Effect of BC absorber material on melt progression and chemical forms of iodine or cesium under severe accident conditions

日高 昭秀

Insights Concerning the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident, Vol.4; Endeavors by Scientists, p.341 - 356, 2021/10

Boron carbide (BC) used for BWR or EPR absorbers could cause phenomena that never occur in PWR with Ag-In-Cd absorbers during a severe accident (SA). BC would undergo a eutectic interaction with stainless steel and enhance core melt relocation. Boron oxidation could increase H generation, and the change of liberated carbon to CH could enhance the generation of CHI. HBO generated during BC oxidation could be changed to CsBO by combining it with cesium. This may increase Cs deposition into the RCS. There could be differences in the configuration, surface area, and stainless-steel to BC weight ratio between the BC powder and pellet absorbers. The present task is to clarify the effect of these differences on melt progression, and the iodine or Cs source term. Advancement of this research field could contribute to further sophistication of prediction tools for melt progression and source terms of the Fukushima Accident, and the treatment of CHI formation in safety evaluation.