The Splashing of Melt upon the Impact of Water Droplets and Jets

Featured Application Nuclear safety, stratified steam explosion. Small-scale experimental studies of melt splashing upon the impact of water are presented here, with a focus on the fluid dynamics and thermal aspects of these interactions. Gravity-accelerated droplets and forced short-duration water jets interacted with liquid Rose's alloy superheated to 100-200 degrees above its melting point. A repeatability study was performed for better-control of the gravity fall of a droplet. The amount of perturbation on the melt surface was obtained from a video recording, and indicated the existence of three principal stages of interaction. The cases using the forced water jet demonstrated the occurrence of a cumulative jet of melt following the collapse of the cavity caused by the water impact. Also, it was shown that numerous small-diameter melt droplets were scattered by the primary impulse, and small-scale micro-eruptions were observed, which generated small but fast melt droplets at the later stages of interaction.