Towards Hydrazine-Free Operation of the Water-Steam Cycle in Nuclear Power Plants

ABSTRACT

Hydrazine is used in water-steam cycles of pressurized water reactors to protect the steam generators by generating reducing and oxygen-free conditions. However, growing regulatory and environmental concerns about its toxicity and mutagenic properties are leading to actions to restrict it or completely phase it out. Additionally, the declining availability of nuclear-grade hydrazine has led to supply shortages and disruptions in some cases.

To further ensure the material integrity of nuclear steam generators, this paper describes possible alternatives to hydrazine by leveraging the radiation field within nuclear steam generators. Theoretically, low-molecular-weight compounds comprising carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and optionally nitrogen are capable of reacting with oxygen by undergoing a radiation-induced reaction. Experiments under steam generator conditions have confirmed methanol and ethanolamine as effective reductants, as they lower the redox potential and the corrosion potential of the most common nuclear steam generator tubing materials, as well as oxygen levels. Both chemicals have already been used in the nuclear industry.

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