Aerosol characterization and measurement techniques towards SFR safety studies

An Aerosol Test Facility (ATF) has been designed, fabricated and commissioned at Radiological Safety Division, Safety Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, India, to carry out safety studies related to aerosols in Sodium cooled Fast Reactor (SFR). The sources of aerosol generation during normal operation of SFR and accidental scenario have been discussed. Aerosol sampling issues to get the representative samples and how they are implemented in ATF are presented. Aerosol measurement techniques and the instruments deployed for the measurement of various aerosol properties have been described briefly. The sodium and fission product aerosols are generated and the sample data analysis is presented. The analysis of data for aerosol characterization include: (i) Initial size distribution of sodium and fission product aerosols, (ii) Chemical speciation of sodium aerosols, (iii) Co agglomeration and co deposition of sodium and fission product aerosols and (iv) Enhanced Brownian coagulation of sodium aerosols in the presence of gamma radiation field. Besides, the on going aerosols studies are also presented. (authors)