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Hazards to Nuclear Power Plants from Large Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Spills on Water (NUREG/CR-2490)
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Publication Information
Manuscript Completed: March 1981
Date Published: November 1981
Prepared for
Division of Risk Analysis Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, D. C. 20555
under Interagency Agreement DOE 40-550-75 NRC FIN No. A2072
Availability
Notice
Abstract
The hazards to nuclear power plants arising from large spills of
liquefied natural gas (LNG) on water transportation routes are treated by
deterministic analytical procedures. Global models, which address the
salient features of the LNG spill phenomena are used in the analysis. A
coupled computational model for the combined LNG spill, spreading, and fire
scenario is developed. To predict the air blast environment in the vicinity
of vapor clouds with "pancake-like" geometries, a scalable procedure using both analytical methods and hydrocode calculations is synthesized. Simple
response criteria from the fire and weapons effects literature are used to
characterize the susceptibility of safety-related power plant systems. The
vulnerability of these systems Is established either by direct comparison
between the LM threat and the susceptibility criteria or through simple response calculations.
The analysis and results indicate that the spreading of LNG vapor
clouds up to the lower flammability limit Is dominated by gravitational
effects. Severe fire and blast hazards occur only at locations directly
engulfed by the LNG vapor cloud or in its immediate vicinity. Thermal loads
resulting from an LNG fire are of short duration and can in general be
tolerated by the safety-related power plant systems and components. On the
other hand, blast loads from LNG vapor cloud explosions can cause severe
damage to those systems. The safety standoff distance between the power
plant site and the LNG spill location is primarily dependent on the wind-
Induced LNG vapor cloud drift. Under strong wind conditions (8.96 m/s) it
is estimated, that severe effects on the power plant may be experienced at
distances in excess of 10 km in the down wind direction. To reach a no
damage level under these adverse conditions a standoff distance of
approximately 15 km may be required.
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