Nur Andriani Pramudita Kusumanindyah
Published: 2016
Total Pages: 0
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The French Atomic and alternatives Energy Commission (CEA) developed an effective powder capable of extinguishing sodium fire. It is a powder based on a mixture of lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) and low-hydrated sodium carbonate (Na2CO3.H2O) in a near eutectic proportion, with a melting temperature of around 500°C, associated with graphite. However, ever since the dismantling of several old sodium installations, CEA has at its disposal an important stock of unused powder batches. The idea of reutilizing these powders initiates the question about their efficiency to extinguish a sodium fire after long term storage. This study proposed the physicochemical analyses of these powders in order to identify their compositions and characteristics for different batches. The results highlight the presence of lithium sodium carbonate (LiNaCO3) and trona (Na2CO3.NaHCO3.2H2O), which are not mentioned in the patent. The aging experiments were developed to study the role of moisture and ambient carbon dioxide during the storage. The results showed that LiNaCO3 is sensitive to the presence of moisture, able to transform it into lithium carbonate and sodium carbonate monohydrate, meanwhile the latter reacts with water and carbon dioxide to form trona. A study of the formation of LiNaCO3 allowed the understanding of the fabrication method of the powder. This compound is found to be produced as the results of mechanochemical reactions between Li2CO3 and Na2CO3.H2O during the grinding process. The Chris(X)ti-Na experimental facility is built to understand the mechanisms of extinction especially related to the role of physicochemical properties on extinction. Two steps of extinction mechanisms are proposed that includes (1) the formation of liquid sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and (2) the melting of eutectic carbonates. The first step can happen directly (via the direct reaction of trona and/or Na2CO3.H2O with Na(g) and/or Na2O(s)) or indirectly (via the decomposition reaction of trona and Na2CO3.H2O prior to reaction of H2O(g) released with Na(g) and Na2O(s)). Both reactions explore the possibility of hydrogen (H2) formation that might be represented by the flash flame observed prior to extinction. They also contribute to the rapid decrease of temperature due to the formation of liquid sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as a protective layer. This layer is essential to cover the sodium surface from prolonged contact with oxygen. The presence of trona appears to be not altering the extinction capacity of the powder. With the same amount of NaOH produced by both compounds, trona releases more quantity of H2 and more exothermic in terms of energy release than that of Na2CO3.H2O. Overall, 0.5-0.9 g of water is necessary to extinguish 19.6 cm2 of sodium pool fire, which equivalent to 1-2g of NaOH. Based on these tests, the minimum water content required for extinction is 5.6w%. Meanwhile, powders whose hydration water content is close to 13w% seem more likely to produce a high vigorous H2 flame prior to the extinction. The second step is considered to be slower than the previous step. The eutectic carbonates layer has higher viscosity than NaOH that makes it less beneficial to form sealed layer on the sodium surface. Therefore, its role might be less significant especially for the sodium fire starts at low temperature. Nevertheless, the effect is considered to be more important when applied to sodium fire at higher temperature (more than 500°C). Finally, the particle size apparently doesn't demonstrate a significant contribution in the extinguishing performance other than affecting the spreading performance.
