Interactions of certain refractory materials with sodium

Technical Report · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7345638· OSTI ID:7345638

Fink, J K; Heiberger, J J; Kumar, R; Blomquist, R A; Leibowitz, L; Sowa, E S; Pavlik, J R; Baker, L Jr

Commercial refractories of alumina, magnesia, zirconia, and silica, as well as samples of graphite, thoria, beryllia, boron carbide, and quartz, were tested for compatibility with high-temperature and boiling sodium. Samples were exposed either to static sodium at 850/sup 0/C for five hours or to boiling sodium for about an hour. Graphite, thoria, beryllia, boron carbide, and refractories with high alumina or magnesia contents, but with low silica and chromic oxide contents, were found to be compatible with high-temperature and boiling sodium. Sample compatibility with sodium decreased with an increase in the silica content of the sample. Samples with large silica content failed completely. Bricks with high zirconia content did not withstand exposure to boiling sodium, but high-fired zirconia crucibles appeared to be in good condition after sodium exposure. Except for the results with the high-zirconia bricks, the results of the ANL experiments with refractory bricks are in good agreement with those obtained in sodium compatibility experiments done at Westinghouse Advanced Reactors Division. 36 Figs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., Ill. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 7345638
• Report Number(s): ANL-75-74
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360205* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Corrosion & Erosion
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS
BERYLLIUM OXIDES
BORON CARBIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CARBIDES
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPATIBILITY
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GRAPHITE
LIQUID METALS
LIQUIDS
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
METALS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SODIUM
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM OXIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES