ABSTRACT
Radiation, as an energy source, has the potential to alter the chemistry in the reactor coolant system (RCS) during a severe reactor accident. This may, particularly in the case of fission product iodine, affect the chemical form released to containment, and the timing of release. This paper shows that the radiation field likely to be present in the RCS is insufficient to alter the chemistry of the anticipated dominant iodine species CsI. This result can be extended to other fission products. Hence, transport through the RCS will not be influenced by chemical changes caused by radiolysis.
