Modelling of fission-product transport in the reactor coolant system

• Overview of state-of-the-art modelling of transport phenomena in the reactor coolant system.
• Key features of the Phebus FP programme that stimulated improvement to models.
• Identification of the main on-going areas of research.

The Phébus fission product (FP) programme studies the phenomenology of severe accidents in water-cooled nuclear reactors. Five tests were performed in the frame of the programme covering fuel-rod degradation and FP behaviour released via the coolant system into the containment. To model FP transport and behaviour in the coolant system, numerous physical and chemical phenomena have to be taken into account. In the vapour phase, for example, FP speciation, vapour condensation and vapour/surface or vapour/aerosol reactions have to be considered. The aerosol phase has to be modelled with nucleation, growth and deposition processes. Finally, remobilisation phenomena like resuspension and revaporisation have to be taken into account for delayed release into the containment. Four Phébus FP tests (FTP0, FPT1, FPT2, FPT3) have been modelled with the ASTEC/SOPHAEROS code. Modelling shows an overall good estimation of retention for the main FPs (e.g., I, Cs, Mo). Furthermore, a strong connection is revealed in the gaseous phase chemistry between I, Cs, Cd and Mo which has a great impact on gaseous iodine release into the containment. The Phébus FP test modelling also exposes disagreement on FP retention when laminar gaseous flow is not well developed. Finally, probably the most significant shortcoming in modelling that Phébus-FP tests highlighted concerns vapour-phase iodine-chemistry modelling at low temperature. The study of this latter point is on going with the experimental programme ISTP/CHIP.