Proceedings of the OECD workshop on ex-vessel debris coolability, Karlsruhe, 15-18 November 1999, organized in collaboration with Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe [report]

H. Alsmeyer
2000
An OECD Workshop on the Safety of Nuclear Reactors, considering Ex-Vessel Debris Coolability, was organised in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 15 to 18 November 1999, in collaboration with Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH. The international meeting was attended by more than eighty specialists from 17 countries and international organizations. Forty-eight papers were presented, three additional papers were distributed during the workshop. In the workshop various issues were discussed which are
more » ... to control or rnitigate severe reactor accidents if the corium melt would penetrate the reactor pressure vessel. A substantial increase of research and design activities to control ex-vessel melts was reported. Especially in Western Europe, this increase is related to higher safety requirements in response to technological improvements and a highly sensitive political background, and future L WRs in Europe, as the European Pressurised Reactor EPR, will include additional design features for mitigation of severe accidents involving vessel melt-through. The papers, which are presented here, concentrate on the following topics: • Release of corium from the pressure vessel • Heat transfer from corium pools and particle beds e Spreading of corium melts • Fragmentation and quenching of melts • Material properties and thermochernistry of melts and structure material e Reactor application Based on the papers and the final plenary discussion of the workshop, the Programme Committee and the Session Chairman formulated Conclusions and Recommendations which are included here. They state a substantial increase of knowledge in ex-vessel corium behaviour and control which can be used for accident management strategies, and identify areas where further research should continue.
doi:10.5445/ir/270047463 fatcat:xiwndo5u7barhhwivujxfuq2sm