Which statement about fission product barriers is correct?

Which statement about fission product barriers is correct?

• A. The three barriers are fuel pellet and cladding; RCS pressure boundary; Containment.
• B. The barriers include only containment.
• C. Barriers are optional during normal operation.
• D. Barriers are unrelated to radiological protection.

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is that protecting people from fission product release relies on a multi-layer set of barriers, providing defense-in-depth for radiological protection. The three barriers are: the fuel pellet and its cladding (the first barrier), the reactor coolant system pressure boundary (the second barrier), and the containment (the third barrier). Together they form successive lines of defense so that even if one barrier is breached, the others still limit any release to the environment. This layered approach is why radiological protection relies on maintaining all three barriers intact during normal operation and in anticipated events. The idea that only containment serves as a barrier is incorrect, as are notions that barriers are optional during normal operation or unrelated to radiological protection.

The concept being tested is that protecting people from fission product release relies on a multi-layer set of barriers, providing defense-in-depth for radiological protection. The three barriers are: the fuel pellet and its cladding (the first barrier), the reactor coolant system pressure boundary (the second barrier), and the containment (the third barrier). Together they form successive lines of defense so that even if one barrier is breached, the others still limit any release to the environment. This layered approach is why radiological protection relies on maintaining all three barriers intact during normal operation and in anticipated events. The idea that only containment serves as a barrier is incorrect, as are notions that barriers are optional during normal operation or unrelated to radiological protection.