Debris Thermal Hydraulics Modeling of QUENCH Experiments

Porous debris formation and behavior in QUENCH experiments (QUENCH-02, QUENCH-03) plays a considerable role and its adequate modeling is important for thermal analysis. This work is aimed to the development of a numerical module which is able to model thermal hydraulics and heat transfer phenomena occurring during the high-temperature stage of severe accident with the formation of debris region and molten pool. The original approach for debris evolution is developed from classical principles using a set of parameters including debris porosity; average particle diameter; temperatures and mass fractions of solid, liquid and gas phases; specific interface areas between different phases; effective thermal conductivity of each phase, including radiative heat conductivity; mass and energy fluxes through the interfaces. The debris model is based on the system of continuity, momentum and energy conservation equations, which consider the dynamics of volume-averaged velocities and temperatures of fluid, solid and gaseous phases of porous debris. The different mechanisms of debris formation are considered, including degradation of fuel rods according to temperature criteria, taking into consideration some correlations between rod layers thicknesses; degradation of rod layer structure due to thermal expansion of melted materials inside intact rod cladding; debris formation due to sharp temperature drop of previously melted material due to reflood; and transition to debris of material from elements lying above. The porous debris model was implemented to best estimate numerical code RATEG/SVECHA/HEFEST developed for modeling thermal hydraulics and severe accident phenomena in a reactor. The model is used for calculation of QUENCH experiments. The results obtained by the model are compared to experimental data concerning different aspects of thermal behavior: thermal hydraulics of porous debris, radiative heat transfer in a porous medium, the generalized melting and refreezing behavior of materials, hydrogen production.