Chemical Durability of Glass Thermal Insulation Fibers in Borate and Phosphate Water Solutions

Vojtech Soltész; Ivan Vicena; Mária Chromčíková; Marek Liška; Jean Marie Mattei

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.39-40.363

Paper Titles

Kinetics of SiO₂ Nanofibres Dissolution in the Simulated Lung Environment
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Glass Surface Analysis by an Optimized Sequential Chemical Etching Technique Using the Corrosive Agent HF/HNO₃
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Kinetics of E-glass Fibres Leaching in Borate Solution and Distilled Water
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Ageing of Clay-Based Materials
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Chemical Durability of Glass Thermal Insulation Fibers in Borate and Phosphate Water Solutions
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The Influence of Metal Diffusion and Interfacial Reactions on the Crystallization Behaviour of Glasses Employed in the Manufacture of Glass-Ceramic-to-Metal Seals
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Effects of Dispersed Al₂O₃ Particles on Sintering of LTCC
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β-Spodumene Glass-Ceramic with Anomalous Low Thermal Expansion
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Electron Microscopic Investigations of Electrochemically Induced Mullite Crystallization in a Glassy Matrix
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HomeAdvanced Materials ResearchAdvanced Materials Research Vols. 39-40Chemical Durability of Glass Thermal Insulation...

Chemical Durability of Glass Thermal Insulation Fibers in Borate and Phosphate Water Solutions

Abstract:

Glass fiber is commonly used as thermal insulation for the equipment in nuclear power plants. In case of LOCA (Loss Of Coolant Accident), the insulation can be damaged by the jet impact and carried to the screens of the emergency systems needed to cool the reactor. In this case, the fibers can be strongly corroded by particular cooler solutions and their behavior under this environment can modify the head loss of the screens. The pH value of coolant solution can be stabilized respectively by borate or phosphate buffering systems depending of the plants. A new type of small scale laboratory equipment allowing simultaneous study of the chemical durability of glass fibers and hydrodynamic conditions on the glass fiber bed placed on the screen was developed and tested. The results obtained for leaching of glass fibers in sodium borate and sodium phosphate solutions show the significant difference between the saturation levels of Ca, Al, and Si in tested leaching solutions. The observed difference in leaching chemistry caused significant differences in the head loss value and its time development. This preliminary conclusion opens a new research field to improve the NPPs but it has to be substantiated by additional records and sensitivity studies including uncertainties analysis.