Analysis of molten debris freezing and wall erosion during a severe RIA test. [PWR; BWR]

A one-dimensional physical model was developed to study the transient freezing of the molten debris layer (a mixture of UO/sub 2/ fuel and zircaloy cladding) produced in a severe reactivity initiated accident in-pile test and deposited on the inner surface of the test shroud wall. The wall had a finite thickness and was cooled along its outer surface by coolant bypass flow. Analyzed are the effects of debris temperature, radiation cooling at the debris layer surface, zircaloy volume ratio within the debris, and initial wall temperature on the transient freezing of the debris layer and the potential melting of the wall. The governing equations of this two-component, simultaneous freezing and melting problem in a finite geometry were solved using a one-dimensional finite element code based on the method of weighted residuals