Characteristics of corium debris bed generated in large-scale fuel-coolant interaction experiments

The formation of corium debris as the result of fuel-coolant interaction (energetic or not) has been studied experimentally in the FARO and KROTOS facilities operated at JRC-Ispra between 1991 and 1999. Experiments were performed with 3-177 kg of UO2-ZrO2 and UO2-ZrO2-Zr melts, quenched in water at depth between 1 and 2m, and pressure between 0.1 and 5.0 MPa. The effect of various parameters such as melt composition, system pressure, water depth and subcooling on the quenching processes, debris characteristics and thermal load on bottom head were investigated, thus, giving a large palette of data for realistic reactor situations. Available data related to debris coolability aspects in particular are: Geometrical configuration of the collected debris. Partition between loose and agglomerated (cake) debris. Particle size distribution with and without energetic interaction. These data are synthesised in the present contribution. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.