Skip to main content
Log in

VAPEX-Code Analysis of a Melt–Coolant Interaction Experiment on the FARO Setup

  • Published:
Atomic Energy Aims and scope

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to make a computational analysis using the VAPEX thermohydraulic code, developed at the Experimental Scientific-Research Center at the All-Russia Scientific-Research Institute of Nuclear Power Plants, of the L-33 experiment performed on the FARO setup to study the interaction of core melt with water. The calculation of the stage of mixing of the melt stream with water and subsequent cooling satisfactorily predicted experimental parameters such as the temperature of the water and gas in the vessel. The calculation of the formation and propagation of the thermodetonation wave agrees well with the experimental data. Analysis of the experiment showed that the VAPEX code can predict adequately the most important characteristics of melt–coolant interaction during a serious accident at a nuclear power plant in accordance with the out-of-vessel scenario of the development of the accident.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. E. V. Stepanov, “Physical aspects of a steam explosion,” Preprint IAÉ-5450/3 (1991).

  2. G. Berthoud, “Vapor explosions,” in: Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech., 32, 573–611 (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  3. M. V. Davydov, V. I. Melikhov, and O. I. Melikhov, “Numerical analysis of multiphase premixing of steam explosions,” in: 3rd International Conference on Multiphase Flow, ICMF 98, Lyon, France, June 8- 12, 1998, pp. 1–8.

  4. M. V. Davydov, V. I. Melikhov, O. I. Melikhov, et al., “Validation VAPEX code on MAGICO and QUEOS tests,” in: International Conference on Nuclear Energy in Central Europe 2000, Bled, Slovenia, September 11- 14, 2000.

  5. X. Chen, W. Yuen, and T. Theofanous, “On the constitutive description of the microinteractions concept in steam explosions,” in: NURETH-7, Saratoga Springs, NY, September 10- 15, 1995, NUREG/CP-0142, Vol. 1, pp. 1586–1606.

    Google Scholar 

  6. V. I. Melikhov, O. I. Melikhov, and A. V. Sokolin, “Propagation of thermal detonation wave with microinteraction,” in: Proceedings of an International Conference on Multiphase Systems “Dynamics of Multiphase Systems,” June 15- 17, 2000, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia, pp. 253–257.

  7. D. Magallon and I. Huthtiniemi, “Corium melt quenching tests at low pressure and subcooled water in FARO,” in: 9th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, San Francisco, USA, October 3- 8, 1999.

  8. O. I. Melikhov, “Determination of the stability and breakup length of a melt stream in water,” Zh. Prikl. Mekh., Tekh. Fiz., No. 1, 99–106 (1995).

  9. A. Annunziato, C. Addabbo, H. Hohmann, et al., “Cometa code calculation of FARO melt quenching tests,” in: Proceedings of an International Conference “New Trends in Nuclear System Thermal Hydraulics”, Pisa, Italy, May 30- June 2, 1994.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Melikhov, V.I., Melikhov, O.I., Parfenov, Y.V. et al. VAPEX-Code Analysis of a Melt–Coolant Interaction Experiment on the FARO Setup. Atomic Energy 92, 95–99 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015875803201

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015875803201

Keywords

Navigation