Analysis and development of the automated emergency algorithm to control primary to secondary LOCA for SUNPP safety upgrading

The paper presents the results of the study conducted to support planned modernization of the South Ukraine nuclear power plant. The objective of the analysis has been to develop the automated emergency control algorithm for primary to secondary LOCA accident for SUNPP WWER-1000 safety upgrading. According to the analyses performed in the framework of safety assesment report, given accident is the most complex for control and has the largest contribution into the core damage frequency value. This is because of initial event diagnostics is difficult, emergency control is complicated for personnel, time available for decision making and actions performing is limited with coolant inventory for make-up, probability of steam dump valves on affected steam generator non-closing after opening is high, and as a consequence containment bypass, irretrievable loss of coolant and radioactive materials release into the environment are possible. Unit design modifications are directed on expansion of safety systems capabilities to overcome given accident and to facilitate the personnel actions on emergency control. Safety systems modification according to developed algorithm will allow to simplify accident control by personnel and enable to control the ECCS discharge limiting pressure below the affected steam generator steam dump valve opening pressure, and decrease the probability of the containment bypass sequences. The analysis of the primary-to-secondary LOCA thermal-hydraulics has been conducted with RELAP5/Mod 3.2, and involved development of the dedicated analytical model, calculations of various plant response accident scenarios, conducting of plant personnel intervention analyses using full-scale simulator, development and justification of the emergency control algorithm aimed on the minimization of negative consequences of the primary-to-secondary LOCA (Authors)