Studies for the staggered pans core catcher
- Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany). Institut fuer Neutronenphysik und Reaktortechnik
Special devices (core catchers) might be required in the future to prevent containment failure by basemat erosion after reactor pressure vessel melt-through during a core meltdown accident. Quick freezing of the molten core masses is desirable to reduce the release of radioactivity. A configuration is investigated that consists essentially of a stack of vertically superimposed melt-resistant ceramic pans and that makes use of the vertical extension of small-diameter cavities to provide a sufficiently large spreading area such that the core melt freezes quickly. Tests with {approximately}100 kg of molten iron and aluminium oxide generated by the thermite reaction give some information on the resistance of various materials against the mixed metal/oxide melt and on the flow and distribution of metallic and oxide melts in such a core-catcher configuration.
- OSTI ID:
- 119026
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Technology, Vol. 111, Issue 3; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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