A Recent experimental program to evidence in-vessel retention by controlled material relocation during core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors

Matsuba, Kenichi  ; Kamiyama, Kenji  ; Toyooka, Junichi  ; Zuev, V. A.*; Ganovichev, D. A.*; Kolodeshnikov, A. A.*

Molten fuel discharge through control rod guide tubes (CRGTs) is a key process that dominates the termination of core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors, since fuel dispersion from the core contributes to the achievement of both deeper subcriticality in the degraded core and formation of coolable debris bed. Within a framework of a collaborative research program between Japan Atomic Energy Agency and National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, called EAGLE program, a new experimental program has been started with out-of-pile experiments to clarify the fuel discharge through CRGTs. This paper presents the status of the new program, including experimental results obtained so far.