A MELCOR model of Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 accident

A MELCOR model of Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 accident was developed. The model is based on publicly available information, and the MELCOR input file is published as Electronic Supplementary data with this paper. In order to reproduce the measured containment pressure, it was necessary to model a leak from the reactor coolant system. Recirculation pump seal leak, starting 5 h after the earthquake, was assumed in this study. The reactor pressure vessel lower head was calculated to fail, and all fuel was discharged to the containment. Almost all of the radioactive noble gases and about 0.05% of the cesium inventory were released to the environment, according to this calculation. Calculated release rates from Units 1, 2, and 3 were compared with measured radiation dose rate in the plant area.