Debris dispersal from reactor cavities during high-pressure melt ejection accident scenarios
This report presents the results of a scoping experimental study of the extent of molten debris dispersal from PWR reactor cavities under direct containment heating conditions. Simulated high-pressure melt ejection experiments were conducted using 1/42nd-scale models of reactor cavities and were designed to employ low-temperature melt simulants. Three representative reactor cavities were selected: Zion, Slurry, and Watts Bar. A scaling analysis of the debris dispersal phenomena was carried out and was employed to extrapolate the experimental results for debris dispersal fraction to accident conditions. The experimental results, along with the interpretation based upon the scaling analysis, suggest that the three reactor cavities studied here, i.e., Zion, Surry, and Watts Bar, would retain little, if any, of the melt ejected into them from the reactor vessel following the high-pressure steam blowdown which would follow vessel failure and melt release. 12 refs., 11 figs., 8 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (USA). Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research; Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 6945270
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR-5146; BNL-NUREG-52147; ON: TI89000228
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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EXPERIMENTAL DATA
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I CODES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MELTDOWN
REACTOR SAFETY
SCALE MODELS
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