Radiochemical examination of Peach Bottom HTGR component samples
This document describes the results of a program conducted at General Atomic (GA) to radiochemically examine primary coolant circuit components of the Peach Bottom HTGR. The purpose of this program was to provide (1) absolute values of plateout activity in the primary coolant circuit, (2) fission gas release data for fuel compacts, (3) sorption data for cesium on fuel element graphite (spine and sleeve), and (4) diffusion coefficient data for cesium in fuel element graphite (spine and sleeve). The resulting plateout data consist of specific activities for Sr-90, Cs-134, and Cs-137. These were the only reportable activities found. Iodine was below the limits of detection by neutron activation analysis. The Sr-90 activity ranged from about 5 to 10/sup -4/ to 9 x 10/sup -4/ ..mu..Ci/cm/sup 2/ in the cold duct and 2 x 10/sup -3/ to 9 x 10/sup -3/ ..mu..Ci/cm/sup 2/ in the steam generator. The strontium found was orders of magnitude lower than the Cs-137 values of about 0.8 to 4 ..mu..Ci/cm/sup 2/ in the cold duct and 2 to 12 ..mu..Ci/cm/sup 2/ in the steam generator. Additionally, it was found that the Cs-134 activity was, in general, higher than the Cs-137 activity throughout the primary helium coolant circuit. Post irradiation fission gas release tests on driver fuel element compacts gave R/B values for krypton and xenon somewhat higher than measured reactor values. It was determined by metallographic examination that the small failed fraction at end-of-life was appreciably hydrolyzed after the fuel was removed from the core. This explains the relatively high R/B values found in the postirradiation tests. Failure fractions determined by metallography are in good agreement with values determined by hot-chlorine leaching experiments at ORNL.
- Research Organization:
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-03-0167-056
- OSTI ID:
- 6560734
- Report Number(s):
- GA-A-14495; TRN: 79-001840
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
PEACH BOTTOM-1 REACTOR
PRIMARY COOLANT CIRCUITS
CESIUM 134
CESIUM 137
DEPOSITS
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL ELEMENTS
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
STRONTIUM 90
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COOLING SYSTEMS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HELIUM COOLED REACTORS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
POWER REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTORS
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
THERMAL REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
210300* - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated