Kinetic Theory Analysis of Radionuclide Behavior in the Vacuum-Cesium System of a Thermionic Converter Reactor

The behavior of radionuclides (Kr and Xe) and process gases (CO) in the vacuum-cesium channel of a thermionic converter reactor is modeled by solving Boltzmann’s equation numerically. Modeling techniques and a software system were developed in the course of this work. Series of calculations were performed for the variation of the initial flux of radionuclides, the dependence of the radionuclide flux at the egress on the flux at the ingress was obtained, the dependence of the carbon monoxide pressure in the opening of the connecting channel on the size of the opening was obtained, and the overgrowth time of the opening due to the condensation of cesium carbonate was estimated.