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August W. Cronenberg, E. L. Tolman
Nuclear Technology | Volume 87 | Number 1 | August 1989 | Pages 273-282
Technical Paper | TMI-2: Materials Behavior / Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A27654
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Inspection of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) reactor vessel has yielded a wealth of information on core melt debris thermal interactions with vessel internal structures. The observed damage state of such structures is summarized and an analysis is presented to further the understanding of governing physical processes. Specifically, thermal damage is assessed for the baffle plates surrounding the core periphery, the core former plates, the bottom head instrument penetrations, and the lower head. Analysis indicates that differences in damage characteristics to such structures are due largely to differences in contact time with molten corium, the heat capacity of the various structures, and exposure to coolant. Vessel and debris examinations corroborate the present understanding of melt debris/structural interactions during the melt relocation phase of the TMI-2 accident.