Experimental Studies of Reflooding in a Horizontal Fuel Channel

Abstract

EPDC has been carrying out some experimental studies of the thermohydraulic behaviour in horizontal fuel channels during reflooding by the ECCS after a loss-of-coolant accident, in order to obtain basic information required for safety evaluation against LOCA's and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the ECCS.

The first series of single channel ECC experiments were completed early this year. The fundamental behaviour as to the reflooding process in a horizontal channel, stratification of the injected water front in particular, was successfully understood from the test result obtained so far. In addition, the result indicates a very good cooling effect of the single-end and both-end injection by the ECCS.