Inhibiting the CO/CO/sub 2/ reaction between carbon and plutonia at elevated temperatures
One of the problems associated with the sometimes protracted, ground storage of space PuO/sub 2/ RTG devices is the ingrowth of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the gas phase due to the cyclical reaction established between the fuel (/sup 238/PuO/sub 2/) and the carbon impact body. This ingrowth proceeds according to the two equations: xCO + PuO/sub 2/ = xCO/sub 2/ + PuO/sub 2/-x (1) and xCO/sub 2/ + xC = 2xCO, etc. (2). This reaction stops after launch because the two solid-phase reactants are physically separated when the inside of the RTG is evacuated to space for performance reasons. When the RTG is stored on the ground, however, the product gases become established and can cause degradation of the solid-state thermoelectric elements. Controlling the reduction of the plutonia to such an extent that reaction (1) becomes thermodynamically unfavorable minimizes the continued generation of CO and CO/sub 2/. The conditions necessary to maintain plutonia at a substoichiometric level are being determined. These test conditions are described and are supported with data from previous heat source studies. Finally a facility to perform the necessary treatment is described.
- Research Organization:
- Mound Facility, Miamisburg, OH (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00053
- OSTI ID:
- 6038518
- Report Number(s):
- MLM-2872-OP; CONF-811076-4; ON: DE82002593; TRN: 82-000334
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 9. DOE compatibility meeting, St Petersburg, FL, USA, 27 Oct 1981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
REDUCTION
RADIOISOTOPE GENERATORS
STABILIZATION
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
PLUTONIUM 238
STORAGE
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
POWER SUPPLIES
RADIOISOTOPES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
070300* - Isotopic Power Supplies
360205 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Corrosion & Erosion