The Collection of Event Data and its Relevance to the Optimisation of Decay Heat Rejection Systems

The precision with which the reliability of DHR (Decay Heat Rejection) systems for nuclear reactors can be predicted depends not only upon model representation but also on the accuracy of the data used. In the preliminary design stages when models are being used to arrive at major engineering decisions in relation to plant configuration, the best the designer can do is use the data available at the time. With the present state of the art it is acknowledged that some degree of judgement will have to be exercised particularly for plant involving sodium technology where a large amount of operational experience has not yet been generated. This paper reviews the current efforts being deployed in the acquisition of field data relevant to DHR systems so that improvements in reliability predictions may be realised