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U.S. Department of Energy
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Breakup of molten aluminum jets injected into water

Conference ·
OSTI ID:10158120
; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
  2. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)

A series of eighteen tests were performed to investigate the behavior of a molten jet of aluminum as it penetrates a deep pool of subcooled water. Jet penetration lengths required for breakup were found to agree with an existing model. Debris size and density were measured and are presented as a function of the jet diameter and water pool temperature. For those tests that exhibited the ability to spread across the steel baseplate under the water, the melt spreading behavior is compared to the existing melt spreading correlation. In the jet mode of melt-water contact, no explosive interactions were observed in these tests. Due to the nearly prototypical nature of these tests, it appears reasonable to conclude that gamma heating of non-fuel components during the DEGB-LOCA would, at worst, benignly melt some aluminum components in the reactor tank, resulting in large particles or debris formations which would remain in the tank and be coolable.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016; AC09-89SR18035
OSTI ID:
10158120
Report Number(s):
BNL--52327; WSRC-MS--92-287; CONF-930352--1; ON: DE92016754
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English