Investigations on the Aging of Activated Carbons in the Exhaust Air of a Pressurized Water Reactor

Abstract

Investigations were performed on the aging of five activated carbons in the containment exhaust air of an FRG pressurized water reactor over a period of three months to determine whether longer stay times can be obtained with activated carbons other than that usually employed [207B (KI)] in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The aging with respect to the retention of methyl iodide (CH₃¹³¹I) was smaller with activated carbons impregnated with KI_x only than with those impregnated additionally or exclusively with a tertiary amine (e.g., triethylene-diamine). It appears that, for the exhaust air examined, no significantly longer stay times can be presently obtained with activated carbons other than 207B (KI).