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Steam explosion experiments using partially oxidized corium

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Abstract

Two steam explosion experiments were performed in the TROI (Test for Real cOrium Interaction with water) facility by using partially oxidized molten corium (core material), which is produced during a postulated core melt accident in a nuclear reactor. A triggered steam explosion occurred in one case, but none occurred in the other case. The dynamic pressure and the dynamic load measured in the former experiment show a stronger explosion than those performed previously with oxidic corium. Meanwhile, a steam explosion is prohibited when the melt temperature is low, because the melt is easily solidified to prevent a liquid-liquid interaction. The partially oxidized corium could enhance the strength of a steam explosion due to the thermal energy from an exothermic chemical reaction between the water and the uranium metal with a sufficient superheat extracted during melting. The melt composition effect on a steam explosion load, which was not included during the nuclear design, needs to be included in it.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thermal Hydraulics Safety Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 150 Dukjin-Dong, Yusong, Taejon, Republic of Korea, 305-353

    J. H. Kim, B. T. Min, I. K. Park, H. D. Kim & S. W. Hong

Authors
  1. J. H. Kim
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  2. B. T. Min
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  3. I. K. Park
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  4. H. D. Kim
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  5. S. W. Hong
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Correspondence to J. H. Kim.

Additional information

This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Jae Young Lee

Jong-Hwan Kim is a principal researcher at Thermal Hydraulics Safety Research Division at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). He received B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees with nuclear engineering from Seoul National University in the Republic of Korea and a Ph.D. degree with film boiling heat transfer in 1994 from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Thereafter, he has been working on the safety research for the severe accidents at nuclear power plants, especially fuelcoolant interactions.

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Kim, J.H., Min, B.T., Park, I.K. et al. Steam explosion experiments using partially oxidized corium. J Mech Sci Technol 22, 2245–2253 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-008-0748-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-008-0748-3

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