Response of rubber insulation materials to monoenergetic electron irradiations

Technical Report · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5305187

Buckalew, W H; Wyant, F J; Lockwood, G J

The electron charge disposition in ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) insulation specimens irradiated with monoenergetic electrons has been investigated. Studied was charge disposition in slab and cylindrical (cable) geometries. For each geometry, charge behavior was observed as a function of environment, electron energy, and surface termination. Under certain conditions charge was accumulated and spontaneous breakdown did occur during irradiation in the vacuum environment; however, no evidence of breakdown was observed during ambient air exposures. Based on these experiments, it is concluded that electron charge buildup and breakdown is not apt to occur in EPR rubber insulation exposed to electrons from a LOCA radiation environment provided that the insulation is in contact with an ionized medium. The results can probably be applied to other organics and it appears that the LOCA beta spectra need not be precisely duplicated in insulation-radiation qualification tests.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5305187
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-3532; SAND-83-2098; ON: DE84005649
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
ETHYLENE PROPYLENE DIENE POLYMERS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
LOSS OF COOLANT
RUBBERS
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRICAL INSULATION
ELECTRON BEAMS
ACCIDENTS
BEAMS
ELASTOMERS
LEPTON BEAMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PARTICLE BEAMS
POLYMERS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
360406* - Materials- Polymers & Plastics- Radiation Effects- (-1987)
220900 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety