Results of failure propagation tests in the steam generator safety tests facility (SWAT-3)(IV)

not registered; not registered; not registered; Daigo, Yoshimichi

Failure propagation Tests have been carried out by use of the Steam Generator Safety Test Facility (SWAT-3) in PNC O-arai Engineering Center since 1979 in order to select a design basis leak (DBL) for sodium-water reaction accidents in Japanese prototype LMFBR Monju steam generators. Here reported are results of Runs 16 and 17 that were conducted to obtain data under the initial water leak rate of a few kilogramms per second. Temperature was measured at various locations in the tube bundle during the tests and the values of outer surface heat transfer coefficient in the sodium-water reaction zone were obtained. Based on these test results, the possibility of tube failure due to overheating seems to be very small. Post-test examination of the test internals disclosed that the wastage was not so severe.