Simulation of Alumina and Corium KROTOS Steam Explosion Experiments with MC3D

摘要

During a severe nuclear reactor accident a steam explosion (SE) may occur when the molten core interacts with the coolant water. A SE is an energetic fuel coolant interaction (FCI) process by which the energy of the molten corium is transferred to the coolant water in a timescale smaller than the timescale for pressure relief and so induces dynamic loading of surrounding structures. Although safety analyzes of nuclear power plants showed a low probability of SE occurrence, SE are an important nuclear safety issue since they can potentially jeopardize the integrity of the containment, leading to the release of radioactive material to the environment.