Gas tagging and cover gas combination for nuclear reactor
Abstract
The invention discloses the use of stable isotopes of neon and argon, that are grouped in preselected different ratios one to the other and are then sealed as tags in different cladded nuclear fuel elements to be used in a liquid metal fast breeder reactor. Failure of the cladding of any fuel element allows fission gases generated in the reaction and these tag isotopes to escape and to combine with the cover gas held in the reactor over the fuel elements. The isotopes specifically are Ne.sup.20, Ne.sup.21 and Ne.sup.22 of neon and Ar.sup.36, Ar.sup.38 and Ar.sup.40 of argon, and the cover gas is helium. Serially connected cryogenically operated charcoal beds are used to clean the cover gas and to separate out the tags. The first or cover gas cleanup bed is held between approximately 0.degree. and -25.degree. C. operable to remove the fission gases from the cover gas and tags and the second or tag recovery system bed is held between approximately -170.degree. and -185.degree. C. operable to isolate the tags from the cover gas. Spectrometric analysis further is used to identify the specific tags that are recovered, and thus the specific leaking fuel element. By cataloging the fuel elementmore »
- Inventors:
-
- Lemont, IL
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 865316
- Patent Number(s):
- 4495143
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- gas; tagging; cover; combination; nuclear; reactor; discloses; stable; isotopes; neon; argon; preselected; ratios; sealed; tags; cladded; fuel; elements; liquid; metal; fast; breeder; failure; cladding; element; allows; fission; gases; generated; reaction; tag; escape; combine; held; specifically; 20; 21; 22; 36; 38; 40; helium; serially; connected; cryogenically; operated; charcoal; beds; clean; separate; cleanup; bed; approximately; degree; -25; operable; remove; recovery; -170; -185; isolate; spectrometric; analysis; identify; specific; recovered; leaking; cataloging; location; determined; leaking fuel; gas tag; gas tagging; gas cleanup; gases generated; coal bed; serially connected; breeder reactor; fast breeder; fuel elements; fuel element; nuclear fuel; nuclear reactor; liquid metal; metal fast; cover gas; fission gas; spectrometric analysis; fission gases; coal beds; gas clean; /376/976/
Citation Formats
Gross, Kenny C, and Laug, Matthew T. Gas tagging and cover gas combination for nuclear reactor. United States: N. p., 1985.
Web.
Gross, Kenny C, & Laug, Matthew T. Gas tagging and cover gas combination for nuclear reactor. United States.
Gross, Kenny C, and Laug, Matthew T. Tue .
"Gas tagging and cover gas combination for nuclear reactor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865316.
@article{osti_865316,
title = {Gas tagging and cover gas combination for nuclear reactor},
author = {Gross, Kenny C and Laug, Matthew T},
abstractNote = {The invention discloses the use of stable isotopes of neon and argon, that are grouped in preselected different ratios one to the other and are then sealed as tags in different cladded nuclear fuel elements to be used in a liquid metal fast breeder reactor. Failure of the cladding of any fuel element allows fission gases generated in the reaction and these tag isotopes to escape and to combine with the cover gas held in the reactor over the fuel elements. The isotopes specifically are Ne.sup.20, Ne.sup.21 and Ne.sup.22 of neon and Ar.sup.36, Ar.sup.38 and Ar.sup.40 of argon, and the cover gas is helium. Serially connected cryogenically operated charcoal beds are used to clean the cover gas and to separate out the tags. The first or cover gas cleanup bed is held between approximately 0.degree. and -25.degree. C. operable to remove the fission gases from the cover gas and tags and the second or tag recovery system bed is held between approximately -170.degree. and -185.degree. C. operable to isolate the tags from the cover gas. Spectrometric analysis further is used to identify the specific tags that are recovered, and thus the specific leaking fuel element. By cataloging the fuel element tags to the location of the fuel elements in the reactor, the location of the leaking fuel element can then be specifically determined.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1985},
month = {1}
}