Power profile analysis of criticality accidents involving fissile solution boiling with considering evaporation

ABSTRACT

The total fission energy released in a criticality accident involving fissile solution boiling tends to be high because the relatively high fission power continues during boiling. Simulating fission power change correctly during boiling seems essential to estimate the total fission energy. Fission power during boiling changes depending on fissile concentration and volume as the solution evaporates. In this study, we investigated the effect of concentration and volume change on estimated total fission energy for a long time of boiling. We introduced a model calculating the evaporation of fissile solution into the modified quasi-steady-state method to simulate power change during boiling. Three CRAC experiments and the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) criticality accident in 1959 were analyzed. As a result, the calculated energy considering concentration and volume change during boiling reproduced the measured energy well.

KEYWORDS:

• Criticality accident
• fissile solution
• boiling
• evaporation
• quasi-steady-state method
• power profile
• ICPP criticality accident
• CRAC

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).