Particle Size Measurement of Reaction Product Aerosol of Sodium-Oxygen

A multi-level scenario simulation system as a safety infrastructure technology is required for design optimization, safety margin adjustment, and innovative technology developments of sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR). In order to properly implement the Verification and Validation (V & V) of the simulation system, it is indispensable to ensure experimental database of sodium chemistry as specific SFR safety issue. In this study, measurement results of aerosols generated by sodium-oxygen reaction for sodium fire event were reported with the aim of clarifying the radiation heat transport phenomena in the reaction field. The sodium-oxygen counter-flow diffusion flame was formed one-dimensionally above the sodium pool by the reaction between sodium vapour and oxygen. Argon (Ar) including 2% oxygen were introduced to a liquid sodium pool (temperature: 820K) under the reduced pressure condition (0.05MPa). Ar guard flows were employed to stabilize the reaction. The reaction continued more than 600 seconds without any changes in terms of flame shape and position. Aerosol size was measured as a function of Z (the distance from the sodium pool surface) and r (the distance from the center of the sodium pool). Laser Induced Incandescence (LII) and the Mie scattering method using the different wavelength laser beams (405nm, 450nm, 520nm, 532nm, 638nm and 650nm) were employed to ensure the measurement accuracy. Aerosol sizes from several hundred nm to 1 μm were measured in this reaction field and the aerosol size increased toward the sodium pool. This stemmed largely from aerosol growth and polymerization because the flow rate decreased near the sodium pool. It was also confirmed that the size of aerosol measured by LII was in good agreement with the measurement using the Mie scattering method under the same conditions. The refractive index of the aerosol was also evaluated to be 1.42-0.5i.