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Again NRC Evades PRM-50-76
I've been after NRC to tell me about several matters regarding the denial of PRM-50-76. In their denial NRC referred to more than 50 tests at NRU, Canada that were managed by Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL). Then they narrowed the reference to two tests. More recently the NRC said those two tests were also unacceptable. So , I asked Senator Risch to find out which tests were found to be acceptable and the reasons for rejecting that data. NRC responded that NRU tests PTH-110 and MT-3 were originally "... proposed as part of our initial assessment matrix for TRACE." NRC adds that RBHT at Penn State was used. Well, I'll send another request via Senator Risch. I'll ask why the NRU data was rejected. I'll point out that the Penn State tests did not include the vital aspect of a zircaloy clad bundle. The NRC's reply to Senator Risch is copied below.
1 comment:
Dear Bob,
I found two key issues to rise regarding the severe accident phenomena.
1. NRC is obsessed with post fuel damage phenomena and a lack of effort to avoid the damage to the fuel is evident.
2. The operators are not dealt with the deserved respect and do not have necessary means for interfering with the progression of a severe accident.
It is necessary to revise the regulatory environment and correct it on the knowledge basis, including the zirconium firestorm in the steam as the leading severe accident phenomenon.
Doing that will require the addition of a vent-depressurization line from the top of reactor of PWR type and the rerouting to the atmosphere of an alternate relief line from the turbine driven emergency cooling pumps of BWR reactors, which are left to be operated without any power source directly by the operators. It will add a shortcut pathway for energy release directly from the reactor into the atmosphere, operated by the operators in case of a severe accident. With sufficient gravity (staged precharged) water reserves it will avoid the zirconium firestorm in the core and the fuel damage.
Regards, Aladar
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