EPRI research on turbine missile effects in nuclear power plants

Protection of essential systems against potential turbine missiles is an important consideration in nuclear power plant design. Peninsular turbine orientation, which practically percludes low-trajectory turbine missile strikes on safety-related structures of the plant, is recommended in regulatory documents as a means of minimizing the risk from turbine missiles. However, for nonpeninsular turbine arrangement and for multiple unit plants, the plant design has to be such that the turbine missile risks can be shown to be acceptable. Historically, there have been controversies and wide variations in evaluating the probabilities of turbine failure, missile strike, and damage. With the goal of resolving these controversies and reducing the uncertainties in the analysis of turbine missile effects, EPRI launched a major analytical and experimental research program in 1977. (orig./WL)