Thermophysical Parameters of the Ion-Plasma Chamber Technology for Deactivation of Irradiated Graphite of RBMK

Abstract

For the first time to deactivate irradiated graphite blocks, we develop a new approach—“dry” ion-plasma chamber deactivation technology. The technology is based on a homogeneous shortened plasma discharge in an inert gas (argon) for the ion and thermal treatment of all graphite block surfaces simultaneously in a special chamber. The deactivation of graphite block of the reactor masonry is carried out by the ion sputtering of radionuclides from the block surfaces, as well as owing to thermal diffusion of radionuclides from the graphite block volume under plasma discharge heating. The technology provides a maintenance of the graphite masonry block integrity during the deactivation process for the effective burial of radionuclides. In this paper, we obtained the thermophysical parameters of ion-plasma chamber technology as for the deactivation of the grade GR-280 reactor graphite.