Abstract
Direct ECC bypass phenomena that occur in a reactor vessel downcomer with a Direct Vessel Injection (DVI) system during the reflood phase of a Large Break Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LBLOCA) are experimentally investigated using a transparent l/7.5 scaled down test facility of the Upper Plenum Test Facility (UPTF). A series of separate effect tests are peformed in order to investigate the mechanisms of direct ECC bypass and to find out its scaling parameters. Various flow regimes and phasic distribution in downcomer are identified and mapped, and the fraction of direct ECC bypass is measured under a wide range of air and water injection conditions. From the counterpart test of the UPTF Test 21-D, the dimensionless gas velocity ( $j^{*}$$_{g,eff}$) is derived experimentally, which is believed to be a major scaling parameter for the fraction of direct ECC bypass. And it is found out that the direct ECC bypass is greatly affected by the spreading width of ECC water film and the geometric configuration of the downcomer.r.
