The flooding phenomenon and its connection with dry-out in boiling particle beds

Experimental studies of boiling in particle beds representing reactor core debris have been restricted to very small beds compared with those that may be found in a reactor. The use of air and water to simulate some of the many features of boiling in a particle bed has given results that were inconclusive. The work reported here is that carried out at Winfrith to extend the dryout data to larger particle diameters, and to provide new experimental data which removes earlier doubts, and makes the air-water analogue position much clearer. (U.K.)