Maximum Credible Accident GETR

In 2008, I submitted an FOIA for this documentation. An advantage of this release is that it is in ADAMS, so that I may easily copy portions for display on this blog. The document is at:

http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML0817/ML081710059.pdf



Following is excerpted from the above:

FOIA 2008-0249
Reactor Safety Evaluation Volume II APED-5000-A
Dated July 1965 Pages 194-224

7. 3.5 Maximum Credible Accident The probability is extremely small that an accident could reach the magnitude of the maximum credible accident (MCA) described in this section. Such an accident would require at least concurrent failures of the cooling system and scram system. Even with such improbable concurrent failures, the existence of negative temperature and void coefficients,and the availability of some flow through the emergency coolant valves, makes it unlikely that any actual accident would progress to the degree postulated in this accident. However the postulated conditions and consequences of this accident represent the credible upper limits for a generic class of accidents, any one of which will cause significant core destruction and a significant release of fission products to the containment building.

Below is an earlier document, July 3, 1958, that reveals background thinking during the initial licensing of the General Electric Test Reactor.