Will the Chernobyl-type accident occur at the Daya Bay nuclear power stations?
It is not possible for the Chernobyl-type accident to occur at the Daya Bay nuclear power stations, whose pressurized water reactors are of an entirely different design.
Comparison of the Daya Bay nuclear power stations and Chernobyl nuclear power station:
Daya Day nuclear power stations | Chernobyl nuclear power station |
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Reactor performance is more steady, no inflammable material inside the plant. The same water is used as the moderator as well as the coolant so the reactor will gradually reduce in power during a loss of coolant. | Reactor becomes unstable and is prone to sudden power surge at low power output. Contain a lot of graphite inside the plant which is flammable under high temperature. |
Adopt the pressure container structure, requiring less welding seam and sealing connection. | Adopt the pressure tube structure. Many welding seam and sealing connection for the pressure tubes are required. |
The plant structure is compact, easy to start up the emergency cooling system in case the primary cooling circuit breaks down. | The plant structure is bulky. When the primary cooling circuit breaks down, it is less easy to start up the emergency cooling system. |
Have a concrete containment building to prevent leakage of radioactive material to the environment. | Only part of the plant equipment is sheltered in concrete. The plant cannot withstand high pressure and leakage of radioactive material from the reactor building cannot be prevented. |