Evaluation of advanced containment features proposed to Korean SNPP

Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant (KSNP) has adopted many advanced design features to enhance its containment performance during severe accidents as well as to reduce changes of core damage. Robust design of containment and hydrogen mixing capability reduced containment failure probability significantly. In addition to these features, new systems are proposed for KSNP: advanced design of cavity geometry, reactor cavity flooding system, hydrogen igniter, and containment filtered venting system. Before these proposals are adopted to the KSNP, their effectiveness on containment performance has been assessed systematically. Containment event tree and sensitivity analysis are used to quantify the effectiveness of these design features. The overall results indicate that these new features do not improve the containment performance significantly except the containment filtered venting system. But adoption of the containment filtered venting system should be examined carefully because accidental failure of this system may result in undue risk to public. (author)