is about 4 bar.

As I recall - there was a 2 bar overpressure due to a hydrogen burn during the
Three Mile Island accident.

Dr. Gregory Greenman
Physicist