Analysis of a Coupled Blowdown from Both RPV and BOP with RELAP5-3D/K for a Limiting FWLB of an ABWR for Containment Design

The limiting blowdown event for the design of an advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR) containment shifts from a conventional recirculation line break to a feedwater line break (FWLB) by implementing reactor internal pumps. As a result, coupled blowdown from both the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and the balance of plant (BOP) is involved in the limiting FWLB. Coupled blowdown from both RPV and BOP for the FWLB of the Lungmen ABWR has been successfully analyzed using the advanced RELAP5-3D/K code. To simulate adequately both the RPV and BOP blowdown, the essential simulation scope of an ABWR includes the reactor system, the main steam and turbine systems, the condensate and feedwater systems, the protection system, and the emergency core cooling system. As compared to what was presented in the preliminary safety analysis report of the Lungmen ABWR, unexpected prolonged decays of BOP blowdown flow and enthalpy were calculated. The revised blowdown flow and enthalpy calculated by RELAP5-3D/K from both RPV and BOP breaks provide a new and solid basis for the final safety analysis of ABWR containment for the Lungmen plant, which is scheduled for commercial operation in 2011. The successful modeling of the entire RPV and BOP with RELAP5-3D/K and associated application to the FWLB licensing blowdown analysis indicate that the advanced RELAP5 code can extend its traditional reactor safety analysis to the simulation and analysis of the entire power generation and conversion systems.