Third Experiment in IPCO Series

As part of the International Eagle-3 Project, the final, third experiment in the IPCO-3 series within out-of-pile reactor studies was successfully performed at the National Nuclear Centre of RK. The aim of this series of studies is to obtain experimental data on the cooling behavior of the solidified but still hot corium melt when repeatedly flooded with liquid sodium coolant.

The third experiment in the IPCO series is contrasting from the previous ones by changing the position of the temperature sensors and the vacuum line.

During the experiment, the experimental section was heated to 1150°C, after which liquid sodium at 350°C was supplied from below. As a result of contact with the heated surface, the liquid sodium evaporated and pushed the sodium level downwards. When the sodium vapour cooled down, it condensed and the sodium level raised again. The process was repeated several times until the experimental section cooled down below the boiling point temperature of sodium.

The obtained experimental data will help to better understanding the corium cooling processes during the final stage of the fast reactor accident. Three IPCO experiments data will verify computational programs for computer modelling of sodium coolant boiling and condensation.