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Experimental study on spatial temperature distribution characteristics of sodium droplet combustion
 
QIAO Yanyu, ZHANG Zhigang1, MA Yaolong, and LIU Chongchong
 
1. Fundamental Science on Nuclear Safety and Simulation Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Number 145, Nantong Street, Harbin 150001, China (zg_zhang@hrbeu.edu.cn)
 
Abstract: In the operation of the sodium-cooled fast reactor, the accident caused by the leakage and combustion of liquid sodium is common and frequent. In this paper, the combustion and spatial temperature distribution characteristics of sodium droplet were studied by carrying out the experiments of the oxidation and combustion under different conditions of initial temperatures (200℃-350℃) of the sodium droplets and oxygen concentrations (12%-21%). The oxidation and combustion behaviors were visualized by a set of combustion apparatus of sodium droplet and a high speed camera. The results show that the temperature of sodium droplet rises slowly in surface oxidation stage, but rapidly in pre-ignition stage and combustion stage. There is a delay time in the change of the spatial temperature compared to that of sodium droplet. However, they arrived peak at almost the same time. The peak temperature of sodium droplet sufficient combustion could roughly reach 600-1000℃. The spatial temperature distribution fits well with exponential function of descent and tend to a stable value at 20mm away from the sodium droplet.
Keyword: sodium-cooled fast reactor; liquid sodium; combustion; spatial temperature distribution 
 
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