Authors & Affiliations
Martynov P.N., Askhadullin R.Sh., Orlov Yu.I., Storozhenko A.N.
A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power, Obninsk, Russia
Abstract
During 60 years of the development of heavy liquid metal coolants (HLMC), the fundamental changes took place in both culture of these coolants handling and understanding of the mechanism of physical and chemical processes occurring in the circuits. Now it is evident that the problems concerning HLMC technology should be solved over the whole life cycle of the reactor plant. The paper outlines the following important issues and problems concerning technology of HLMC (lead and lead-bismuth): - approaches to HLMC preparation and its loading to the circuit; - methods of monitoring and control of the coolant oxygen potential to assure corrosion resistance of structural steels in the course of their long-term operation in HLMC circuits; - technology of hydrogen-based purification of HLMC and circuit surface from lead oxide based slag; - coolant filtering to remove solid impurities, which cannot be reduced by hydrogen; - methods of cover gas purification from aerosol particles in order to assure purity of gas systems of both experimental facilities and reactors with HLMC. Methods and techniques of HLMC technology, which are developed taking into account the present-day fundamentals, would assure carrying out all necessary technological activities and become an important element of the whole safety system in all stages of the reactor operation, this meeting requirements to the new generation nuclear power systems.
Key words
hydrogen based purification, oxygen, monitoring, gas purification, coolant preparation, impurities, development, reactor plant, control, technology, heavy liquid metal coolant, filtering, circuit
UDC 621.039.5
Problems of Atomic Science and Technology. Series: Nuclear Constants, issue 2:5, 2015