F212 Development of highly sensitive sodium leak detection technology by means of laser for fast reactor : Fundamental experiments for atomization and resonance ionization of sodium and design of prototype sodium detection system

Abstract

In a sodium-cooled fast reactor, highly sensitive technology is required to detect a sodium leak from the cooling system piping or components. Conventional sodium leak detectors have difficulty in measuring small amounts of sodium leak because of the presence of salinity in the atmosphere. In order to overcome this problem, an innovative technology has been developed to selectively detect the radioactive sodium of the primary cooling system using Laser Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS). This research and development program consists of investigating the detection process of sodium aerosol by RIMS, manufacturing the prototype sodium detection system, and testing its function using an actual radioactive sodium sample, which will be taken from the experimental fast reactor Joyo. The conceptual design of the prototype system and the results obtained from fundamental experiments are shown in this paper.