XIANG Qingshan1，WANG Xinzhe2，ZHOU Qi2，LIAN Yiren1，NIU Jiangyu1，SUN Shutang1，GAO Xudong1，WANG Zhipeng1，ZHUANG Dajie1，SUN Hongchao1，LI Guoqiang1
China Institute for Radiation Protection， Taiyuan 030006， China；2.Nuclear Technology Support Center，State Administration of Science， Technology and Industry for National Defense， Beijing 100071， China
Abstract
Objective Cerium nitrate solution was used as a non-radioactive substitute for radioactive solutions. This study investigated the release behavior of aerosol particles generated during the leakage of cerium nitrate solution through breaches under different temperature conditions. A quantitative relationship between temperature and release fraction was established. The results provide fundamental data for the source term evaluation of radioactive liquid leakage in nuclear fuel cycle facilities.
Methods Referencing to the standard solution leakage experimental platform developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory （PNNL）， an experimental system was built. Leakage simulations were performed under different cerium nitrate solution temperatures. The particle size distribution， number and mass concentrations of aerosol particles were monitored online via a laser particle size analyzer and an electrical low-pressure impactor （ELPI）. The temporal variation patterns of number and mass concentrations in each particle size range under different temperature conditions of cerium nitrate solution were analyzed. Based on the differential equation of aerosol particle concentration， fitting curves of aerosol particle mass concentration versus time under different solution temperatures were plotted. The orifice jet leakage rate， equilibrium mass concentration of aerosol particles， and generation rate and release fraction of inhalable aerosol particles were calculated. The functional relationship between release fraction and temperature was determined. Finally， experimental error analysis was conducted.
Results and Discussion Under the same solution temperature conditions， the number and mass concentrations of aerosol particles in each particle size range gradually stabilized from a rapid rise phase to a steady state over time. With increasing solution temperature， both the rate of increase and the peak values of the number and mass concentrations of aerosol particles rose correspondingly. The orifice jet leakage rate， equilibrium mass concentration of aerosol particles， and generation rate and release function of inhalable aerosol particles all increased with solution temperature. At cerium nitrate solution temperatures of 40，50，60，70，80 and 88 ℃， the orifice jet leakage rates were 7.38， 7.43， 7.50， 7.52， 7.63，and 7.85 g/s， respectively， the generation rates of inhalable aerosol particles were 0.221， 0.328， 0.405， 0.619， 0.875， and 1.281 mg/s， respectively， and the release fractions were 2.99×10-5， 4.41×10-5， 5.40×10-5，
8.23×10-5， 1.147×10-4， and 1.632×10-4， respectively.
Conclusion The release fraction showed a linear relationship with the cube of cerium nitrate solution temperature， with magnitude on the order of 10-5 to 10-4. The obtained release fractions can be used for risk control and source term estimation for radioactive solution leakage accidents in nuclear facilities， providing important reference value for the analysis and evaluation of such leakage accidents.
Keywords： temperature； radioactive liquid leakage； aerosol particles； mass concentration； release fraction
Get Citation: XIANG Qingshan， WANG Xinzhe， ZHOU Qi， et al. Influence of temperature on release behavior of aerosol particles generated by leaked radioactive liquid［J］. China Powder Science and Technology， 2026， 32（3）： 1-11
DOI：10.13732/j.issn.1008-5548.2026.03.004
Received:2025-06-05， Revised: 2025-11-05，Online: 2025-12-06。
Funding： The research was supported by the project of Nuclear Technology Support Center, State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense of China (Grant No. HNKF202230 (36)).
CLC No:TB4；TL372.5 Type Code: A
Serial No:1008-5548（2026）03-0001-11
