Designing Mass Exchangers for Control of Oxygen Content in Pb-Bi (Pb) Coolants in Various Research Facilities

Abstract

The solid-phase method designed by the State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation - Institute for Physics and Power Engineering (SSC RF - IPPE) for the oxygen thermodynamic activity control [1, 2] implies the use of oxygen source, i.e. dissolvable lead oxide spheroids hold within limited section of the circuit (reaction vessel of mass exchanger) connected by the pipeline to the main circuit. PbO spheroids being in contact with flowing lead-bismuth (lead) are dissolved with generation of oxygen, which is transported throughout the circuit by the coolant flow. Technological implementation of solid phase control method is based on the use of specially designed mass exchangers (MX) being an important component of heavy liquid metal coolant technology.

Corrosion issues in lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) and accelerator driven systems (ADS)

“…The second requirement, which is specific to lead alloys (for example, the first requirement is also applicable in the case of liquid sodium as well), consists in active oxygen control for promoting a protective oxide film formation on the surface of the materials. Such a system also spares the needs for a complex of gas circuits to be operated in a nuclear environment [32,42]. 22.11 [11].…”

Prediction of Dissolved Impurities and Movement of Oxide Particles in the Primary Circuit of LBE Fast Reactor

“…While steel is exposed to the oxygen containing LBE, duplex oxides layers are formed on the steels where the out layer is magnetite and the inner layer is spinel (Fe 2+ O[Fe 3+ ,Cr 3+ ] 2 O 3 ). The experiments result directly showed the corrosion mechanism and the formation of a 15-20 µm spinel layer on steel in flowing oxygen containing an LBE environment (velocity of LBE is 2 m/s, c o is about 1.6 × 10 −6 wt.%, corrosion time is 503 h and temperature is 550 • C) [12]. For long-term corrosion, the thickness of the corrosion layer on 316 L steel can reach to about 60 µm (10,000 h corrosion in flowing LBE at 470 • C and 2 m/s [1]).…”

“…s 2021, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 13 550 °C) [12]. For long-term corrosion, the thickness of the corrosion layer on 316 L steel can reach to about 60 μm (10,000 h corrosion in flowing LBE at 470 °C and 2 m/s [1]).…”

Effects of Bi2O3 Doping on the Mechanical Properties of PbO Ceramic Pellets Used in Lead-Cooled Fast Reactors

“…The thickness of the oxide layers vary at different levels of oxygen concentration; an oxide layer that is too thick or too thin cannot protect the steel well [3]. Some researchers have reported that solid-phase oxygen control is a promising anti-corrosion method [4]. Using this approach, PbO ceramic pellets are placed inside the pipes, and lead ions and oxygen ions are released from the ceramic pellets into the metal.…”