Interaction of sodium with sodium hydroxide due to interloop leakage in a steam generator

The authors construct a model depicting the process by which chemical equilibrium is reached in the heterogeneous system formed by sodium and sodium hydroxide under accident conditions in a sodium-water steam generator. The results of the calculations demonstrate the following conclusions: that the rate of the homogeneous reaction of sodium and sodium hydroxide has an insignificant effect on the concentration of the components in sodium so that in evaluating the effectiveness of emergency detection the equilibrium values of the concentration of sodium oxide and sodium hydride must be used; and the solidification of the drops occurs at a temperature higher than the melting point of pure sodium hydroxide at 30 degrees K. Solid drops can therefore settle on the surface of the steam generator.