Transport and Deposition of Metals in Sodium-Stainless Steel Systems, (II)

Abstract

Making use of the radioisotopes of manganese, zinc and antimony, to represent radioactive corrosion products, and a radioisotope of cesium as representative fission product, the transport and deposition of these radioisotopes in a natural circulation sodium loop have been studied over a temperature range from 630°C down to 280°C. The movement of the radioisotopes during the loop running were monitored byin situ counting and radiochemical analysis of sodium samples taken from the loop. The distribution of the radioisotopes over the various cross sections along the cooling tube were determined after quick solidification of flowing sodium by chilling. The results indicate that manganese deposits on the substrate materials presumably by adsorption in the higher-temperature region and by precipitation in the lower-temperature region, zinc presumably by adsorption associated with plating in the lower-temperature region, antimony by coprecipitation with other deposits in the cold settling pocket, and cesium main...