Heat transfer from a heated pool to a meltable substrate with gas injection

A simulation of the interaction between a molten pool and a meltable decomposing substrate was studied. The molten substrate is either miscible or immiscible in the overlying pool. Gases are either generated from the substrate decomposition as in the case of molten corium concrete interaction (MCCI) takes place during a severe nuclear reactor accident or injected into the pool to control the pool chemistry as in the case of steel making process and the catalytic extraction process (CEP).; An experimental set-up was built to visualize and simulate the real process. A new technique for melting with gas injection was developed. The experimental set-up was run for a range of pool/substrate temperature difference of 5 to 55°C and a range of superficial gas velocity of 0.07 to 15 cm/s. The immiscible and miscible pool/substrate systems were studied.; A modified slag film model, based on the results from the present experimental work, was developed taking into account the presence of gas. The model is valid for pure melting and also for melting with low and moderate gas injection. A good agreement between the new model and the present experimental was shown especially for low and moderate superficial gas velocities. If the ratio of jet to superficial velocity exceeded 400, the model is no longer valid because the flow regime changes from bubbly to jet flow.