Dielectric method of monitoring organic coolants in nuclear reactors

The measurement of the dieletric properties of a fluid - the dielectric constant ε and the tangent tan δ of dielectric losses - makes possible quite reliable monitoring of the content of polar or electrically polarizable molecules and supermolecular formations in the fluid. Dielectric measurements are especially effective in analyzing the polar-impurity content in nonpolar hydrocarbons, which include the high-temperature organic coolants of nuclear reactors. The main objective of the dielectric monitoring of the AST-1 reactor organic coolant is to investigate the relationship between the dielectric parameters of the coolant and the rate of deposit formation. The use of dielectric monitoring of an organic reactor coolant has made it possible to propose a mechanism by which electrical forces can affect deposit formation, and to determine the stages of this process. However, further research including direct experiments to study the effect of electrical forces is needed. Practical recommendations for the design and operating conditions of reactors using an organic coolant can be drawn up on the basis of the experimental results