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Title: Caustic concentration in tube support plate crevices of steam generators: Topical report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7054460

The hideout of sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride and sodium carbonate was studied in a single tube model boiler at Cadarache. Radioactive /sup 24/Na was used for the measurements in the drilled hole support plates. The crevices were empty or packed with magnetite or carbon fiber. Hideout increased with ppM-hours operation until the crevices were filled to a concentration of salt established by the available superheat and kinetic factors. As the gap in the crevice was reduced, the average concentration of caustic increased. Crevice solutions of 50% caustic were achieved after 700-1700 ppM-hours of operation with an available superheat (primary-secondary temperatures) of 65/sup 0/C (117/sup 0/F) in a 0.2 mm (8 mil) crevice packed with magnetite. Hideout return with no heat flux was shown to be an effective way to remove salts from the crevice.

Research Organization:
Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); CEA Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)
OSTI ID:
7054460
Report Number(s):
EPRI-NP-5073; ON: TI87920310
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English