PBMR radionuclide source term analysis validation based on AVR operating experience

The determination of radionuclide source terms is vital for any reactor design and licensing safety evaluation. This paper provides an overview of the PBMR analysis tools with specific focus on the modelling of mobile and deposited radionuclide source terms within the pressure boundary of a typical pebble-bed high temperature reactor (HTR). The main focus is on the Dust and Activity Migration and Distribution (DAMD) software code system that models the activation, migration and time-dependent distribution of dust and atomic particles in an HTR such as the AVR and PBMR. Since DAMD provides a time-dependent systems integrated model of HTR designs, most of the obvious physical phenomena relevant to source terms are at play. These include the neutron flux, activation cross-sections, radioactive decay, dust production rates, dust impurity levels, dust filter capabilities, dust particle size distributions, thermal–hydraulic parameters influencing the migration and distribution of particles throughout the main power system and subsystems, and helium coolant leakage and make-up rates. At this stage the DAMD calibration and validation is mainly based on the operational data, experiments and measurements made during 21 years of operating life of the AVR. The comparisons of the DAMD results with various AVR measurements provide confidence in the use of DAMD for the PBMR design and safety evaluations. In addition, sensitivity analyses are performed with DAMD to determine the bounding system parameters that drive the migration and distribution of radionuclides. The use of DAMD to evaluate design configurations, e.g. the effect of the introduction and placement of filters on the radionuclide distribution, is also shown. In conclusion, the importance of a systems modelling approach for radionuclide transport and distribution within the pressure boundary of a typical HTR system, is demonstrated. Since the DAMD code system is calibrated and validated against the AVR measurements it can be concluded that the radionuclide source term phenomena in the AVR, resulting in the measured AVR contamination levels, is taken into account in the design and safety evaluation of the PBMR.