Sodium coolant purification systems for a nuclear power station equipped with a BN-1200 reactor

Abstract

Both traditional coolant purification methods (by means of traps and sorbents for removing cesium), the use of which supported successful operation of nuclear power installations equipped with fast-neutron reactors with a sodium coolant, and the possibility of removing oxygen from sodium through the use of hot traps are analyzed in substantiating the purification system for a nuclear power station equipped with a BN-1200 reactor. It is shown that a cold trap built into the reactor vessel must be a mandatory component of the reactor plant primary coolant circuit’s purification system. The use of hot traps allows oxygen to be removed from the sodium coolant down to permissible concentrations when the nuclear power station operates in its rated mode. The main lines of works aimed at improving the performance characteristics of cold traps are suggested based on the results of performed investigations.