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Effects of Radiation on Water Chemistry (Synthesis) |
2(H
H
H2 )
2H2O2
O2
2H2O
8H2O
radiation
2H2
O2
6H2O
2H2O
radiation
2H2
O2
radiation
2H2O
2H2
O2
radiation
EFFECTS OF RADIATION
DOE-HDBK-1015/2-93
Reactor Water Chemistry
ON WATER CHEMISTRY (SYNTHESIS)
CH-03
Rev. 0
Page 4
(3-8)
(3-11)
Net reaction:
or
(3-12)
The net result of these reactions is simply the decomposition of water. If H and O are allowed
2
2
to escape from solution as gases, the reaction continues as written. If, however, the water is
contained in a closed system under pressure (as in a reactor coolant system), H and O are
2
2
confined, and an equilibrium state is reached because radiation also causes the reverse of
Reaction (3-2) to take place. Primarily neutron and gamma radiation induce both the
decomposition of water and the recombination of H and O to form water. Thus, it is
2
2
appropriate to write Reaction (3-2) as a radiation-induced equilibrium reaction.
(3-12)
To arrive at the overall effect of radiation on water, the above process involved the assumption
that only one reaction pathway is available to each reactive species. This was done primarily
for convenience because inclusion of every possible reaction in the summation process becomes
rather cumbersome. Even if all the reactions are taken into account, the net result is the same
as Reaction (3-12), which is reasonable because inspection of Reactions (3-3) through (3-11)
shows that the only stable products are H , O , and H O (H O and OH combine to form water,
2
2
2
3
+
-
and H O decomposes at high temperature). Perhaps not as obvious, more water is consumed
2
2
than is produced in these reactions, and the net result is the initial decomposition of water that
proceeds until equilibrium concentrations of H and O are established.
2
2
Before discussing the effects of radiation on other processes, chemical equilibrium in the
presence of ionizing radiation should be mentioned. Equilibrium processes in aqueous solutions
are discussed briefly in Module 1, which states that temperature influences the equilibrium.
Ionizing radiation also influences the equilibrium of these solutions.
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