Risk assessment of siting a nuclear power plant

• Main Author: Chua, Zheng Da.
• Other Authors: Fan Sau Cheong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering::Environmental protection
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/38636
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

To have a nuclear power plant sited in an underground cavern is a great solution to contain any forms of radiation leakages. Not only subsurface nuclear power plant provides many exclusive benefits not available to surface plants, it brings about many unforeseen disadvantages as well. It is then necessary to mitigate these limitations to ensure a higher level of safety. PMBR technology is also looked into to gain insights of the technical capabilities and limitations of this nuclear technology. On top of that, building resources such as concrete, steel and soil are all considered and explored in various aspects. Likewise, operational considerations such as evacuation, security and fire-fighting capabilities in an underground context are discussed too. Ultimately, the correct design of cavern, the right soil profile along with the necessary building materials and acceptable operational procedures are vital to ensure the highest safety standard for a nuclear power plant sited underground. While all the possibilities are theoretically extrapolated, experimental data should be collected for further verification.