Modeling of the chemical behavior of sodium fire aerosols during atmospheric dispersion

The use of liquid sodium as a coolant in sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR) circuits requires studying the consequences of a sodium fire for safety analysis, and particularly the toxicological impact of sodium fire aerosols. More particularly, the carbonation of sodium fire aerosols from sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) is investigated. A new kinetic model, based on the CO₂ reactive absorption and the two-film theory, is developed to describe the carbonation process of NaOH solutions, taking into account the NaOH aerosols' initial characteristics in equilibrium with the atmosphere. This model is applied for the case of NaOH aerosols considering the CO₂ absorption at the particle external surface. The estimation for the model parameters is detailed as function of NaOH degree of conversion, relative humidity (RH), and temperature. By comparisons with available experimental data, the absorption interfacial area is empirically estimated over the studied range of RH and initial particle diameter. The global sensitivity study of the model confirms its capabilities to describe NaOH aerosols' carbonation, waiting for new experimental data for validation.

© 2016 American Association for Aerosol Research