HYDROGEN SAFETY FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS WITH LIGHT WATER REACTOR UNITS. CURRENT STATE OF THE PROBLEM

Hydrogen safety is one of the key elements in ensuring the safety of water-cooled reactors. The article analyzes foreign and domestic works aimed at increasing the hydrogen safety of light water reactors taking into account the lessons of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP. The uncertainties and limitations of existing approaches to ensuring hydrogen explosion safety of nuclear power plants, in particular, the problem of ensuring the safe operation of passive catalytic hydrogen recombiners under severe accident conditions are considered. The fundamental and applied problems with high priority are identified. Their resolution is necessary for a purposeful and effective increase in the level of hydrogen safety at NPPs with VVER.