Post-test debris characterisation of molten corium interaction with sacrificial material in a scaled down core catcher

Abstract

Core catchers are being installed in advanced light water reactors after TMI and Fukushima. The core catchers are designed to stabilise and cool molten corium within the reactor containment for a long time, reducing the risk of core meltdown. Some core catchers use sacrificial material to lower the specific volumetric heat release of the molten corium. The low density oxidic component of molten pool migrate to the top layer of the core catcher after melt-sacrificial material interaction. The high density metallic component migrate to the bottom layer. In the event that the core catcher is top flooded, this prevents metallic components from reacting with water and generate hydrogen. Post experimental analysis of the cooled stratified melt pool was performed. The experimental scaled down core catcher used reactor the prototypic sacrificial material while maintaining the actual reactor flooding conditions. About 550 kg of simulant corium was melted at about 2500 °C using heat of thermite reaction. The core catcher vessel was partially filled with sacrificial bricks. After the test, solidified debris samples from different locations of the core catcher model were analysed for density and SEM-EDS for quantitative and qualitative characterisation. Post-test analysis showed the melt inversion characteristics.