Remote detection of degradation of fire-resistant fluid lubricants. [PWR]

Technical Report · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:5043316

Shestak, E J

The original work under EPRI contract RP893-1 identified a phosphate ester lubricant as having the necessary lubricating and fire properties for use as a fire resistant lubricant in reactor coolant pump motors. However, these lubricants are subject to self-catalyzing degradation. The purpose of this added effort was to identify, review, and rank existing and innovative methods for remotely monitoring the lubricant degradation. Several possible techniques were identified and preliminary experimental evaluation was performed on three of them. Of the techniques considered, measurement of fluid resistivity or conductivity shows the most promise. The major advantages of conductivity measurement are that it is based on simple, mature hardware, thus providing high reliability of the instrumentation itself, and that there is substantial evidence that it will not give a false satisfactory indication as the fluid starts to degrade. The major disadvantages are that it is not a direct measure of fluid acid number, the pertinent degradation parameter, and that it is also affected by fluid contaminants, such as water, which may accelerate fluid degradation but are not directly related to the immediate condition of the fluid.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., East Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Steam Turbine Generator Technical Operations Div.
• OSTI ID: 5043316
• Report Number(s): EPRI-NP-2543; ON: DE82906461
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210200* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTRIC MOTORS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
LUBRICANTS
MOTORS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PRIMARY COOLANT CIRCUITS
PUMPS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTORS
TESTING
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS