The chemical kinetics of the reactions of lithium with steam-air mixtures

This work involved the experimental and analytical determination of the consequences of lithium fires in the presence of steam. Experiments were performed to characterize the chemical reactions of lithium with steam-nitrogen and steam-air mixtures. Models were introduced in the LITFIRE code to describe lithium fires in the presence of steam inside the containment building and plasma chamber of a hypothetical fusion reactor. The code was also equipped with the capability to determine the effects of decay heat and lithium fire on the temperature response of the reactor first wall in the event of a coolant disturbance. Forty-two kinetics experiments were performed in which a stream of steam-nitrogen or steam-air was passed over and reacted with approximately three grams of lithium heated to a predetermined temperature. The lithium reaction rates with the constituent gases were measured and characterized for a wide range of lithium temperatures and gas compositions. Experiments were performed with steam molar concentrations of 5, 15 and 30% and lithium temperatures ranging from 400 to 1100 degree C, inclusive. The LITFIRE code was modified to enable it to model the interactions of lithium with steam-air atmospheres. Results of the reaction kinetics experiments were used in the reaction model, and the heat transfer model was expanded to allow it to handle condensible atmospheres. Three groups of accidents were investigated: a spill on the containment building floor, a spill inside the reactor plasma chamber, and a spill inside the plasma chamber with steam injection to the containment building simulating a steam line break. The results were compared to dry air cases under the same conditions. 23 refs., 66 figs., 18 tabs