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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Latest News
ARPA-E announces $40 million to develop transmutation technologies for UNF
The Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) announced $40 million in funding to develop cutting-edge technologies to enable the transmutation of used nuclear fuel into less-radioactive substances. According to ARPA-E, the new initiative addresses one of the agency’s core goals as outlined by Congress: to provide transformative solutions to improve the management, cleanup, and disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.
Hajime Kabashima, Fumio Kasahara
Nuclear Technology | Volume 205 | Number 5 | May 2019 | Pages 694-707
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2018.1518556
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Large-scale electric discharges events called high energy arcing faults (HEAF) have been reported in a nonnegligible number at nuclear power stations (NPSs) worldwide. If a HEAF occurs, the pressure and temperature in the electrical equipment rise rapidly, causing an explosive phenomenon with destructive force that results in serious damage to the equipment. In addition, a HEAF may cause a fire, which would have a serious impact on cables and other components in and around the equipment with the potential to disrupt power, instruments, and control in the plant.
In order to investigate the HEAF progression and to understand well the phenomena involved, the Regulatory Standard and Research Department in the Secretariat of the Nuclear Regulation Authority conducted a series of experiments (HEAF tests). High-energy electric arcs were generated at the facility simulating the design and operating conditions of the medium-voltage metalclad switchgears (M/Cs) at Unit 1 of the Onagawa NPS where the fire subsequently spread to multiple M/Cs via cable duct due to HEAF.
The test data have been obtained for the M/Cs on the threshold values of the arc energy that results in ensuing fires and on the characteristics of high-energy arcs.
On the basis of the knowledge obtained by the test results, measures for prevention of ensuing fire and mitigation of explosion are proposed as a new requirement for fire protection regulation of Japanese NPSs. Amendments to the regulatory requirements were issued on August 8, 2017 and enforced on the same day.
This paper summarizes the information on the high-energy arc characteristics and arc energies resulting in ensuing fires that was used as the basis of the new requirements and discusses the trend of arc power.