Evaluation of an accident with air ingress into tritium storage hydride container

Using differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis the rates of reactions of ZrCo with oxygen, nitrogen and air were investigated as functions of temperature. Obtained rate constants, activation energies and kinetic equations allow to estimate the reaction fraction as functions of temperature and reaction time. Obtained data as well as results of investigation of pyrophoricity of several tritium storage materials were used for evaluation of accidents with air ingress into primary container of tritium storage hydride container. The scenarios of accident with air ingress into getter bed are considered in dependence from initial conditions of an accident such as temperature of getter material, and void volume of primary container. The numerical modeling of an accident with air ingress into hydride container is carried out for cases of air freely incoming into getter bed and of air passing through getter packed bed. The computer modeling takes into account the particularities of design of tritium storage hydride container. The comparison of results of accidents for different tritium storage materials, such as ZrCo, LaNi3Mn2 and uranium, and several designs of primary container are presented