Phase-Change Modelling in Severe Nuclear Accidents

ORAL

Abstract

This paper describes progress on a consistent approach for multi-phase flow modelling with phase-change. Although, the developed methods are general purpose the applications presented here cover core melt phenomena at the lower vessel head. These include corium pool formation, coolability and solidification. With respect to external cooling, comparison with the LIVE experiments (from Karlsruhe) is undertaken. Preliminary re-flooding simulation results are also presented. These include water injection into porous media (debris bed) and boiling. Numerical simulations follow IRSN's PEARL experimental programme on quenching/re-flooding.

*The authors wish to thank Prof. Timothy Haste of IRSN. Dr. D. Pavlidis is funded by EPSRC Consortium ``Computational Modelling for Advanced Nuclear Plants,'' grant number EP/I003010/1.

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Authors

  • Christopher Pain

    • Imperial College London
    • Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London

  • Dimitrios Pavlidis

    • Imperial College London

  • Zhihua Xie

    • Imperial College London

  • James Percival

    • Imperial College London

  • Jefferson Gomes

    • University of Aberdeen

  • Omar Matar

    • Imperial College London

  • Moji Moatamedi

    • Imperial College London

  • Ali Tehrani

    • Office for Nuclear Regulation (UK)

  • Alan Jones

    • Imperial College London

  • Paul Smith

    • Imperial College London