INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE PHYSICAL PHENOMENA AND MECHANISMS THAT EFFECTDIRECT CONTAINMENT HEATING LOADS

Integral direct containment heating (DCH) experiment results are prese nted. The results are analyzed and discussed for the insights they hav e given into understanding the important physical phenomena and mechan isms that effect DCH loads to the containment. Particular attention is paid to (1) debris dispersal from the cavity and containment structur e trapping, (2) hydrogen production and combustion, (3) the importance of difference in cerium simulants used in integral DCH experiments an d (4) cerium debris quenching by flooded cavities. It is found that mu ch has been learned about DCH phenomena that can be used for modeling and assessing potential containment loads.