The growth of hygroscopic particles during severe core melt accidents
Fission products and other compounds released during severe nuclear power plant accidents will form aerosol particles, which include water-soluble compounds such as cesium hydroxide (CsOH), cesium carbonate, and cesium iodide. These hygroscopic particles will grow in a humid environment, and thus their settling rate is increased significantly at high relative humidities. This paper evaluates the hygroscopicity of CsOH and other water-soluble compounds released under severe accident conditions. The effect was incorporated into the kinetic particle growth model based on coupled mass and heat transport to evaluate the growth rates of single particles at different atmospheric conditions. Finally, the kinetic growth model for hydroscopic particles was included in the NAUA aerosol code to predict the general behavior of aerosols released into the containment atmosphere. A sensitivity analysis of this model was carried out to guide further work on important parameters and to decrease computing time. It is concluded the hygroscopic properties of radioactive cesium can, in favorable conditions, suppress the release of radioactive materials (source term) by orders of magnitude.
- Research Organization:
- Technical Research Centre of Finland Nuclear Engineering Lab., P.O. Box 169, SF-00181 Helsinki (FI)
- OSTI ID:
- 6323828
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 83:1; ISSN NUTYB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
220200 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
500300 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACCIDENTS
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CESIUM COMPOUNDS
COLLOIDS
CONTAINMENT
DISPERSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FISSION PRODUCTS
HUMIDITY
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MELTING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLLUTION
POWER PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR SAFETY EXPERIMENTS
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
SOLS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS