Comparison of a Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamics Code (REXCO) to Excursion Experiments for Fast Reactor Containment

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1972

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4657372· OSTI ID:4657372

Ash, J. E. ^[1]; Julke, R. T. ^[1]

---

1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

The Reactor Excursion Containment Code System (REXCO) is a tool that has been developed at Argonne National Laboratory to predict the effects of excursions originating at the core upon the components and on the containment system of Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors. The codes include hydrodynamic and inelastic material behavior depending on the magnitude of the excursion treated. The physical phenomena gaged by the codes involve the shock wave, the sodium momentum, and the early stages of the gas bubble. Current work attempts to extend treatment to the later, quasi-steady phenomena of the gas bubble. In this report comparisons of these codes are made with experimental excursion data. The results of these comparisons confirm the capability of the REXCO code system to predict the response of the primary-system components and of containment structures to the generated pressure waves. The primary-system phenomena extend, but are not limited, to reactor-vessel strain and rupture, plug jump, and sodium escape past the cover seal into the secondary containment. The validating comparisons were made with published experimental data. The subject experiments were conducted at A.W.R.E., Foulness, England; at Cadarache, France, by the CEA-Euratom and the UKAEA; and in the United States by the Naval Ordnance Laboratory.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• NSA Number: NSA-26-030193
• OSTI ID: 4657372
• Report Number(s): ANL-7911
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
Bare Charge
CONTAINMENT SHELLS
CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS
EXCURSIONS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
Fast Breeder Reactor
Gas Bubble
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PERFORMANCE
Plug Jump
STRAINS
STRESSES