Mechanics of plutonium metal aerosolization
- Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)
Reliable estimates of hazards posed by a plutonium release are contingent on the availability of technical data to define the source term for aerosolization of plutonium oxide particles and the resulting size distribution. The release of aerosols from the oxidation of plutonium metal depends partly on the forces acting on the particles while they remain attached to the bulk material and partly on the ability of the airstream around the metal ingot to transport the particles when they detach. The forces that attach or detach the plutonium oxide particles can be described as binding of the particle to the metal or oxide layer around it and expansion and contraction stresses and external vibration. Experimental data forms the basis for defining size distributions and release fractions for plutonium oxide. The relevance of the data must be evaluated in the light of the chemical and physical properties of plutonium metal, plutonium oxide, and intermediate Plutonium compounds. The effects of temperature on reaction kinetics must also be understood when evaluating experimental data. Size distribution functions are remarkably similar for products of all Pu+gas reactions. The distributions are all bimodal. Marked differences are seen in the sizes of large particles depending on reaction temperature and reaction rate. However, the size distributions of small particles are very similar. The bimodal distribution of small particles vanishes as the sizes of the large particles decrease to the point of equal dimensions with the small particles. This is the situation realized for the fine plutonium oxide powder produced by air oxidation at room temperature. This report addresses important factors for defining the formation of an aerosol from the oxidation of plutonium metal. These factors are oxidation kinetics of plutonium metal and plutonium hydride, the particle distribution of products formed by the reactions, and the kinetics of processes limiting entrainment of particles.
- OSTI ID:
- 393984
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9607135-; ISSN 0017-9078; TRN: 96:028667
- Journal Information:
- Health Physics, Vol. 70, Issue Suppl.6; Conference: 41. Annual Meeting of the Health Physics Society, Seattle, WA (United States), 21-25 Jul 1996; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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