A Model for Molten Fuel-Coolant Interaction during Melt Slumping in a Nuclear Reactor

Abstract

This paper describes a simple fuel melt slumping model to replace the current parametric model in SCDAP/RELAP5. Specifically, a fuel-coolant interaction (FCI) model is developed to analyze the slumping molten fuel, molten fuel breakup, heat transfer to coolant, relocation of the molten droplets, size of the partially solidified particles that settle to the bottom of the lower plenum, and melt-plenum interaction, if any. Considering our objectives, the molten fuel jet breakup model, and fuel droplets Lagrangian model as included in a code TEXAS-V with Eulerian thermal hydraulics for water and steam from SCDAP/RELAP5 were used. The model was assessed with experimental data from MAGICO-2000 tests performed at University of California at Santa Barbara, and FARO Test L-08 performed at Joint Research Center, Ispra, Italy. The comparison was found satisfactory