The High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) is the model used during the depressurized conduction cooldown in a very high temperature gas reactor (VHTGR) (Ezell & Nesrin 1). This model provides accurate data that can be used to predict the nature of accidents that can occur in the gas reactor of a nuclear power plant. Gas coolants are often preferred over the liquid coolants since they are safer to use. However, even with this information, regular tests need to be carried out so that several algorithms that predict various accidents can be applied to the design of these reactors (Ezell & Nesrin 1). This move ensures that the selected designs for nuclear reactors are the safest ones that are used in the industry.

The results from the HTTF analysis is often compared to the findings by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The results were compiled in a standard table known as the Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) (Ezell & Nesrin 2). Using this information, the test on the effect of high temperature in the nuclear reactors can be assessed to determine their safety levels and the probability of accidents. The major effect that was determined from the analysis is that air tended to interact with graphite at high temperatures. The two areas of concern in the interaction of air and graphite were through combustion and oxidation (Ezell & Nesrin 4).

Combustion

Non-contaminated graphite is the material that is often used in most nuclear power plants as the reactor rods. Graphite is preferred since the compound has a relatively high melting point and the compound is fairly stable due to the atomic number of its atoms (Kadak 12). When the graphite atoms are blasted with neutrons, some of the atoms along the molecular structure of the material can be displaced to a higher energy position. At low temperatures, these atoms do not leave the molecular bond but gradually release their energy which is known as Wigner Energy and they fall back to their initial energy state (Kadak 13). This constant bombardment and release of energy by the carbon atoms tends to increase the amount of potential energy in the reactor core. This increased energy can lead to the development of fires across the reactor, especially due to the interaction with the air that serves as the coolant in the system.

The solution to this problem involves the use of higher temperatures in the reactors. The atoms that are excited by the neutron bombardment are safely released into the environment including the energy they gained (Kadak 14). Thus, at high temperature, the Wigner Energy does not accumulate in the nuclear reactor. This measure ensures that the pile-up of potential energy within the reactor is minimized and no fires can start, hence, preventing any type of accident.

Oxidation

When pure graphite is exposed to various gases that consist of the air used to cool the reactor, various reactions can occur. The interaction of graphite with oxygen or steam creates carbon dioxide gas. The same reaction with carbon dioxide gas produces carbon monoxide gas which is toxic to human beings (Kadak 20). Additionally, the reaction with hydrogen gas creates methane gas. All of these by-products when released to the environment are harmful to the atmosphere since they accelerate the process of global warming. Moreover, oxidized graphite tends to be weaker and it can lose even 50% of its strength without a significant loss of mass (Kadak 22). The loss in strength of graphite will destabilize the reactor leading to a potentially hazardous chain of events.

These chemical interactions are more likely to occur at higher temperatures. Reducing the temperature of the reactor will lower the oxidation process. However, as noted earlier, lower temperatures will increase the accumulation of potential energy in the reactor. The best solution that the author did not provide is to change the composition of the air used to cool the reactor. The preferred composition of air should be made up of inert gases such as helium. Helium will eliminate any possibility of oxidation or any other chemical reaction that can compromise the strength of the graphite (Kadak 24). However, while this solution is the safest approach to the accidents that can result from the oxidation of graphite, helium is expensive gas, thus, the power generation in the reactor can end up being more costly (Kadak 24).

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