▶ Date: 2024. 04. 18(THU)

▶ Time: 16:30~17:30PM

▶ Venue: Research Building I, #310

▶ Speaker: Prof. Hyeonseon Park(Seoul National University)

▶ Title: Exploring Seductive Pathways in Nuclear Safety Analysis for Beyond Design-Based Accidents

▶ Abstract: When accidents occur at nuclear power plants, extremely complex physical phenomena arise, and it is essential to predict these phenomena to assess the possible progression and outcomes of accidents, especially the impact on humans and the environment due to the release of radioactive materials. Nuclear power plants are equipped with safety systems and emergency response measures that are carefully designed to prevent accidents or respond to them in a timely manner. However, under exceptionally rare conditions, accidents that exceed the scope considered during design, known as beyond design-basis accidents, can occur. Among these, accidents that lead to irreversible deformation of the nuclear reactor fuel can result in severe consequences.

In such situations, the various safety equipment and emergency response measures established during design may not be sufficient. To cope with such scenarios, it is crucial to predict what events may occur during such accidents and assess the severity of the events that do occur. However, predicting the highly complex physical phenomena that occur during such accidents is not easy, even with the power of modern science and technology. Nevertheless, nuclear power plants designed based on a safety philosophy that incorporates multiple layers of defense (defense-in-depth) and sufficient safety margins inherently possess in dealing with extreme accidents. Ultimately, predicting this degree of flexibility is at the core of addressing beyond design-basis accidents. So, how can we analyze and evaluate such scenarios? How can we continue to use advancing science and technology to enhance safety margins?