Timing of Core Damage States Following Severe Accidents for the CANDU Reactor Design

Abstract

This paper documents the analytical methodology used to evaluate severe accident sequences. The relevant thermal- mechanical phenomena and the mathematical approach used in calculating the riming of the accident progression are described. An example of a specific accident scenario is provided in order to illustrate the application of the severe accident progression methodology. The postulated severe accidents analyzed mainly differ in the timing to reach and progress through each defined "core damage state".