Model of dispersion of a droplet of corium melt during its motion through the coolant as applied to the problem of steam explosion

The phenomenon of steam explosion takes an important place in the analysis of severe accidents in nuclear power generation. The intensity of steam explosion defines the scenario of further course of an accident. The rate of steam generation is primarily defined by the surface of heat transfer between the corium melt and the coolant. Based on the hypothesis of fragmentation of corium by the Kelvin–Helmholtz mechanism of instability development, the size distribution of particles is obtained and, accordingly, the interaction surface determined. A comparison with experiment confirms the validity of this approach to solving the problem on intensity of steam explosion.