Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

Ion exchange resin particles should not be found in steam generator(S/G) sludge. The suspicious spherical resin particles observed in S/G sludge sample were characterized for particle size distribution under optical microscope using the micro-technique, for element analysis by the electron probe micro analysis (EPMA), and for molecular identification by the IR spectroscopy. The particle sizes are distributed from 1 to 200 for the sludge, while 40 to 500 for the spherical resin particles. The results of the elemental analysis showed different major impurities: Si, Al, Mn, Cr, Ni, Zn and Ti for the sludge particles, while Si, Cu, Zn for the spherical resin particles. However, both particles contain Fe as a matrix of magnetite (Fe3O4). IR spectrum of the spherical particles was not quite similar to the IR spectrum of ion exchange resins used in S/G system. These results indicate that the spherical particles are not related to ion exchange resin particles and may be formed by the process of the sludge formation.

Keywords

Spherical particles,S/G sludge,characterization,micro-technique