Radionuclides emissions from sodium pool fires: Learning from the 1970s-era FANAL experiments

Abstract

The emission of radionuclides from sodium fires is a very important concern when considering the potential radiological consequences of an accident at a sodium fast reactor. Radionuclides can be released when contaminated sodium from, for example, the primary coolant system, catches fire. Not all radionuclide species will behave the same way, however, and some will have a higher tendency to become aerosolized than others. This paper uses historical experimental results from the 1970s-era FANAL program in order to come up with estimates for the combustion partition coefficients for radioiodine, radiocesium, and several other radionuclides from pool fires, and uses information from the program to characterize the chemical interaction between radioiodine vapor and sodium combustion product aerosols.