A15-1 General remarks

This appendix considers one of the more extreme solutions against severe accidents (see Chapter 5) which consists of a steel-reinforced concrete cage built around a PWR vessel with the purpose of absorbing, by plastic deformation, the energy released by a steam explosion (internal or external to the vessel) and which causes its rupture and the violent projection of its pieces into the surrounding space. 

A possible conceptual scheme is presented with the verification calculations. (The calculations and drawings are due to Dr Eng Giuseppe Pino.) The results of some experimental tests at a reduced scale performed several years ago on safety cages similar to the one described are presented. 

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