English Tech/Engineering Physics

Unit 5 had fuel assemblies loaded in the reactor core. The fuel had relatively low decay heat due to the period elapsed since power operations. The RPV was filled completely with water and isolated (bottled up) and was being pressurized by a pump in preparation for the RPV pressure (leak) test. Its confinement structure, the PCV, was open, with its lid removed.



Decay heat: Decay heat is the heat released as a result of radioactive decay. This heat is produced as an effect of radiation on materials: the energy of the alpha, beta or gamma radiation is converted into the thermal movement of atoms.

Fuel assemblies: A combination of different fuels