CAF experiments on the flow and freezing of metal fuel and cladding melts, 2; Results, analysis, and applications

Wright, A. E.*; Bauer, T. H.*; Kilsdonk, D. J.*; Aeschlimann, R. W.*; Fukano, Yoshitaka  ; Kawada, Kenichi   ; Sato, Ikken 

The Core Alloy Flow and Erosion (CAF) experiments have measured fundamental flow, metallurgical interaction, and freezing behavior of uranium and uranium-iron melts within iron-based trough-shaped flow channels relevant to phenomena that might occur in a hypothetical severe accident in a metal fueled fast reactor. CAF simulations conducted so far have engineered interactions of fuel and structural materials over a prototypic range of accident-related melt compositions and temperatures. Real-time measurements included flow-channel temperatures and video recording of the flowing melt. Post-test evaluations compare and contrast flow behaviors, trough damage, and debris distribution and indicate that thermo-chemical interactions play a central role in the interaction of molten fuel debris flowing on cold structure and may inhibit bulk freezing of the debris on the structure.