RADIOLYTIC AND PYROLYTIC DECOMPOSITION OF ORGANIC REACTOR COOLANTS

Technical Report · Fri Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1958

OSTI ID:4308337

de Halas, D R

Investigateds were conducted on the kinetics of organic reactor coolant decomposition. The experiments consisted of low temperature irradiations of the coolants in a dynamic system. Material that had undergone essentially no pyrolytic damage, but had been considerably decomposed by radiolytic damage was obtained in this manner. The purely radiolytic damage, but found to follow a first order rate law. The presence of tar in solution had no effect on the decomposition rate other than to-reduce the amount of pure coolant in the flux. Hence a coolant stream containing 50% tar decomposes of 50% of the rate of pure coolant. The radiolytic rate constants for several candidate materials are tabulated. Studies were also conducted on the pure pyrolytin damage rates of organic coolants. Again the decomposition was found to follow a 1st order law. The rate constants were determined as a function of temperature for several compounds. By using the dsta on thc pyrolytic rates in conjunction with the pure radiolytic rates, the combined form of the rate law expression can be used to determine the maximum utilizable temperature for various organic coolants. In practice this maximum utilizable temperature can be approximately determined by about three laboratory measurements to measure the purely pyrolytic damage rates, and one or two in-pile irradiations made at a low temperature. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• NSA Number: NSA-12-014606
• OSTI ID: 4308337
• Report Number(s): A/CONF.15/P/611
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BITUMENS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
IMPURITIES
IRRADIATION
LOW TEMPERATURE
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURED VALUES
ORGANIC COOLANT
PYROLYSIS
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIOLYSIS
REACTION KINETICS
REACTORS
SOLUTIONS
STABILITY
TABLES
TEMPERATURE