Model for particle behavior in debris bed

In analyzing the safety of core disruptive accidents in Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFRs), it is important to evaluate whether the decay heat of debris bed can be removed. The decay heat removability changes depending on the shape of debris bed, which would be deformed by coolant vapor with time. In the present paper, a new model was developed to analyze debris bed behavior with SIMMER, which is a safety analysis code for SFRs. In the new model, the effects of inter-particle collisions and contacts are modeled as inter-particle interaction. Test simulation results show the roles of physical properties in the new model on the dense particle behavior. Assessment results of proposed model based on model experiments indicate that the new model is capable of describing the transient of the shape of the particle bed in the liquid driven by the gas phase. Considering the fact that the process of leveling behavior in model experiments is common for the debris bed in SFRs, the new model can be employed as an analysis tool for debris bed behavior.