Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/J08607/01
Title:	A STUDY OF SIMULATED FUEL PARTICLE INTERACTIONS ON OXIDISED METAL SURFACES (ERCOS)
Principal Investigator:	Allen, Professor GC
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Physics
Organisation:	University of Bristol
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 December 1993	Ends:	30 November 1996	Value (£):	121,265
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Particle Technology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Particle adhesion to surfaces is a key issue in the study of nuclear reactor accidents and their consequences, where a major source of radioactivity release could be in the form of an aerosol. Much of that release can be reduced by deposition of the aerosol to surfaces within the reactor itself, the extent of which, naturally, depends upon the particle adhesion to those surfaces. To date, centrifuge techniques have been used to measure particle adhesion to appropriate substrates. These measurements have led to the development of a model for capture efficiency and subsequent particle loss. A key feature of this model is the effect of particle and substrate surface roughness, permitting the exertion of both a lifting force and a torque to adhering particles by a turbulently flowing gas. A new technique is now available which permits the direct measurement of lifting forces and torque, while observing contact topology of rough particles, and which also provides for measurements of adhesion in beds of particles a major problem area for the centrifuge technique. The new technique is based on the use of one or a pair of micromanipulator mounted flexible micropipettes which both permit simple particle handling and act as springs for force measurements. Such direct measurements will be used to test the model and develop its use for accurate prediction of capture efficiency in real situations.
Key Findings
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Organisation Website:	http://www.bris.ac.uk