Investigation for the sodium leak in Monju sodium leak and fire test-I

Kawada, Koji; Ohno, Shuji  ; Miyake, Osamu; not registered; not registered  ; Tanabe, Hiromi

As a part of the work for investigating the sodium leak accident which occurred in Monju on December 8, 1995, three tests, (1)sodium leak test, (2)sodium leak and fire test-I, and (3)sodium leak and fire test-II, were carried out at OEC/PNC. Main objectives of these tests are to confirm leak and burning behavior of sodium from the damaged thermometer, and effects of the sodium fire on integrity of the surrounding structure, etc. This report describes the result of the sodium fire test-I carried out as a preliminary test. The test was performed using SOLFA-2 (Sodium Leak, Fire and Aerosol) facility on April 8, 1996. In this test, sodium heated to 480C was leaked for approximately 1.5 hours from a leak simulated apparatus and caused to drop onto a ventilation duct and a grating with the same dimensions and layout as those in Monju. The main conclusions obtained from the test are shown as below. (1)Observation from video cameras in the test revealed that in early stages of sodium leak, sodium dropped down out of the flexible tube of thermometer in drips. This dripping and burning were expanded in range as sodium splashed on the duct. (2)No damage to the duct itself was detected. However, the aluminum louver frame of the ventilation duct's lower inlet was damaged: Its machine screws had come off, leaving half of the grill (on the grating side) detached. (3)No large hole, like one seen at Monju, were found when the grating was removed from the testing system for inspection, although the area centered on the point that the sodium attacked was damaged in a way indicating the first stages of grating failure: The 5-mm- square lattice was corroded through in some parts, and many blades (originally 3.2 mm thick) had become like the blade of a sharp knife. (4)The burning pan underside thermocouple near the leak point measured 700C in roughly 10 minutes, and for the next hour remained stable between 740C and 770C. There was a ...