Course and consequences of a pressure water reactor-meltdown accident

In the Federal Republic of Germany the first core meltdown experiments were started in 1971 already. The results obtained therefrom created the basis on which to describe the consequences of a core meltdown accident within the frame of the German Risk Assessment. During the past few years, reactor safety research has been concentrated on investigations concerning the course of a core meltdown accident. The research project core melting is expected to provide solid basic knowledge on the efficiency of the existing barriers, with great interest in the hyperpressure failure and the process of melting. Detailed investigations were dedicated to the vapour explosion and hydrogen-deflagration. Of special importance from the safety-technical point of view is the quantification of the cement destroying phase in a core meltdown accident. (orig.)