Na-β-Al2O3 based sensor for sodium aerosol

•Testing of sodium-β-Al2O3 based sensor for sodium aerosol.•For identification of sodium leak in fast reactor and sodium facilities.•Experiments were carried out both in laboratory and plant environment.•Instantaneous sensing of sodium aerosol by the sensor.

Electrochemical sensors were constructed using sodium-β-Al2O3 solid electrolyte and tested for sensing sodium aerosols. Performance of them was evaluated both in the laboratory and in plant environment. The sensors responded instantaneously to sodium aerosol and the typical response and retrace times were 5 min and 90 min respectively.