Testing a chemical method for monitoring the steam moisture in nuclear power plants

Various steam moisture measurement methods are listed, including the measurement of electrical conductivity, optical methods for determining the size of entrained droplets, holography, gamma radiation application. A comparison is performed of steam moisture measurement by the chemical tracer method using 23Na and the calorimetric throttle method. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry is used in determining trace concentrations of sodium in steam condensates. Another method consisted in ion selective electrode measurement determining the Na concentration in dependence on the measuring electrode potential. The results of the thermodynamic and chemical methods are in a very good agreement. (M.D.). 3 figs., 2 tabs., 23 refs