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Modeling of thermal and hydrodynamic aspects of molten jet/water interactions

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5677809

In order to predict the effect of a fuel-coolant interaction after a hypothetical core-melt-down accident, a phenomenological model has been developed to describe the thermal and hydrodynamic behavior of a high-temperature molten jet when it interacts with saturated or subcooled water in a film boiling regime. The mechanisms of jet-material erosion were analyzed by Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities on the coherent column and by boundary layer stripping on the leading edge. The heat transfer coefficient, vapor-film thickness, and net steam generation, all of which strongly affect the jet-breakup behavior, were solved analytically. It was found that the jet breakup (or erosion) depends strongly on the steam generation from the jet/water interaction. The jet-breakup length (i.e., penetration distance) was found to be sensitive to the initial jet temperature, water subcooling, and the physical state of the ambient water. The jet-breakup length and leading-edge velocity of the Wood's metal/water experiments are predicted well by the current model for the cases where a continuous vapor film exists. 14 refs., 13 figs.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
NRC
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
5677809
Report Number(s):
CONF-890819-22; ON: DE89017688
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English