This paper focuses on modeling and phenomenological issues relevant to analysis of severe accidents in integral Pressurized Water Reactors (iPWRs). It identifies relevant thermal-hydraulics, melt progression and fission product release and transport phenomena, and discusses the applicability of the MELCOR computer code to modeling of severe accidents in iPWRs. Areas where the current MELCOR severe accident modeling framework has limitations in the representation of phenomenological processes are identified and examples of possible modeling remedies are discussed. The paper identifies modeling and phenomenological issues that contribute to differences in the calculated reactor coolant system and containment response for iPWRs as compared to traditional PWRs under severe accident conditions.

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