| The purpose of this project was to obtain the modes in which molten sodium interacts with standard
fiberglass insulation. This type of interaction can be representative of a leaking pipe inside of a
sodium fast reactor. Knowing the modes of interaction will help with future design work in sodium
leak detection. Two different experiment iterations were undertaken. The first iteration was a drip
assembly that heated the sodium and dripped it onto the surface of the insulation sample. The
second iteration was a furnace, which maintained the sodium in a molten state for an extended
period while in contact with the insulation. When in contact, it was found that the sodium did not
permeate the insulation, but rather degraded the insulation at higher temperatures.
Key Words: molten, sodium, fiberglass, insulation, degradation, ingress, permeate, fast, reactor,
leak, detection |