INVESTIGATION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF LEAD OXIDE GRANULES AFTER PROLONGED EXPOSURE IN LIQUID LEAD

In order to ensure the safe operation of reactor installations under development with heavy liquid metal coolants (HLMC), such as lead and lead-bismuth, it is necessary to address issues related to the control and regulation of the oxygen potential of the coolant. This is necessary to maintain the normalized range of dissolved oxygen concentrations to ensure the conditions for the formation and maintenance of the integrity of protective oxide coatings on structural materials, as well as to prevent the formation of oxide slags from the coolant during the operation of the reactor plant. Specialists of IPPE have developed a method and a means of solid-phase regulation of the thermo-dynamic activity of oxygen in HLMC. In mass transfer devices developed for the implementation of the solid-phase method of controlled feeding of a heavy liquid metal coolant with dissolved oxygen, lead oxide granules are used as a filler. One of the important issues in substantiating the reliability of mass transfer devices is the question of the constancy of the mechanical properties and chemical composition of lead oxide granules after their prolonged stay under the level of a heavy liquid metal coolant at operating temperature. The lead oxide granules were aged in a sealed container filled with lead. The tank was equipped with the necessary means to control the temperature of the lead and the pressure of the protective gas (argon). The article presents the results of experimental studies of lead oxide granules after their exposure in a lead melt at a temperature of (420±10) °C in a non-carbon mode for 6000 hours. To investigate the characteristics of the lead oxide pellets, a batch of pellets was excavated after 500, 750, 1000, 1750, 2500, 3000, 4500 and 6000 hours from the start of the tests. For the pellets from each recess, the following studies were performed: - pellet density measurements; - measurement of breaking forces of lead oxide granules; - determination of pellet impact strength; - chemical analysis of granule composition.