In 1991 the CSNI published the first State-of-the-Art Report on In-Vessel Core Degradation, which was updated to 1995 under the EC 3rd Framework programme. These covered phenomena, experimental programmes, material data, main modelling codes, code assessments, identification of modelling needs, and conclusions including the needs for further research. This knowledge was fundamental to such safety issues as in-vessel melt retention of the core, recovery of the core by water reflood, hydrogen generation and fission product release.
In the last 20 years, there has been much progress in understanding, with major experimental series finished, e.g. the integral in-reactor Phébus FP tests, while others have many tests completed, e.g. the electrically-heated QUENCH series on reflooding degraded rod bundles, and one test using a debris bed. The small-scale PRELUDE/PEARL experiments study debris bed quench, while LIVE examines melt pool behaviour in the lower head using simulant materials. The integral severe accident modelling codes, such as MELCOR and MAAP (USA) and ASTEC (Europe), encapsulate current knowledge in a quantitative way. After two EC-funded projects on the SARNET network of excellence, continued in NUGENIA, it is timely to take stock of the vast range of knowledge and technical improvements gained in the experimental and modelling areas.
The CoreSOAR project, in NUGENIA/SARNET, drew together the experience of 11 European partners to update the state of the art in core degradation, finishing at the end of 2018. The review covered knowledge of phenomena, available integral experiments, separate-effects data, modelling codes and code validation, then drawing overall conclusions and identifying needs for further research. The final report serves as a reference for current and future research programmes concerning core degradation in NUGENIA, in other EC research projects such as in Horizon2020 and for projects under the auspices of OECD/NEA/CSNI
