Passive autocatalytic recombiners for mitigating containment hydrogen concentrations following design basis accidents in nuclear power plants

摘要

Passive autocatalytic recombiners (PARs) offer a simple and dependable method for limiting hydrogen concentrations in PWR containments (or oxygen concentrations in inerted BWRs) under design basis accident conditions. Empirical and theoretical models for predicting PAR performance are described. Calculations based on these models agree well with test data for both full-size units and small-scale modules. Calculations for a design basis accident scenario in an operating PWR indicate that one PAR would be sufficient to limit containment hydrogen concentration to well below the 4