Analysis of material effect in molten fuel-coolant interaction, comparison of thermodynamic calculations and experimental observations

0388194 - ÚACH 2013 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Tyrpekl, Václav - Piluso, P.
Analysis of material effect in molten fuel-coolant interaction, comparison of thermodynamic calculations and experimental observations.
Annals of Nuclear Energy. Roč. 46, AUGUST (2012), s. 197-203. ISSN 0306-4549
Institutional support: RVO:61388980
Keywords : Nuclear reactor severe accident * Fuel-Coolant Interaction * Material effect * Steam explosion
Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry
Impact factor: 0.800, year: 2012

Molten Fuel-Coolant Interaction (FCI) is considered an important phenomenon in the frame of nuclear reactor severe accident research and development. Recently, the so-called "material effect" in FCI was observed in several experimental research programs. It was found that chemically different melts yield to different explosion energetics or trigger-ability during FCI tests. The presented work is focused on the thermodynamic modeling of high temperature chemical reactions during the melt-coolant interaction and consequent comparison with results obtained by material analyses of debris coming from KROTOS (CEA, France), MISTEE (KTH, Sweden) and PREMIX (FZK, Germany) experimental research programs. Calculations at thermodynamic equilibrium were obtained using the Gemini 2 (Thermodata) Gibbs energy minimizer. Information about debris composition, morphology and structure were collected using solid-state characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetry. Chemical reactions of melt and water vapor were theoretically predicted and experimentally confirmed, and therefore, features like melt solidification path, hydrogen production and melt oxidation are discussed.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0217027