Fission-Product Aerosol Behavior in the PRTR Fuel-Rod Failure of September 29, 1965

摘要

On September 29, 1965, at 0510 a purposely defected, partially molten fuel rod in the rupture loop test facility of the PRTR reactor failed. Flashing released a fission product aerosol to the containment vessel. This release resulted in about half of the noble gases reaching the containment vessel atmosphere. A radiochemical study provided information on the behavior of some 15 fission products and plutonium in transport, through the reactor and its containment vessel. Relatively little fractionation occurred in the dissolution and aerosol formation. About 99% of the fission product aerosol was removed in the condensate from air coolers which processed about 6% of the containment atmosphere per minute. The ratios of the solid fission products deposited on surfaces in the containment vessel were similar to those in the fuel rod, except for Ce exp 141 and Zr exp 95 -Nb exp 95 . The ratio of radioiodine to other fission products was about ten-fold higher on the walls and ceilings than on floor surfaces on the first two days following the incident but after six days the ratios were comparable. The deposition per unit of surface area of the radioactive aerosol was about 4 to 5 times greater on the floors than on wall or ceiling surfaces. The observed deposition per unit area on metal surfaces was much higher than on painted surfaces. 30 tables. (ERA citation 07:010913)