Experimental simulation and theoretical analysis of molten-corium/structure interaction

Conference · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:5373571

Podowski, M Z; Kasprzak, S; Kim, D H; Lahey, Jr, R T ^[1]

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1. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (USA)

In analysis of core degradation in boiling water reactors, two processes are of particular importance: the heatup and melting of the lower core plate in contact with molten fuel and the interaction between molten debris and the lower head and its various penetrations. Accurate modeling of the simultaneous melting/freezing phenomena occurring between molten corium (UO{sub 2} mixed with liquefied Zircaloy and steel) and solid structures is very important in predicting the overall consequences of hypothetical reactor accidents. To provide data for the assessment of models developed for the APRIL code, an experimental program based on simulant materials was undertaken at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. To identify appropriate simulant materials, extensive comparative and scaling analyses were performed. As a result, two main simulant materials were selected: tetracosane paraffin (the solid) and Wood's metal (the melt). The X-radiography technique that was used in the experiments allowed for visualization of the corium attack and the resultant wall ablation. The results of these measurements were used as the basis for the development of analytical models and for the verification of the various modeling assumptions made.

• OSTI ID: 5373571
• Report Number(s): CONF-891103--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 60
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
A CODES
ACCIDENTS
ACCURACY
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALLOYS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CORIUM
DATA
ENERGY TRANSFER
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUID FLOW
HEAT TRANSFER
HIGH ALLOY STEELS
INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY
INFORMATION
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MELTING
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORE DISRUPTION
REACTOR INTERNALS
REACTORS
SIMULATION
SOLIDIFICATION
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
X-RAY RADIOGRAPHY
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS