Model experiments BERDA describing the impact of molten core material against a PWR vessel head

Conference · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:552159

Krieg, R; Malmberg, T; Messemer, G ^[1]

---

1. Institut fuer Reaktorsicherheit, Karlsruhe (Germany); and others

The experiments investigate mechanical effects of a postulated in-vessel steam explosion. The geometry including the liquid slug and the vessel head is scaled down 1:10. Six tests are reported, two tests with a slug of lead spheres, one test with a solid projectile, and three tests with slugs of liquid metal. The results indicate that for slugs of lead spheres and liquid metal the impact forces are reduced to about one quarter of the force caused by a solid projectile. In those tests where the load carrying capacity was approached, maximum strains of more than 30 % were obtained. 6 refs., 7 figs.

• Research Organization: American Nuclear Society (ANS), La Grange Park, IL (United States)
• OSTI ID: 552159
• Report Number(s): CONF-970607-Vol.2; TRN: 98:001566
• Resource Relation: Conference: ARS `97: American Nuclear Society (ANS) international meeting on advanced reactors safety, Orlando, FL (United States), 1-5 Jun 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the international topical meeting on advanced reactors safety: Volume 2; PB: 715 p.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
PRESSURE VESSELS
IMPACT TESTS
DEFORMATION
CORIUM
KINETIC ENERGY
PWR TYPE REACTORS
STRAINS
MELTDOWN