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U.S. Department of Energy
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Boiling inception in volume-heated liquids

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6496050
Analysis of the transition phase of a hypothetical core disruptive accident in an LMFBR has indicated that the core would probably consist of a boiling mixture of fuel and steel, temporarily confined by massive blockages of fuel and/or steel, both above and below. Recriticality of the core depends to a great extent upon the hydrodynamic state of the fuel/steel mixture. Experiments have been performed with non-reactor materials to determine the behavior of such pools, in particular the average and local distribution of vapor. These experiments indicate that one dimensional drift flux calculations are not satisfactory for determining void profiles in internally boiling liquids, since they neither predict the boiling onset and stratified behavior nor agree with measured void profile data. This observation casts serious doubt upon the applicability of hydrodynamic analog experiments for determination of void distribution behavior of volumetrically boiling liquids. Further analysis is underway to develop appropriate models for the prediction of vapor distribution in volume-heated liquids to include determination of boiling onset as well as subsequent void fraction distribution. 9 refs., 2 figs.
Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA); Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
OSTI ID:
6496050
Report Number(s):
BNL-NUREG-28954; CONF-810606-111; ON: TI86000114
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English