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U.S. Department of Energy
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DETECTION OF ESCAPES FROM NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENTS

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4837158

In a reactor, a vapor phase fraction containing all rare gas fission products that may have escaped is separated from the coolant flowing in close contact with the fuel elements. This vapor phase fraction is brought into contact with a solid that adsorbs the radioactive decay products. Strontium or yttrium arising from krypton and barium or lanthanum arising from xenon is representative of the radioactivity as a whole. For testing the adsorbent, a separation grid is provided above the upper ends of the fuel elements where the coolant leaves the fuel element channels, this grid supports a liquid-vapor separator above each coolant exit. Each of these separators is connected with an individual adsorber tube by a connecting tube. The adsorber tubes are grouped and assembled in a basket positioned in a closed container inside the reactor pressure vessel, so that the basket may be removed as a unit for testing the adsorbents during a shut-down of the reactor. (NPO)

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-15-032962
OSTI ID:
4837158
Report Number(s):
FR 1228525
Country of Publication:
France
Language:
English