First Steps Toward a Mechanistic Model for Core Disassembly in a CANDU Reactor

Abstract

Severe core damage accidents and core disassembly in CANDU reactors are areas of recent research efforts. In this paper a critical review is presented about the experimental and computational work related to these topics. The main properties of the relevant material are reviewed, keeping in mind their importance for any future attempt to simulate these processes from the computational point of view. Some ideas related with the physical processes relevant to the study of the core disassembly are addressed.