CSNI2036 BIP-2

BIP-2: NEA Behaviour of Iodine Project Phase 2

The Behaviour of Iodine Project Phase 2 (BIP-2) was a follow-up to the BIP Project that has provided results from separate effects and modelling studies of iodine behaviour in a nuclear reactor containment building following a severe accident.

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's Chalk River Laboratories in Canada was the primary research facility for the project. Key facilities included Co-60 irradiators (gamma cells), active laboratories for performing iodine-131 tracer studies, specialised surface science laboratories (capable of working on active or inactive samples) and extensive hot cell facilities. With these facilities, and within the framework of the BIP Project, the group had successfully performed more than 50 tests dealing with the adsorption of iodine on surfaces and the formation of organic iodides from irradiated paint.

The joint project complemented other national and international experimental programmes such as SARNET2, which were also studying this phenomenon. Project participants sought to combine international resources to produce a consolidated understanding of the behaviour of iodine and other fission products in this scenario. The specific technical objectives for this follow-up project were to:

• obtain a more detailed and mechanistic understanding of iodine adsorption/desorption on containment surfaces by means of new experiments with well characterised containment paints and paint constituents and novel instrumentation (spectroscopic methods);

• obtain a more detailed and mechanistic understanding of organic iodide formation by means of new experiments with well characterised containment paints and paint constituents and novel instrumentation (chromatographic methods);

• develop a common understanding on how to extrapolate confidently from small-scale studies to reactor-scale conditions.

It was expected that an extensive analytical effort accompanied the experimental programme, mainly consisting of data interpretation, result evaluations and modelling for application to reactor situations.

Participants: The project was supported by safety organisations, research laboratories and industry in the following countries: Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Project period:  April 2011 to September 2014

The distribution of this package is restricted and subject to prior approval.

For more detailed information visit http://www.oecd-nea.org/jointproj/bip-2.html

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

Chalk River Laboratories

Chalk River, Ontario, K0J 1P0

CANADA