BWR safety improvement as a lesson learned from Fukushima accident

Abstract EN

The serious accident at Fukushima nuclear power plant generated a worldwide attention and precipitated severe public concern about the safety of nuclear power plants.

The accident has also forced some countries to rethink about their nuclear energy policies, and made a serious negative impact on the nuclear industry around the world.

This accident caused confusion in the nuclear safety and in the public acceptance of the nuclear energy.

The application of nuclear energy always depend on the safety systems used to ensure the global health of environment, public and workers through the defense in-depth strategy.

This paper considers a modification to the Reactor core Isolation Condenser (RIC) system for cooling after shutdown in Boiling Water Reactors (BWR).

As for the existing bypass valves which are normally closed, a new normally open bypass valves are suggested to guarantee the continuity of cooling even if all power supplies are lost and/or plant blackout.