Integrated Chemical Effects Test Project: Test #3 Data Report (NUREG/CR-6914)
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Publication Information
Manuscript Completed: August 2006
Date Published: December 2006
Principal Investigator: J. Dallman
Prepared by
J. Dallman, B. Letellier, J. Garcia, J. Madrid, W. Roesch
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos, NM 87545
D. Chen, K. Howe
University of New Mexico
Department of Civil Engineering
Albuquerque, NM 87110
L. Archuleta, F. Sciacca
OMICRON Safety and Risk Technologies, Inc.
2500 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Suite 410
Albuquerque, NM 87110
B.P. Jain, NRC Project Manager
Prepared for
Division of Fuel, Engineering and Radiological Research
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001
NRC Job Code Y6999
Abstract
A 30-day test was conducted in the Integrated Chemical Effects Test (ICET)
project test apparatus. The test simulated the chemical environment present inside
a pressurized water reactor containment water pool after a loss-of-coolant-accident.
The initial chemical environment contained 14.54 kg of boric acid and
0.663 g of lithium hydroxide. Trisodium phosphate (3.786 kg), hydrochloric acid
(211 mL), and additional boric acid (600 g) were added beginning at 30 minutes
and lasting until 4 hours into the test. The test was conducted for 30 days at a
constant temperature of 60°C (140°F). The materials tested within this
environment included representative amounts of submerged and unsubmerged
aluminum, copper, concrete, zinc, carbon steel, and insulation samples (80%
calcium silicate and 20% fiberglass). Representative amounts of concrete dust and
latent debris were also added to the test solution. Water was circulated through the
bottom portion of the test chamber during the entire test to achieve representative
flow rates over the submerged specimens. The test solution reached a pH of 7.9
by Day 3, and the test solution turbidity decreased to less than 1 NTU after 24
hours. During the introduction of trisodium phosphate at the beginning of the test,
a white flocculence was observed through the submerged observation window.
This flocculence was accompanied by a rise in turbidity and total suspended
solids (TSS). Turbidity and TSS dropped after chemical addition was complete,
and the white flocculence was no longer visible in the water after the first day.
Observations of the test solution indicated similar behavior of the solution at both
room temperature and test temperature. After the initial flocculence had settled
out of solution, no chemical byproducts were visible in the water and no
precipitation occurred as samples cooled from test temperature to room
temperature. Large amounts of white deposits of varying size were observed on
the submerged galvanized steel, aluminum, copper, and inorganic zinc coated
steel coupons. The bottom of the tank was filled with sediment that had a pinkishwhite
deposit on top. The test solution remained clearly Newtonian for the entire
test. Aluminum was detectable in the solution, but only in trace amounts.
