Long-term performance of polymeric materials in nuclear power plants

Abstract: Access to energy is crucial for modern societies to function sustainably. In addition, nuclear power has for a long time been considered a reliable source of energy. However, the majority of nuclear power plants are reaching the end of their service lifetimes, and it is crucial to verify that every component can withstand the added service time. With the ability to monitor the condition of components and perform lifetime predictions, suitable maintenance and safe operations can be achieved.The specific focus of this study was on ethylene-propylene diene (EPDM) rubber sealants with high filler content, which are replacing halogen-containing polymers. Two types of EPDM seals were studied: Lycron (Brattbergare), which is used in cable transit seal systems in reactor containment, and a carbon black-filled EPDM rubber sealant installed in a transportation valve for transporting old/spent nuclear fuel situated underwater in a reactor basin.The changes that occur in EPDM cable transit seals during thermal ageing and the causes of these changes were investigated. Samples were tested at different temperatures between 110 °C and 170 °C and evaluated with respect to the distance from the surface via modulus profiling, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results showed the existence of three different deterioration mechanisms during ageing. By combining the different profile parameters, it was possible to quantify the contributing mechanism and to obtain information about the kinetics of the different processes. The effects of γ-irradiation on the EPDM cable transit seals in media with different oxygen partial pressures (1 – 21.2 kPa) were studied. By employing different profiling methods, it was possible to separate the mechanisms: polymer oxidation, migration of molar mass species and anaerobic changes in the polymer network. Additionally, the migration process during γ-irradiation was found to be accelerated for higher oxygen partial pressures. The effects of radiation on carbon black-filled EPDM seals in air and water were studied via irradiating samples at high dose rates (7 kGy/h) up to 3.5 MGy. This is the first study on the cross-sectional profiles of highly filled EPDM materials exposed to radiation in water, and it shows great differences in the chemical and physical properties of the material after irradiation in air and water. Of particular interest in this study were the use of a non-invasive portable NMR sensor (NMR-MOUSE) to acquire spatially resolved information from samples and the investigation of this promising method for onsite condition monitoring tests.