Steam explosions of a metallic melt as its degree of oxidation increases: Fe, FeO/sub 1/ /sub 0/, and FeO/sub 1/ /sub 2/. [PWR; BWR]

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5091368

Nelson, L S; Duda, P M

Laboratory-scale steam explosions have been initiated reproducibly by exploding a submerged bridgewire shortly after single drops of melt are released into liquid water. By using drops of molten Fe, FeO/sub 1/ /sub 0/ and FeO/sub 1/ /sub 2/, the effects of melt oxidation level on the explosions are investigated. It is shown that bubbles of H/sub 2/ rapidly surround the drops of the two less oxidic melts as a result of the redox reaction as they enter the water; measurement of these bubbles provides good estimates of the oxidation rates of the melts in steam; and it becomes more difficult to trigger the explosions as the oxidation level decreases because of the cushioning effect of the hydrogen bubbles that envelop the drops. This study, coupled with field scale expriments and analytical modelling, provides insight into possible steam explosion hazards associated with partially oxidized corium melts which might form in a light water reactor loss-of-coolant incident.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5091368
• Report Number(s): SAND-82-0441C; CONF-820802-17; ON: DE82022005
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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