1/5-scale experiment of a Mark I boiling-water reactor pressure-suppression system under hypothetical LOCA conditions

Experimental results show the sensitivity of hydrodynamically generated vertical loads to changes in the drywell pressurization rate, downcomer submergence, and vent-line loss coefficient. Insignificant effects on peak vertical loads were observed when the vent-line loss coefficient was varied. Peak vertical loads can be reduced by adding initial drywell overpressure so that the downcomers are partly cleared of water. Spatial variation of pressure at about the time of vent clearing is seen in comparisons of data from locations along the axis of the toroidal wetwell