Computational Estimation of the Liquidus and Solidus Temperatures for a Corium (U, Zr) Model
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24160/1993-6982-2026-1-102-108Keywords:
liquidus temperature, solidus temperature, Gibbs energy, CALPHAD method, severe accidents, coriumAbstract
The article presents an approach to calculating the liquidus and solidus temperatures in a corium model, which is based on the CALPHAD (CALculation PHAse Diagrams) method. A binary system that includes U and Zr, which are the main chemical elements of the pressurized water reactor core melt, is considered as the model corium. The thermodynamic description of the system and the set of its parameters are taken from open literature sources. The corium liquidus and solidus temperatures calculated using the developed approach are in good agreement with calculations carried out using the Thermo‑Calc thermodynamic code. The proposed approach can be used for obtaining a more accurate estimate of the liquidus and solidus temperatures for corium with different U/Zr ratios in integrated computer codes in analyzing severe accidents at nuclear power plants with VVER reactors.
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Для цитирования: Муратов Е.Т. Подход к расчётной оценке температур ликвидус и солидус для модели кориума (U, Zr) // Вестник МЭИ. 2026. № 1. С. 102—108. DOI: 10.24160/1993-6982-2026-1-102-108.
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1. Lukas H.L., Fries S.G., Sundman B. Computational Thermodynamics. The Calphad Method. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
2. Redlich O., Kister A.T. Algebraic Representation of Thermodynamic Properties and the Classification of Solutions. Industrial and Eng. Chem. 1948;40(2):345—348.
3. Chevalier P.-Y., Fischer E., Cheynet B. Progress in the Thermodynamic Modelling of the O–U–Zr Ternary System. Cheminform. 2004;28(1):15—40.
4. Kurata M. Thermodynamic Database on U–Pu–Zr–Np–Am–Fe Alloy System I – Re-evaluation of U–Pu–Zr Alloy System. IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2010;9:012022.
5. Xiong W., Xie W., Shen C., Morgan D. Thermodynamic Modeling of the U–Zr System – a Revisit. J. Nucl. Mater. 2013;443(1—3):331—341.
6. Jiang Y., He Y., Zheng W., Zhang J, Zhang D., Lu X. Thermodynamic Analysis for Molten Corium Stratification with U–Zr–O–Fe Database. J. Nucl. Mater. 2023;574:154180.
7. Asmolov V. G. i dr. Issledovanie Vzaimodeystviya Oksidnogo Rasplava i Stali v Korpuse VVER-1000 pri Tyazheloy Avarii. Atomnaya Energiya. 2008;104;4:208—211. (in Russian).
8. Release Notes: Thermo-calc Software Package and Databases Version 2025b [Elektron. Resurs] https://thermocalc.com/wp-content/uploads/Documentation/Release_Notes/2025b-thermo-calc-release-notes.pdf (Data Obrashcheniya 20.07.2025).
9. Shuang-Lin C., Kuo-Chih C., Chang Y.A. On a New Strategy for Phase Diagram Calculation 1. Basic Principles. Calphad. 1993;17(3):237—250.
10. Bolshov L.A., Dolganov K.S., Kiselev A.E., Strizhov V.F. Results of SOCRAT Code Development, Validation and Applications for NPP Safety Assessment under Severe Accidents. Nuclear Eng. and Design. 2019;341:326—345
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For citation: Muratov E.T. Computational Estimation of the Liquidus and Solidus Temperatures for a Corium (U, Zr) Model. Bulletin of MPEI. 2026;1:102—108. (in Russian). DOI: 10.24160/1993-6982-2026-1-102-108
