Position paper on activities in IGCAR related to radioactive materials release and sodium fires in fast reactors

Release of radioactive materials like fission products in the core of LMFBR can result in their transport to different parts of primary circuit through coolant/cover gas and subsequent deposition in some of the locations, leading to high radiation fields in those locations. A leak in the sodium system can cause sodium fire, that can give rise to increase in pressure, if the event occurs in a confined space or cause damage to concrete, if the leaking system is located in an area where liners are not provided on concrete. Hence studies related to release of radioactive materials and sodium fires are relevant to the assessment of safety of LMFBR. This paper discusses the status of work at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in these two important fields