Test results on direct containment heating by high-pressure melt ejection into the Surtsey vessel: The TDS test series

• Main Authors: Allen, M. D., Blanchat, T. K., Pilch, M. M.
• Other Authors: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Sandia National Laboratories 1994
• Subjects: Corium; Heating; Pressurization; Power Reactors; Nonbreeding; Light-Water Moderated; Nonboiling Water Cooled; Experimental Data 220900; Reactor Safety; Containment Buildings; Scale Models; Pwr Type Reactors; Blowdown; Mitigation; 22 General Studies Of Nuclear Reactors; Reliability; 210200; Meltdown; 21 Specific Nuclear Reactors And Associated Plants; Test Facilities; Surtsey
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2172/10183168; https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1395442/

The Technology Development and Scoping (TDS) test series was conducted to test and develop instrumentation and procedures for performing steam-driven, high-pressure melt ejection (HPME) experiments at the Surtsey Test Facility to investigate direct containment heating (DCH). Seven experiments, designated TDS-1 through TDS-7, were performed in this test series. These experiments were conducted using similar initial conditions; the primary variable was the initial pressure in the Surtsey vessel. All experiments in this test series were performed with a steam driving gas pressure of {approx_equal} 4 MPa, 80 kg of lumina/iron/chromium thermite melt simulant, an initial hole diameter of 4.8 cm (which ablated to a final hole diameter of {approx_equal} 6 cm), and a 1/10th linear scale model of the Surry reactor cavity. The Surtsey vessel was purged with argon (<0.25 mol% O{sub 2}) to limit the recombination of hydrogen and oxygen, and gas grab samples were taken to measure the amount of hydrogen produced.