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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Thermal behavior of concrete. [LMFBR]

Conference ·
OSTI ID:7279263
The treatment of post accident containment problems requires an understanding of concrete when subjected to high temperatures due to thermal contact with molten core materials and/or coolant. Sodium spills on concrete are of special concern because the resulting chemical reactions are collectively exothermic. Among other possible safety problems, the gas released by the thermal decomposition of concrete has the potential of producing pressures sufficient to endanger the integrity of cell liners. Insight into these phenomena has been gained by constructing a computer model and performing a series of studies. The code presently calculates the following quantities as functions of space and time: (1) temperature of the cell liner, (2) temperature of the concrete, (3) ablation rate of the heated concrete surface, (4) the water, water vapor, and carbon dioxide evolution rates, (5) the total gas discharged, and (6) the decomposition energy absorption rate for each decomposing species. The code has been used to predict the decomposition of concrete both with and without a containment liner.
Research Organization:
Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-04-0789
OSTI ID:
7279263
Report Number(s):
SAND-77-1093C; CONF-771109-18
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English