Model development for the calculation of corium–ceramic interaction during severe accidents in LWRs Original Research Article

Models have been developed for the calculation of ceramic ablation by corium melts. Ceramic may be dissolved by direct contact with oxidic corium, below the melting temperature of the ceramic. This dissolution is governed by physicochemical processes and thermalhydraulics in the corium layer. The model will be described and application examples will be given in the case for which the evolution of the power dissipated in the corium is imposed. This is the case of interest for the design of core-catchers based on the use of refractory ceramics.