Journal of Power and Energy Systems
Online ISSN : 1881-3062
ISSN-L : 1881-3062
Papers
Application of Proton Conductors to Hydrogen Monitoring for Liquid Metal and Molten Salt Systems
Masatoshi KONDOTakeo MUROGAKoji KATAHIRATomoko OSHIMA
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2008 Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 590-597

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Abstract

The chemical control of impurity such as hydrogen and oxygen in coolants is one of the critical issues for the development of liquid metal cooled fast reactors and self-cooled liquid breeder blankets for fusion reactors. Especially, hydrogen (isotopes) level is the key parameter for corrosion and mechanical properties of the in-reactor components. For fission reactors, the monitor of hydrogen level in the melt is important for safety operation. The control of tritium is essential for the tritium breeding performance of the fusion reactors. Therefore, on-line hydrogen sensing is a key technology for these systems. In the present study, conceptual design for the on-line hydrogen sensor to be used in liquid sodium (Na), lead (Pb), lead-bismuth (Pb-Bi), lithium (Li), lead-lithium (Pb-17Li) and molten salt LiF-BeF2 (Flibe) was performed. The cell of hydrogen sensor is made of a solid electrolyte. The solid electrolyte proposed in this study is the CaZrO3-based ceramics, which is well-known as proton conducting ceramics. In this concept, the cell is immersed into the melt which is containing the hydrogen at the activity of PH1 of ambient atmosphere. Then, the cell is filled with Ar-H2 mixture gas at regulated hydrogen activity of PH2. The electromotive force (EMF) is obtained by the proton conduction in the electro chemical system expressed as Pt, Melt(PH1) | Proton conductor | PH2, Pt. The Nernst equation is used for the evaluation of the hydrogen activity from the obtained EMF. The evaluations of expected performance of the sensor in liquid Na, Pb, Pb-Bi, Pb-17Li, Li and Flibe were carried out by means of the measurement test in gas atmosphere at hydrogen activities equivalent to those for the melts in the reactor conditions. In the test, the hydrogen activity in the gas varied from 2.2x10-14 to 1. The sensor exhibited good response, stability and reproducibility.

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© 2008 by The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
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