Load carrying capacity of a reactor vessel head under a corium slug impact from a postulated in-vessel steam explosion

Abstract The load carrying capacity of the pressure vessel head to withstand an in-vessel steam explosion is investigated. Firstly, as a key problem, the impact of molten core material against the vessel head is studied by model experiments scaled down 1:10. Structural details are considered carefully. The results are converted to reactor dimensions using similarity theory. This approach was checked by simplified liquid-structure impact experiments in different scale. Secondly, the upward acceleration of molten core material is studied by computational models. As results the mechanical energies which the vessel head can withstand are presented.