THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY SYSTEM ASPECT

Problems concerning all sector performance

Nuclear safety : Reactor's barrier system

Physical protection that meets the third main requirement of nuclear safety. It has to be strong enough to endure mechanical impact and constructed in the way allowing to keep all fission products inside. Also in case of core meltdown, barrier system should be able to prevent from radioactive contamination outside the reactor. The system contains five degrees: [19],[82],[86]

  • Strong, ceramic structure of uranium dioxide (fuel pellet matrix). It embeds 99,9% of fission products.
  • Fuel cladding, made with zirconium - high temperature material, that does not lose its strength in thousands calcium degrees. It ensures, that uranium fuel will remain in cans.
  • Reactor pressure vessel with thick, and steal walls with primary circuit pipes.
  • Reinforced -concrete shield to cover reactor vessel (sometimes this shield is omitted; than directly over pressure vessel containment is constructed)
  • Reinforced -concrete containment. Massive, gas-tight, resistant to pressure and temperature, that can arise after reactor accident, structure with characteristic shape.


    • Figure 33.Reactor barrier s system
    Source: Own development, based on "Nuclear Energy Today", Nuclear Energy Agency. Organisation for economic co-operation and development. OECD Publications, [82]
  • Copyrights 2011 © Michal Wierzbowski