Studies on in-vessel debris coolability in ALPHA program
- Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); and others
In-vessel debris coolability experiments have been performed in ALPHA Program at JAERI. Aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) produced by a thermite reaction was applied as a debris simulant. Two scoping experiments using approximately 30 kg or 50 kg of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were conducted. In addition to post-test observations, temperature histories of the debris simulant and the lower head experimental vessel were evaluated. Rapid temperature reduction observed on the outer surface of the experimental vessel may imply that water penetration into a gap between the solidified debris and the experimental vessel occurred resulting in an effective cooling of once heated vessel wall. Preliminary measurement of a gap width was made with an ultrasonic device. Signals to show the existence of gaps, ranging from 0.7 mm to 1.4 mm, were detected at several locations.
- Research Organization:
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research; Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 467944
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CP-0157-VOL.2; CONF-9610202-Vol.2; ON: TI97004274; TRN: 97:008410
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 24. water reactor safety information meeting, Bethesda, MD (United States), 21-23 Oct 1996; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the twenty-fourth water reactor safety information meeting. Volume 2: Reactor pressure vessel embrittlement and thermal annealing; Reactor vessel lower head integrity; Evaluation and projection of steam generator tube condition and integrity; Monteleone, S. [comp.] [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)]; PB: 443 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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