Containment structure

Статья, 2011, 31 с.
В материале рассмотрены конструкции защитных контайнментов ядерных реакторов различного типа.
A misconception about nuclear power plants containment structures is that their massive concrete construction is a protection against the release of radioactive products in the case of a postulated accident. Such a task is achieved by the overall containment system as a collection of the Engineered Safety Features, not just by the concrete shell alone.
It must be understood that the concrete component is meant as a biological shield against gamma-ray radiation and a protection of the reactor internals against damage from the effects of the outside elements including missiles such as light posts driven by tornado or hurricane 100-miles per hour winds, and even the direct impact by a massive aircraft such as a Boeing-747.
The concrete shell in fact is strong at its exterior curvature, and weak at its interior curvature. This is an inherent characteristic of shell structures. Think about how difficult it is to crush an egg by squeezing it in one’s hand, yet it is easy for the weak and helpless chick to peck its way out of the interior of an egg’s shell.
The concrete shell is designed to withstand the direct impact of an aircraft on its exterior, but miserably fails a buildup of stress at its interior. An increase of stress by steam release, if unquenched, at its interior will eventually cause it to fail; much like a chain at its weakest link. The weakest links in that case occur at the coolant inlet and outlet pipes and the instrumentation cabling and electrical power penetrations.