Determination of the evaporation of iodine and cadmium from lead-bismuth eutectic

Dominique Holtappels, Borja González Prieto

    Research output

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    Abstract

    SCK●CEN located in Mol endeavors to develop a replacement for the current nuclear research reactor BR2 with the MYRRHA-reactor. This new generation reactor uses liquid lead-bismuth-eutectic (LBE) as coolant and spallation target. Radio-active elements such as iodine and cadmium will be formed or released in the LBE during the future operation of MYRRHA. To ensure the safety of the MYRRHA-reactor, the evaporation behavior of these elements has to be known accurately. In the present work, the evaporation of iodine and cadmium from dilute solutions in LBE was studied experimentally. Methods for preparing dilute, homogeneous solutions of iodine and cadmium in LBE were developed. The evaporation of dissolved iodine and cadmium and of the solvent elements lead and bismuth was determined at high temperature by the transpiration method followed by ICP-MS analysis. From the measured data, correlations for the equilibrium vapor pressure at different temperatures of iodine and cadmium above LBE solutions were derived. These correlations can be used in safety studies to determine the amount of iodine and cadmium that will evaporate from LBE in the MYRRHA-reactor, and can serve as a motivation to conclude if specific filter systems for these elements are required.
    Original languageEnglish
    Awarding Institution
    • KHLIM - Katholieke Hogeschool Limburg
    Supervisors/Advisors
    • Aerts, Alexander, Supervisor
    • Thomassen, Leen, Supervisor, External person
    Place of PublicationDiepenbeek, Belgium
    Publisher
    StatePublished - Jun 2013

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