Sodium-water reaction (SWR) is a design basis accident of a Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR). A breach of the heat transfer tube in a steam generator (SG) results in contact of liquid sodium with water. Typical phenomenon is that the pressurized water blows off, vaporizes and mixes with the liquid sodium. The consequence of the accident are: thermal-hydraulic and chemical impact on the heat transport equipment and structure induced by the heat of exothermic reaction and caustic reaction product. The purpose of the present paper is to delineate the mechanism and process of the SWR by a counter-flow diffusion flame experiment and a numerical simulation. Based on the numerical simulation, the most appropriate and optimum condition in which stable and continuous diffusion flame of sodium and water vapor is obtained. Key idea is to perform the experiment in a depressurized reaction vessel. According to the experiment, spatial distributions of chemical reactants and products, temperature and particles are measured in detail. The characteristics of the SWR are explained from the present study and the chemical reaction model currently used in the analytical tool of the SWR is appropriate.

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