Simulant molten core-concrete interaction experiments in view of understanding Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Cs-bearing particles generation mechanism

The Fukushima Daiichi accident resulted in the release of a novel form of radioactive Cs contamination into the environment, called Cs-bearing microparticles (CsMP). CsMPs constitute a substantial portion of the radioactive pollution near the nuclear power station and traveled beyond several hundred kilometers. Extensive characterization of the CsMPs revealed an amorphous silica matrix, along with Cs and other minor or trace elements such as Fe and Zn. This study explores the unclear generation mechanism of CsMPs by conducting experimental molten core concrete interactions (MCCI) as a source of Si and analyzing the resultant aerosols. The findings demonstrate that MCCI is in capacity to produce spherical submicronic and micronic particles, primarily composed of amorphous silica and incorporating elements akin to CsMPs. A humid atmosphere is found to favour an even closer chemical composition. Examination of the internal structure of the synthesized particles unveils pores and numerous crystalline nanoinclusions possibly serving as nucleation sites for CsMP formation through the condensation of Si-rich vapors.

Pyroreflectometry as a technique for the accurate measurement of very high temperatures in molten materials

Experimental research into severe nuclear accidents often requires the accurate measurement of high temperatures of molten materials. Measurements of very high temperatures (1500-2500 °C) in liquid materials using standard pyrometry can entail uncertainties in the order of 5%-10%. Pyroreflectometry is a powerful technique with the potential to significantly reduce these uncertainties. A method is proposed to optimize pyroreflectometry temperature measurements in the 1500-2500 °C range and to allow more easily the detection of the solid-liquid phase transition. The originality of this research essentially relies on the use of pyroreflectometry based on two wavelengths (1.3 and 1.55 μm) and its application to liquid materials at high temperature, which implies to adapt technological elements and metrological procedures. The proposed procedure first requires temperature calibration, which is undertaken using three eutectic fixed-point cells, reducing temperature uncertainty. Second, precise settings are adopted to enable reflectivity measurements on specular surfaces, such as the surfaces of molten metals. Pyroreflectometry measurements on liquid surfaces have been validated on an iron sample. Subsequently, the application of pyroreflectometry at very high temperatures was validated on various materials: metal (iron and 18MND5 steel), oxide (alumina), and carbide (rhenium-carbon eutectic). For each of these samples, the uncertainties of temperature measurements in the 1500-2500 °C range were estimated in the range of 1%-2%, performing well against standard pyrometry measurements. The principal difficulties encountered during the pyroreflectometry characterization were the fine-tuning of parameters (optical head orientation and lens focusing) to enable measurements on highly specular surfaces and ensuring inert interactions between the samples and the crucible.

Assessment of Spray and Pool Scrubbing Efficiencies for Means of Mitigation Against Aerosol Dispersion in the Context of Fuel Debris Retrieval at Fukushima Daiichi: Part II

The general context of this paper is an evaluation of strategies that can be used to mitigate aerosol dispersion during fuel debris or corium retrieval in damaged Fukushima Daiichi reactors. Knowledge of the aerosol source terms released during fuel debris retrieval operations is one of the key factors for assessing aerosol dispersion leading to the potential dissemination of radionuclides into the environment. Our approach is to couple experimental results from integral tests obtained during laser cutting experiments, well-controlled analytical tests with separated effects performed in a dedicated facility to reproduce two-phase flow such as flows representative of pool scrubbing and spray scrubbing conditions, and numerical simulations. Integral tests provide relevant information on the airborne particle release fraction during laser cutting for underwater conditions at different water depths, such as the particle concentration and particle size distribution. However, the detailed characterization of two-phase flows, such as the size and velocity of gas bubble and water droplets generated by spray systems, is not possible during laser cutting integral tests. Therefore, a more analytical approach is necessary to obtain detailed information on two-phase flow, composed of bubbles in water, inducing pool scrubbing phenomenon, and droplets in gas generated by spray scrubbing systems used for mitigating dust dispersion, which are essential to the physical mechanisms of both processes and enable their respective efficiencies to be evaluated. The main objectives of this work were to develop models and ensure their validation based on experimental approach for predicting the pool scrubbing and spray scrubbing efficiencies in the context of fuel debris removal at Fukushima Daiichi.

Assessment of Spray and Pool Scrubbing Efficiencies for Means of Mitigation Against Aerosol Dispersion in the Context of Fuel Debris Retrieval at Fukushima Daiichi: Part I

The general context of this paper is an evaluation of strategies that can be used to mitigate aerosol dispersion during fuel debris or corium retrieval in damaged Fukushima Daiichi reactors. Knowledge of the aerosol source terms released during fuel debris retrieval operations is one of the key factors for assessing aerosol dispersion leading to the potential dissemination of radionuclides into the environment. Our approach is to couple experimental results from integral tests obtained during laser cutting experiments, analytical tests performed in a dedicated facility to reproduce two-phase flow such as flows representative of pool scrubbing and spray scrubbing conditions, and numerical simulations. Integral tests provide relevant information on the airborne particle release fraction during laser cutting for underwater conditions at different water depths, such as the particle concentration and particle size distribution. However, the detailed characterization of two-phase flows, such as the size and velocity of gas bubble and water droplets, is not possible during laser cutting integral tests. Therefore, a more analytical approach is necessary to obtain detailed information on two-phase flow, composed of bubbles in water, inducing pool scrubbing phenomenon, and droplets in gas generated by spray scrubbing systems, which are essential to the physical mechanisms of both processes and enable their respective efficiencies to be evaluated. The main objectives of this work were to develop models and ensure their validation based on experimental approach for predicting the pool scrubbing and spray scrubbing efficiencies in the context of fuel debris removal at Fukushima Daiichi.

Ablation of a Solid Material by High Temperature Liquid Jet Impingement: An Application to Corium Jet Impingement on a Sfr Core-Catcher

This paper deals with ablation of a solid by a high temperature liquid jet. This phenomenon is a key issue to maintain the vessel integrity during the course of a nuclear reactor severe accident with melting of the core. Depending on the course of such an accident, high temperature corium jets might impinge and ablate the vessel material leading to its potential failure. Since Fukushima Daiichi accident, new mitigation measures are under study. As a designed safety feature of a future European SFR, bearing the purpose of quickly draining of the corium out of the core and protecting the reactor vessel against the attack of molten melt, the in-core corium is relocated via discharge tubes to an in-vessel core-catcher has been planned. The core-catcher design to withstand corium jet impingement demands the knowledge of very complex phenomena such as the dynamics of cavity formation and associated heat transfers. Even studied in the past, no complete data are available concerning the variation of jet parameters and solid structure materials. For a deep understanding of this phenomenon, new tests have been performed using both simulant and prototypical jet and core catcher materials. Part of these tests have been done at University of Lorraine using hot liquid water impinging on transparent ice block allowing for the visualizations of the cavity formation. Other tests have been performed in Karlsruhe Institute of Technology using liquid steel impinging on steel block.

X-Ray Imaging Calibration for Fuel-Coolant Interaction Experimental Facilities

During a severe accident in either sodium-cooled or water-cooled nuclear reactors, jets of molten nuclear fuel may impinge on the coolant resulting in fuel-coolant interactions (FCI). Experimental programs are being conducted to study this phenomenology and to support the development of severe accident models. Due to the optical opacity of the test section walls, sodium coolant, and the apparent optical opacity of water in the presence of intense ebullition, high-speed X-ray imaging is the preferred technique for FCI visualization. The configuration of these X-ray imaging systems, whereby the test section is installed between a fan-beam X-ray source and a scintillator-image intensifier projecting an image in the visual spectrum onto a high-speed camera, entails certain imaging artefacts and uncertainties. The X-ray imaging configuration requires precise calibration to enable detailed quantitative characterization of the FCI. To this end, ‘phantom’ models have been fabricated using polyethylene, either steel or hafnia powder, and empty cavities to represent sodium, molten fuel and sodium vapor phases respectively. A checkerboard configuration of the phantom enables calibration and correction for lens distortion artefacts which magnify features towards the edge of the field of view. Polydisperse steel ball configurations enable precise determination of the lower limit of detection and the estimation of parallax errors which introduce uncertainty in an object’s silhouette dimensions. Calibration experiments at the MELT facility determined lower limits of detection in the order of 4 mm for steel spheres, and 1.7-3.75 mm for vapor films around a molten jet.

Remote monitoring of Molten Core-Concrete Interaction experiment with Optical Fibre Sensors & perspectives to improve nuclear safety – DISCOMS project

The DISCOMS project (Distributed Sensing for Corium Monitoring and Safety) aimed at providing innovative solutions not requiring local electrical power supplies, for remote monitoring of a severe nuclear accident. The solutions are based on both long length SPNDs (Self Powered Neutron Detectors) and on distributed OFSs (Optical Fibre Sensors) capable to detect the onset of a severe accident, the corium pouring on the containment building concrete basemat, and its interaction with the concrete floor under the reactor vessel, until it spreads in the core catcher (EPR case). This paper mainly focuses on these last three detection targets achievable with distributed OFSs. It is based on the results of a Molten Core & Concrete Interaction (MCCI) experiment, namely VULCANO, held in June 2018 with a concrete crucible equipped with overall ~ 180 m long optical fibre sensing cables. This small scale experiment (50 kg of prototypical corium) has demonstrated the ability of distributed OFSs to remotely provide useful data during the MCCI run: i) temperature profiles images up to about 580°C (single wavelength Raman DTS reflectometer) until cooling down to room temperature, ii) high spatial-resolution frequency shifts profiles, due to combined (non-selective) strain and temperature influences (Rayleigh OFDR and Brillouin reflectometers), and iii) cables lengths ablated by the corium on sections weakened by the temperature (Raman DTS, Rayleigh OFDR, telecom and photon counting reflectometers).

Fast high-energy X-ray imaging for Severe Accidents experiments on the future PLINIUS-2 platform

The future PLINIUS-2 platform of CEA Cadarache will be dedicated to the study of corium interactions in severe nuclear accidents, and will host innovative large-scale experiments. The Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache is in charge of real-time high-energy X-ray imaging set-ups, for the study of the corium-water and corium-sodium interaction, and of the corium stratification process. Imaging such large and high-density objects requires a 15 MeV linear electron accelerator coupled to a tungsten target creating a high-energy Bremsstrahlung X-ray flux, with corresponding dose rate about 100 Gy/min at 1 m. The signal is detected by phosphor screens coupled to high-framerate scientific CMOS cameras. The imaging set-up is established using an experimentally-validated home-made simulation software (MODHERATO). The code computes quantitative radiographic signals from the description of the source, object geometry and composition, detector, and geometrical configuration (magnification factor, etc.). It accounts for several noise sources (photonic and electronic noises, swank and readout noise), and for image blur due to the source spot-size and to the detector unsharpness. In a view to PLINIUS-2, the simulation has been improved to account for the scattered flux, which is expected to be significant. The paper presents the scattered flux calculation using the MCNP transport code, and its integration into the MODHERATO simulation. Then the validation of the improved simulation is presented, through confrontation to real measurement images taken on a small-scale equivalent set-up on the PLINIUS platform. Excellent agreement is achieved. This improved simulation is therefore being used to design the PLINIUS-2 imaging set-ups (source, detectors, cameras, etc.).

[Utilization of a transferred arc-plasma rotating furnace to melt and found oxide mixtures at around 2000 degrees C (presentation of the film VULCANO)]

Unless security measures are taken, a hypothetical accident resulting from the loss of the cooling circuit in a pressurized water nuclear reactor could cause the heart of the reactor to melt forming a bath, called the corium, mainly composed of uranium, zirconium and iron oxides as well as the structural steel. This type of situation would be similar to the Three Mile Island accident in 1979. In order to limit the consequences of such an accident, the Atomic Energy Commission has implemented a large study program [1] to improve our understanding of corium behavior and determine solutions to stabilize it and avoid its propagation outside the unit. The VULCANO installation was designed in order to perform the trials using real materials which are indispensable to study all the phenomena involved. A film on the VULCANO trials was presented at the Henri Moissan commemorative session organized by the French National Academy of Pharmacy. The rotating furnace used to melt and found the mixture simulating the corium is a direct descendant of the pioneer work by Henri Moissan. An electrical arc is directed at the center of the load to melt which is maintained against the walls by centrifugal force. After six high-temperature trials performed with compositions without uranium oxide, the first trial with real corium showed that the magma spread rather well, a result which is quite favorable for cooling.