CHEM H90 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Chemical Energy, Botulinum Toxin, Stainless Steel
Document Summary
Above 1000 c, zr(s) reacts: zr(s) + 2h2o zro2(s) + 2h2(g) + . A bwr might have 140 tons of uranium fuel, clad in literally tons of zircaloy-2 (6. 5 g/cm3) If all the zr were to oxidize, a lot of h2 could be created, and a lot of heat. This h2(g) caused the three explosions: the h2 should have been flared off or reacted with hot pt gauze, or any number of other methods, to avoid the explosions. One explosion damaged a used fuel cooling tank. The explosions did not breach the reactor pressure vessels, but blew the concrete roofs off. At least one cooling tank was cracked and began leaking water, potentially exposing fuel rods. Some of the fuel elements undoubtedly got too hot and/or the zr was compromised. Fission products, which are quite radioactive, were released (but in fairly small amounts)
