In-vessel melt pool coolibility test—Description and results of LIVE experiments Original Research Article

The LIVE test program investigates in-vessel melt pool behaviour and cooling strategies for in-vessel corium retention during severe accidents in LWRs. The main part of the LIVE facility is a 1:5 scaled semi-spherical lower head of a typical pressurized water reactor. Up to now, LIVE experiments have been performed in different external cooling conditions, melt volumes and heat generation rates. At present the well-known simulant material KNO3–NaNO3 in non-eutectic composition (80 mole% KNO3–20 mole% NaNO3) and in eutectic composition (50 mole% KNO3–50 mole% NaNO3) is used. This work presents the behaviour of a homogenous melt pool regarding the 3D heat flux distribution through vessel wall, melt pool temperature, crust thickness and the pool melt composition in transient and in steady state conditions.