Heavy Liquid Metal Coolant – Lead–Bismuth and Lead – Technology

Abstract

Such heavy coolants as lead and a eutectic alloy of lead with bismuth while having favorable thermophysical and technological properties are comparatively corrosive for structure materials and can be contaminated by solid impurities during the operation of the system.

For systems with heavy coolants to operate for a long period of time, the structural materials which come into contact with the alloy must possess corrosion resistance and the coolant and inner surfaces of the equipment in the loop must have the required purity. As a result of solving these problems, a scientific basis has been developed for handling heavy coolants, new structural materials have been chosen or developed, and methods and devices have been developed for monitoring and regulating coolant quality and for removing impurities from the coolant and surfaces in the loop.