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Containment vs. Confinement

Containment vs. Confinement

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) defines Confinement as prevention or control of releases of radioactive material to the environment in operation or accidents.

Confinement is closely related in meaning to Containment. Still, Confinement is typically used to refer to the safety function of preventing the ‘escape’ of radioactive material, whereas Containment refers to the means for achieving that safety function.

Containment refers to methods or physical structures (e.g.,, the containment building) designed to prevent the dispersion of radioactive substances as low as reasonably achievable. 

Containment Building
The containment building is a gas-tight building (shell) or other enclosure around a nuclear reactor and a primary circuit. The Containment is the most characteristic structure of a nuclear power plant. Practically all nuclear power plants built during the last few decades include a containment building. The containment building should be designed to ensure or contribute to the achievement of the following safety functions:

  • Confinement. Confinement of radioactive material in operational states and accident conditions.
  • Protection. Protection of the power plant against external natural and human-induced events
  • Shielding.  Radiation shielding in operational states and accident conditions.
Containment Building for PWR.
 
References:
  1. USNRC Technical Training Center, Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Systems, available on www: < http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers/04.pdf>.
  2. USNRC Technical Training Center, Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Systems, available on www: < http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers/03.pdf >.
  3. IAEA Safety Standard Series, Design of Reactor Containment Systems for Nuclear Power Plants, NS-G-1.10, Vienna, 2004.
  4. IAEA, Mitigation of hydrogen hazards in water-cooled power reactors. IAEA-TECDOC-1196, Vienna, 2001
  5. NEA, Status Report on Filtered Containment Venting, NEA/CSNI/R(2014)7

See previous:

What is Containment Building

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Containment Building

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Types of Containment Buildings