Steam explosions of single drops of core-melt simulants
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- Ktech Corp., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
We have studied triggering of fuel-coolant interactions, the work performed against the surrounding coolant during the interaction, and the generation of hydrogen produced by melt-water chemical reactions with laboratory-scale experiments. We used single drops of three core- melt simulants: (a) molten stoichiometric thermite-generated iron- aluminum oxide melts to simulate the core-melt material that might be produced in the severe accident of an oxide-fueled reactor; (b) molten aluminum to simulate melt that might be produced in the severe accident of a nonpower reactor; and (c) an intermediate material, aluminum-enriched iron-aluminum oxide thermite, that might simulate severe meltdown of an oxide-metal dispersion fuel (cermet). As a result of these experiments, we have concluded that the peak pressure (or impulse) of the transient is not a governing parameter for the triggering of steam explosions of single drops of melt. We have observed maximum pressure-volume work outputs produced by the aluminum-rich and stoichiometric thermite melts of about 70 and 25 J/g of melt; the corresponding values for molten aluminum at 1273 and 1473 K are about 14 and 21 J/g of melt. The extent of metal-water reaction for the stoichiometric and aluminized melts were 13 and 19%. The aluminum melts at 1273 and 1473 K produced approximately 1 and 3% metal-water reaction. 5 refs., 7 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5786861
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-91-0641C; CONF-910714-8; ON: DE91010861
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International topical meeting on safety of thermal reactors, Portland, OR (USA), 21-25 Jul 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
FUEL-COOLANT INTERACTIONS
SIMULATION
REACTOR CORES
MELTDOWN
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
EXPLOSIONS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR SAFETY
STEAM
ACCIDENTS
ENERGY TRANSFER
FUELS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SAFETY
SOLID FUELS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety