RADIATION PROTECTION ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (4): 388-395.

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Research on the effects of environmental atmosphere on graphite sphere frictional powder generation and the particle size and shape characteristics of graphite dust

GUO Lixiao1,2, HUANG Shulong1, ZHANG Yuhang1, LIU Ying3, CAO Jian3, JIANG Ziqi3   

  1. 1. China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006;
    2. Xi'an Jiaotong Univsrsity, Xi'an 710049;
    3. Huaneng Shandong Shidaobay Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., Shandong Rongcheng 264312
  • Received:2025-02-17 Published:2025-07-28

Abstract: In order to explore the frictional powder generation mechanism of graphite dust in high-temperature gas cooled reactors, reveal the influence of atmospheric environment on the characteristics of graphite dust generation, and to optimize the operational safety of high-temperature gas cooled reactors, the friction and wear behavior of graphite balls using the same process and material as those used in the HTR-PM commercial high-temperature gas cooled demonstration reactor was carried out under different atmospheric conditions, through self-designed friction and wear tests, and the physical properties such as particle size and shape of graphite dust were characterized. The results show that the friction mode in helium atmosphere is mainly abrasive wear, and graphite dust produces more particles in helium atmosphere, but the particle size distribution is relative small. The frictional powder production on the surface of graphite spheres is directly related to surface roughness, with an average maximum powder loss of about 160 mg per graphite sphere. The graphite dust particles generated by friction are flake like, with a median sphericity of 0.84 and a median aspect ratio of 0.61.

Key words: high temperature gas cooled reactor, graphite dust, friction and wear

CLC Number: 

  • TL77