Plastic Liners for Candu Containment Structures

In Canada, plastic liners have been used exclusively, in preference to steel liners, for reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete secondary containment vessels for CANDU water-cooled nuclear power reactors. Considerable economic advantages have resulted. These applications are to low pressure containment systems up to design overpressures of about 30 psig. It is suggested that plastics suitable for higher overpressures are available. Secondary containment must be recognized as a system. The liner is a static part of the system. System reliability is however set by the more critical moving parts. The plastic liner is adequate to its purpose, as demonstrated by laboratory and field testing work and by accident analyses. Application of the liner demands special attention.