Three Mile Island

The to edit Master subtitle study Clicknuclear accident casestyle

Prepared by: Group 2 (4BENC) Prepared for: Engr. Siva Kumar A/L Subramaniam Subject: BENU4583 - Engineering Ethic 4/22/12

Members

Latifah (Leader) Marhaizan Sin Ni Sabta Ali Basha Abas Muhamad Syakir Safiy Hafifi

1. Introduction 2. Violation Code of Ethics

3. Guidance to Prevent The Event From Happening

4. Ethical Theories 5. Analysis of Issues

6. Flowchart 7. What Should People Involved Do Differently?

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8. Conclusion

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Introduction

Type of source energy: two nuclear or enough Power ,Plant Location: Susquehanna River in Mile Island to supply Name capacity: 1, 700 Megawatts plants TMI-1 and 16 Others: TMI consist of Three Power of power plant:Nuclear Pennsylvania, USA km fromhomes capital, Harrisburg, a city of 90000 (TMI) the state TMI-2 300,000
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Bothfunction ofplants generate electricitywater water Nuclear power900 MW(e) unit with pressurised and steam The plants is the nuclear fuel is to heat by using convert reactors designed by Babcock and Wilcox. The second unit turbines. it to steam. of the site started commercial operation on December 30, 1978.
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What happened to TMI2?

TMI-2

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TMI-1

Accident began about 4.00am on March 28, 1979 when failure in secondary building.
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What happened to TMI2?

Core Are Extremely overheated Stop functioning PORV Failed to close Opene d

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Pressure increased Stabilized

Failure inpressurepumptocoolantthe PORV supply closed Therethe openedis is systemthe back cladding ruptured coolant building Nuclearthejust judgestabilized,pressure pressurizedthe PORV isfuelprimaryreducezirconium to by shouldaccident Instead secondary was running Main feedwater to thestopincreasedcaused byin in reactor Operator no overheated, show Once for the indicator suck level of level electrical Pressure incore experiencing a lost by coolant relief are coolant level fuel mechanical failurehigh they assumed reactor to tank and coolant was of core melted coolant the makingwasoverflow relief tank the coolant is and pallet suppliedpressurized caused the pressurizer, since core to stop water fromcoolant. But it did not overheated 4/22/12 fully covered End of chapter

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Violation Code of Ethics (NSPE)

Engineers shall undertake assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical fields involved. (2a)

In the case, the operators are not trained to understand the nature of the PORV indicator and to look for alternative confirmation that the main relief valve was closed. There was a temperature indicator between the PORV and the pressurizer that could have told them the valve was stuck open, but this temperature indicator was not part of the "safety grade" suite of indicators, and the operators had not been trained to use it. It is 4/22/12 located at the back of the desk also meant that it

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Violation Code of Ethics (NSPE)

If engineers judgment is overruled under circumstances that endanger life or property, they shall notify their employer or client and such other authority as may be appropriate. (1a)

In this case, critical human factors problems were revealed in the investigation about the industrial design of the reactor control system's user interface. A lamp in the control room, designed to illuminate when electric power 4/22/12 was

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Violation Code of Ethics (NSPE)

Engineers may express publicly technical opinions that are founded upon knowledge of the facts and competence in the subject matter. (3b)

The NRC officials believed (without concrete analysis) that the hydrogen bubble could explode, through such an explosion was never possible since there was not enough oxygen in the system. They had ordered evacuation and that a meltdown was conceivable.

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Guidance to Prevent The Event From Happening

Section III (9)(e) Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and should keep current in their specialty fields by engaging in professional practice, participating in continuing education courses, reading in the technical literature and attending meeting and seminars. The TMI management system

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Guidance to Prevent The Event From Happening

Setion III (1)(a) Engineers shall acknowledge their errors and shall not distort or alter the facts. The nuclear power plants management should acknowledged their fault on the arisen of misunderstanding problem.

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Guidance to Prevent The Event From Happening

Section II(1) Engineer shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. The NRC has primary responsibility and regulatory authority for health and safety measures as they relate to the operation of commercial nuclear plants.

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Ethical Theories

Utilitarianism Ethics
(design deficiency)

No procedure to identify and manage the meltdown event and the operating staff is not trained for it. Global control board weakness in indications of order instead of position without specific warning. Existing emergency operating procedure 4/22/12 is difficult to use and not suitable.

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Ethical Theories
Duty Ethics

NRC officials failed to fulfill their duty stirred public fear by making false statement . The plant operators failed to carry out their duty in handling and mitigating the accident . The managements duty is not fulfilled by not providing proper training to the plant operators (unsystematic management system). The local and state authorities duty have been carried out by preparing the residents evacuation process and cooperate with the NRC authority.
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Ethical Theories
Right Ethics

People that live near the power plant - the right to live in safe environment. The operators in the plant - the right to have a safe working environment and to live. The local and state authorities right defend population safety by questioning nuclear power plants safety procedure.
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Ethical Theories
Virtue Ethics

The plant operators incompetency in accident handling and not able to make wise decision.

The power plants management does not carry out their responsibility by ignoring operators training which is the main element in preventing accident.

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Analysis of Issues
Factual issue:
1. 2.

TMI-2 reactor's fuel core. Gas in containment building was move to waste gas decay tanks. Hydrogen gas is created because chemical 4/22/12 reaction

3.

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Analysis of Issues
Conceptual issue:
1. 2.

No "China Syndrome" Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) statement. Better understanding on the safety nuclear energy. Public awareness increase.
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Moral issue:
1.

2.

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Flowchart

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Continue

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Flowchart

From previous

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What Should People Involved Do Differently?

All the people involved in the accident should have done differently in avoiding the accident from happen in the plant, as described below:

Engineers Participate with continuing education course and seminars Management - Identify workers performance, staffing requirements, revamping operator training, improved instrumentation and controls Government Strengthen and reorganize the 4/22/12 safety enforcement. End of chapter

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Conclusion
1 2 3 4 5 6
Accident was caused by EQUIPMENT failure and HUMAN ERROR to handling the situation
Loss of coolant to the reactor led to producing heat and melting the fuel rod. Small amount radioactive released to environment

But, NO injuries or deaths involved in this accident and the experts concluded the amount of radioactive released is NOT hazardous to living thing To cleanup cost around a BILLION dollars to company and took almost 10 YEARS to complete

Today, incident,caused are But,cleanup cost around by To NO was reactors a After nuclear or new Loss of coolant to the AccidentinjuriesNOdeaths reactor led be producingleads reactorsimportant for our involved to built andtoheat still to in failure and BILLION dollars equipmentthis accident to a veryexperts concluded source oflarge took almost and the energy,fuel rod. company andthe but they and melting evolution to human error to the safety improvement of Small amount radioactive the amount of becoming are SLOWLY complete 10 YEARS to decommissionedsituation a a handlingNOT untilplants. released isof nuclear find majority to environment released the hazardous secure way tothing to living handling nuclear energy

After incident, NO new reactors to be built and leads to a very large evolution to the safety improvement of a majority of nuclear plants. Today, nuclear reactors are still important for our source of energy, but they are SLOWLY becoming decommissioned until find a secure way to handling nuclear energy

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Thank You
The Three Mile Island Accident
By Group 2 (4BENC) 2010/2011 UTeM

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