A numerical study on metallic melt infiltration in porous media and the effect of solidification

• The evolution of melt infiltration through porous media with solidification was simulated, using an interface tracking method. • The LS-enthalpy numerical model for the melt infiltration was developed and validated. • Melt infiltration length and rate increase with higher initial melt superheat and initial particle temperatures. • Wettable particulate beds enhance infiltration rates and heat transfer. • Phase changes could intensify melt flow instability. The melt infiltration in porous debris is of importance to severe accident prediction and mitigation in nuclear power plants (NPPs), but its mechanism remains elusive. In this study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is proposed to simulate the evolution of melt infiltration within porous media, incorporating both solidification and melting processes. The CFD model is validated against the experiment (REMCOD facility) and Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) simulation results. Building upon this validated model, the influence of the melt superheat, the initial particle temperature, and its surface wettability on melt infiltration dynamics are mainly analyzed. It is found that increased initial melt superheat enhances melt infiltration length and rate; higher initial particle temperatures promote deeper and faster infiltration, while lower temperatures may result in solidification that blocks further infiltration. Additionally, the wettable particulate bed can enhance melt relocation and heat transfer, but it also accelerates the solidification of the melt, which complicates the infiltration process. Furthermore, phase changes could intensify melt flow instability. This work may expand our understanding of melt infiltration dynamics and pave the way to severe accident modeling in NPPs.