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Hot particles analysis originating from failed and damaged fuels

  • Published:
Central European Journal of Chemistry

Abstract

The increase of activities of fission products and transmutation products in the primary coolant of a nuclear power plant indicates the presence of fuel rod failures. The measurement of the activity concentration of the primary coolant was able to detect fuel failures in the reactor core. Microanalytical methods for examining individual hot particles have been developed and applied to fuel failure detection under normal operation conditions as well as during the severe fuel damage that occurred in the cleaning tank incident at Unit 2 of NPP Paks in April 2003. Several faulty fuel rods can be detected simultaneously by the characterization of individual hot particles originating from the primary water. The analysis of particles originating from the damaged fuels provides information relating to the dissolution process of the fuel debris.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nuclear Techniques, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rakpart 9, H-1521, Budapest, Hungary

    Anikó Kerkápoly & Nóra Vajda

  2. Nuclear Power Plant Paks, H-7031, Paks, P.O. Box 71, Hungary

    Tamás Pintér

  3. KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute, Konkoly Thege str. 29-33, H-1121, Budapest, Hungary

    Pintér Csordás

Authors
  1. Anikó Kerkápoly
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  2. Nóra Vajda
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  3. Tamás Pintér
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  4. Pintér Csordás
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Kerkápoly, A., Vajda, N., Pintér, T. et al. Hot particles analysis originating from failed and damaged fuels. cent.eur.j.chem. 3, 106–117 (2005). https://doi.org/10.2478/BF02476242

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/BF02476242

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