Publication Laka-library:
TMI. A review of the accident and its implications for CANDU (1980)
| Author | Pannell, Campbel, . AECL |
| Date | March 1980 |
| Classification | 6.01.3.30/05 (NUCLEAR SAFETY - REACTORS - CANDU) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
EXTENDED SUMMARY I. THE ACCIDENT At 4 a.m. 28 March 1979, unit 2 of the Tree Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station experienced a total interruption of boiler feedwater flow, which, because of the small inventory of water in the boilers, led to a rapid decrease in the removal of heat from the reactor am consequently a rapid increase in primacy coolant pressure. The reactor tripped on high coolant pressure, as it is designed to do, but not before a relief valve* on the pressurizer opened, discharging coolant into a drain tank. The auxiliary feedwater pumps had started automatically when the normal supply was interrupted but on feedwater reached the boilers because isolating valves had been left closed. When these valves were finally re-opened (after 8 minutes), re-establishing boiler feedwater flow, the boilers had been dry for 6 minutes. * This valve was not one of the safety valves required by the pressure vessel code. It was there to keep the coolant pressure below the reactor trip level for minor feedwater transients (which this was not) and had a set point considerably (200 psi) below that of the code safety valves.
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