A NUCLEAR PARTICLE PRIMER

A survey of aerosol science is presented which has the objective of providing a short list of phenomena which could account ( to one significant figure ) for the aerosol concentration in a water-cooled reactor containment as a function of time after a very severe accident. Three categories of aerosol science are discussed: formation of particles, mechanics of particles, and surface chemistry of particles. Particles are expected to form primarily by condensation of vapor from an overheated core. There appears to be sufficient theory available to estimate the effects of core surface temperature and sweeping gas temperature and velocity on the primary particle size. Condensation of water on the filter is probably the most serious potential problem. Particle removal by natural effects in the containment will occur as a result of many phenomena. The most important are probably coagulation and settling, and diffusiophoresis and thermophoresis ( which sweep particles toward surfaces onto which water is condensing ). Water can condense in quantity on particles, make them larger and make them settle faster. Estimates of the effect of this phenomena on concentration in the containment vs time are presented, the effect can probably be very important. 34 references. ( auth )

• Corporate Authors:

  Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  Department of Energy
  Oak Ridge, TN  United States  37831
• Authors:
  • Davis, R J
• Publication Date: 1969-1

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 78 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Nuclear reactor cores; Nuclear reactors
• Old TRIS Terms: Nuclear reactor accidents
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00001633
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Contract Numbers: W7405eng26
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 30 1973 12:00AM