An integrated approach to steam condensation studies inside reactor containments: A review

Occurrence of severe accidents, such as the Fukushima incident in 2011, is unlikely with a probability of 10−5 per reactor per year. However, such kinds of accidents have serious consequences on both, short term as well as on long term public health, environment and energy policy and security. They also adversely affect the progress of nuclear power industry. Thus, despite such a low probability of occurrence, a need arises to review the safety standards of nuclear power plants, especially in the light of the Fukushima accident. Apart from other systems, a review of thermal-hydraulics and safety system for the reactor containment is vital, as it is the last barrier to radioactive leakage. Main threats to the containment integrity include over-pressurization, not only due to steam alone, but its coupling with the possibility of local hydrogen combustion, depending on the local mixture composition of steam-air-hydrogens. It must be emphasized that steam condensation rate affects the local mixture composition and presence of hydrogen significantly deteriorates the condensation rate. This intrinsic coupling needs to be understood. In this paper, steam condensation and related issues, including basics of condensation, modeling approaches, parameters affecting condensation and experiments performed (in both separate effect and integral test facilities) are critically reviewed, in the light of coupled issues of hydrogen transport and combustion. Such studies are necessary for correlation development and/or to find out the local distribution of steam-hydrogen-air mixture within the containment to locate the possible hydrogen combustion location(s) and hence, deployment of active/passive safety systems. In addition, it is important that future studies, both experimental and numerical modeling, focus on the coupled nature of the problem in a comprehensive manner for ensuring long term safety.