EPRI CORE PROTECTION EXAM 2026-2027
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED
A+
What are 3 things that could lead to inability to transfer heat from the fuel?
loss of subcooling, departure from nucleate boiling, onset of transition boiling
Loss of Cooling Examples
loss of RCS, loss of coolant, loss Loss of Cooling Examplesof feedwater, loss of
decay heat removal
What is the purpose of cladding in fission product barriers?
Prevents escape of fission products from cladding.
What does the RCS pressure boundary contain?
Radionuclides that escaped from cladding or were produced outside cladding.
What is the function of containment in fission product barriers?
Holds radionuclides that have escaped from RCS.
,What happened during the Three Mile Island accident?
Loss of core geometry with safety systems intentionally defeated; radionuclides
released into containment created hydrogen.
What was the outcome of the containment at Three Mile Island?
Containment stayed intact and the public was not affected.
What caused the Fukushima accident?
An earthquake and tsunami caused flooding of the emergency diesel generators,
leading to core overheating and cladding burning.
What was a significant consequence of the Fukushima accident?
Hydrogen gas from the core exploded in containment, releasing radiation.
Did the Fukushima PRA include tsunami risks?
Yes, but the design basis did not assume the tsunami would be as large as it was.
What led to the Chernobyl accident?
Core melt from defeated safety systems.
,What was a critical factor in the radiation release during the Chernobyl accident?
The absence of adequate containment allowed radiation to be released.
What is the primary goal of defense in depth?
Prevention, termination, and mitigation of accidents.
What are the key components of preventing accidents in defense in depth?
Quality design, construction, inspection, and testing with operation in accordance
with procedures.
How does defense in depth address the termination of accidents?
By using redundancy and diversity in safety equipment in accordance with
procedures.
What is the strategy for mitigating accidents that are not successfully terminated?
Implementing multiple fission barriers and emergency preparedness.
What does FSAR assume about plant operation during accidents?
The plant is operating within constraints of limits.
, What does FSAR include that is submitted by the utility to the NRC?
Performance characteristics and safety functions of SSCs.
What are ITAAC in the context of FSAR?
Inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria to ensure plant operation within
the operating license.
What regulations does FSAR ensure compliance with?
Provisions of the Atomic Energy Act and NRC regulations.
What happens when a plant exceeds parameters?
Automatic protection systems act to trip the reactor.
What systems actuate to cool the core during an accident?
Redundant and diverse systems actuate to cool the core.
What is added to the reactor during an accident to ensure safety?
Negative reactivity is added.
What is required from operators when automatic actions occur?
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED
A+
What are 3 things that could lead to inability to transfer heat from the fuel?
loss of subcooling, departure from nucleate boiling, onset of transition boiling
Loss of Cooling Examples
loss of RCS, loss of coolant, loss Loss of Cooling Examplesof feedwater, loss of
decay heat removal
What is the purpose of cladding in fission product barriers?
Prevents escape of fission products from cladding.
What does the RCS pressure boundary contain?
Radionuclides that escaped from cladding or were produced outside cladding.
What is the function of containment in fission product barriers?
Holds radionuclides that have escaped from RCS.
,What happened during the Three Mile Island accident?
Loss of core geometry with safety systems intentionally defeated; radionuclides
released into containment created hydrogen.
What was the outcome of the containment at Three Mile Island?
Containment stayed intact and the public was not affected.
What caused the Fukushima accident?
An earthquake and tsunami caused flooding of the emergency diesel generators,
leading to core overheating and cladding burning.
What was a significant consequence of the Fukushima accident?
Hydrogen gas from the core exploded in containment, releasing radiation.
Did the Fukushima PRA include tsunami risks?
Yes, but the design basis did not assume the tsunami would be as large as it was.
What led to the Chernobyl accident?
Core melt from defeated safety systems.
,What was a critical factor in the radiation release during the Chernobyl accident?
The absence of adequate containment allowed radiation to be released.
What is the primary goal of defense in depth?
Prevention, termination, and mitigation of accidents.
What are the key components of preventing accidents in defense in depth?
Quality design, construction, inspection, and testing with operation in accordance
with procedures.
How does defense in depth address the termination of accidents?
By using redundancy and diversity in safety equipment in accordance with
procedures.
What is the strategy for mitigating accidents that are not successfully terminated?
Implementing multiple fission barriers and emergency preparedness.
What does FSAR assume about plant operation during accidents?
The plant is operating within constraints of limits.
, What does FSAR include that is submitted by the utility to the NRC?
Performance characteristics and safety functions of SSCs.
What are ITAAC in the context of FSAR?
Inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria to ensure plant operation within
the operating license.
What regulations does FSAR ensure compliance with?
Provisions of the Atomic Energy Act and NRC regulations.
What happens when a plant exceeds parameters?
Automatic protection systems act to trip the reactor.
What systems actuate to cool the core during an accident?
Redundant and diverse systems actuate to cool the core.
What is added to the reactor during an accident to ensure safety?
Negative reactivity is added.
What is required from operators when automatic actions occur?
