LOFA Analysis of CANDU

Abstract

CANDU SCWR is a pressure-tube type supercritical water cooled reactor under research based on the existing knowledge of operating water-cooled CANDU reactors and fossil fuel Super Critical Water (SCW) plants. Although CANDU reactors have the well proven features of large passive heat sinks, such as a separate low temperature and pressure moderator, the loss of main feedwater accident (LOMF) still could make a great challenging event since it results a rapid loss of coolant inventory in the reactor core. In the present study, a safety configuration similar to the SCWR design of Westinghouse Company is employed to the CANDU SCWR system and the passive safety characteristics of this design during a loss of main feedwater accident (LOMF) is evaluated with RELAP5/MOD4.0 computer code. The result confirms the potential of this safety design for mitigating the consequences of LOMF accident alone without using any other safety facilities.