Abstract
ABSTRACT A dissolution method for analyzing the elemental composition of fuel debris using the sodium peroxide (Na2O2) fusion technique has been developed. Herein, two different types of simulated fuel debris (such as solid solution of (Zr,RE)O2 and molten core – concrete interaction products (MCCI)) were taken. At various temperatures, these debris samples were subsequently fused with Na2O2 in crucibles, which are made of different materials (Ni, Al2O3, Fe, and Zr). Then, the fused samples are dissolved in nitric acid. Effects of the experimental conditions on the elemental composition analysis were evaluated using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP – AES), which suggested the use of a Ni crucible at 923 K as an optimum testing condition. The optimum testing condition was then applied to the demonstration tests with Three Mile Island unit-2 (TMI-2) debris in a shielded concrete cell, thereby achieving complete dissolution of the debris. The elemental composition of TMI-2 debris revealed by the proposed dissolution method has good reproducibility and has an insignificant contradiction in the mass balance of the sample. Therefore, this newly developed dissolution method can be effectively utilized in practical applications by dissolving fuel debris and analyzing its elemental composition.
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