Iodine Behaviour in Containment

Abstract

Iodine behaviour is discussed for loss-of-coolant accident conditions where fuel failures might occur. Predictions are based on our current understanding of iodine thermodynamics and kinetics. The predictions are being verified using a variety of experimental techniques in both the gas phase and aqueous solution phase. An abatement method based on iodine gas-phase chemistry is also being developed. Our analysis and experiments to date show that the partition coefficients (∑[I]_aq/∑[I]_gas) should exceed 10⁴ for inorganic iodine and, therefore, if equilibrium is attained, most of the iodine will be in aqueous solution.