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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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Hash Hashemian: Visionary leadership
As Dr. Hashem M. “Hash” Hashemian prepares to step into his term as President of the American Nuclear Society, he is clear that he wants to make the most of this unique moment.
A groundswell in public approval of nuclear is finding a home in growing governmental support that is backed by a tailwind of technological innovation. “Now is a good time to be in nuclear,” Hashemian said, as he explained the criticality of this moment and what he hoped to accomplish as president.
Jacopo Buongiorno, Eric P. Loewen, Kenneth Czerwinski, Christopher Larson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 147 | Number 3 | September 2004 | Pages 406-417
Technical Paper | Medium-Power Lead-Alloy Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT04-A3539
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The isotope 210Po is the main product of neutron activation in fast reactors cooled by molten lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE). The isotope 210Po is a pure alpha emitter with a half-life of 138.38 days. For typical values of the neutron flux the 210Po concentration in the coolant can reach 1-10 Ci/kg. While exposure of plant personnel to Po is prevented under normal operating conditions because the primary system is sealed, Po does pose a radiological hazard during maintenance activities for which access to submerged structures is required as well as during accidents resulting in breach of the primary-system barrier. Obviously, continuous removal of Po from the LBE reduces this hazard. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms by which Po is formed in and released from the LBE. We summarize research performed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to investigate the basic chemistry of four mechanisms of Po release, which could serve as the basis for a coolant cleanup system in LBE-cooled reactors. The mechanisms explored are lead polonide evaporation, formation of polonium hydride, rare-earth filtering, and alkaline extraction. For the key chemical species involved expressions are given for useful quantities such as formation energy, release, and deposition rates. It is concluded that the most promising removal mechanism is alkaline extraction, although a more systematic investigation of this mechanism is needed.