Evaluation of high-pressure containment buildings for LMFBR's

A study was conducted on the use of High Pressure LMFBR Containment Buildings for 1000 MW(e) LMFBRs. Two principal aspects were investigated: accident consequence mitigation and cost. Two types of hypothetical accidents were analyzed to establish consequence mitigation: melt-through and energetic expulsion. Three Containment Building (CB) design pressures were investigated: 69 kPa (10 psig), 207 kPa (30 psig), and 414 kPa (60 psig). Four types of design structures were analyzed to establish cost: steel, steel with confinement building, reinforced concrete, and prestressed/post-tensioned concrete. Results show that: it is within reason that a high pressure containment for a 1000 MW(e) reactor can be fabricated that will retain its integrity during postulated severe hypothetical accidents, if available measures are taken to reduce or prevent hydrogen production and the cost differential between basic high (414 kPa) and low (69 kPa) pressure containments is $10 x 106 or less