Experiments on liquid-metal fast breeder reactor aerosol source terms after severe accidents
In the extremely unlikely event of a liquid-metal fast breeder reactor core disruptive accident, expanding core material or sodium vapor inside the sodium pool may cause leaks in the vessel head and transport of radioactive material, mostly aerosols, in one large bubble or several smaller bubbles under energetic conditions to the cover gas and through leaks to the inner containment (''instantaneous source term''). Out-of-pile experiments on bubble expansion from a pressurized source inside a liquid (water or sodium) and related phenomena like heat transfer, condensation, entrainment, rise, and aerosol transport were carried out in France and the United States and are continuing in the Federal Republic of Germany. Parameters and results of these experiments are described and discussed, mainly concerning the aerosol problem. It appears that several mechanisms exist for a very efficient removal of particles from the bubble. Retention factors larger than 10,000 were found in most cases. In addition, a short survey is given of French and German experiments on fuel and fission product release from evaporating or burning sodium pools (delayed source term).
- Research Organization:
- Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires, DGR-CEA/ERDI/CENG-85X, 38041 Grenoble, Cedex (FR)
- OSTI ID:
- 5010746
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 81:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
42 ENGINEERING
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
HEAT TRANSFER
LOSS OF COOLANT
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR SAFETY EXPERIMENTS
TEST FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
REACTOR CORES
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
FRANCE
LEAK DETECTORS
SODIUM
USA
WATER
ACCIDENTS
AEROSOLS
ALKALI METALS
BREEDER REACTORS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY TRANSFER
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EUROPE
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SOLS
WESTERN EUROPE
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210500 - Power Reactors
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420400 - Engineering- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
500300 - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)