Experimental studies of oxidic molten corium–vessel steel interaction Original Research Article

The experimental results of molten corium–steel specimen interaction with molten corium on the ‘Rasplav-2’ test facility are presented. In the experiments, cooled vessel steel specimens positioned on the molten pool bottom and uncooled ones lowered into the molten pool were tested. Interaction processes were studied for different corium compositions, melt superheating and in alternative (inert and air) overlying atmosphere. Hypotheses were put forward explaining the observed phenomena and interaction mechanisms. The studies presented in the paper were aimed at the detection of different corium–steel interaction mechanisms. Therefore certain identified phenomena are more typical of the ex-vessel localization conditions than of the in-vessel corium retention. Primarily, this can be referred to the phenomena of low-temperature molten corium–vessel steel interaction in oxidizing atmosphere.