5
General
5.1
Sodium Heat Pipe Information
5.1.1
Minimum Temperature and Heat-Up Rate
The heat pipe should not be inserted into a hot furnace. The minimum operat-
ing temperature is 500°C. The heat pipe should be installed in a cold furnace
and heated to the minimum operating temperature over a minimum 1 hour pe-
riod. Above the minimum operating temperature the heat-up rate is not
important.
5.1.2
Safety Precautions
The heat pipe was designed for long-term maintenance free operation. It was
performance tested at the factory and in the furnace.
In the event of an accident which results in a rupture of the heat pipe, the small
quantity of sodium may burn.
DO NOT
use water or standard fire extinguishers
on sodium fires. (Refer to MSDS) Standard commercially available materials
for extinguishing sodium fires are dry soda ash (Na
2
CO
3
) or powdered graph-
ite.
A container of one of these products should be kept in the laboratory near
the furnace in case of an accident.
Mechanical damage to the fill tube may cause in-leakage of air at low tempera-
tures. This will evidence itself by cold regions in the heat pipe when at operat-
ing temperature. Operation should be discontinued and an Authorized Service
Center should be consulted.
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