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RE: Luck and analysis





HP Dean wrote:

-----Original Message-----

From:	HP Dean [mailto:RadConDean@comcast.net]

Sent:	Tue 3/9/2004 12:38 PM

To:	radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

Cc:	

Subject:	Re: Luck and analysis

I will agree with Brian on the fact that conservative engineering and not

luck, played the biggest role.  Maybe, except for the poor luck of the draw

involving some "reactor experts" forced on the NRC by the Carter

administration.  These experts created the "hydrogen explosion" scenario.

Yes, there was also some luck involved - in the fact that control room

operator intervention didn't result in a worse accident.  Is it "luck" that

caused the safety systems responded as designed.  So what, if the melt would

have penetrated the vessel?  It still would have loss its favorable geometry

and resultant heat from fission, and would be immersed in water on the

reactor vessel pad.  I had read the tomes on the TMI accident produce by the

NRC and the TMI commission, but cannot remember whether decay heat or heat

from fission cause the majority of the core structure damage.



Dean Chaney



==================



The "hyrdrogen bubble" and the "hydrogen explosion" scenario were the fantasy of Commissioner Joseph Hendrie, who had excellent scientific credentials and should have known better.  It was eventually scotched by an NRC staff engineer, whose name escapes me at the moment, but who was sent up to the site to settle everyone down and did.  I don't remember who appointed Hendrie -- it might have been Reagan.



The TMI reactor scramed early on and the core damage was due to failure to remove decay heat.



Best regards.



Jim Dukelow

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Richland, WA

jim.dukelow@pnl.gov



These comments are mine and have not been reviewed and/or approved by my management or by the U.S. Department of Energy.



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