Lysimeter study of commercial reactor waste forms: waste form acquisition characterization and full-scale leaching

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5942503· OSTI ID:5942503

This report describes work conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) as part of a joint program with Savannah River Laboratory. Typical full-scale (55-gallon drum size) waste forms were acquired by BNL from a boiling water reactor (BWR) and a pressurized water reactor (PWR). Liquid waste stream activity concentrations were analyzed by gamma spectroscopy. This information was used to determine the waste from activity inventory, providing the necessary source term for lysimeter and leaching experiments. Predominant radionuclides of interest include /sup 60/Co, /sup 137/Cs, /sup 134/Cs, and /sup 54/Mn. A full-scale leaching experiment was initiated by BNL encompassing four representative waste stream-solidification agent combinations. Waste streams tested include PWR evaporator concentrate (boric acid waste), BWR evaporator concentrate (sodium sulfate waste) and BWR evaporator concentrate plus ion exchange resins. Solidification agents include masonry cement, portland type III cement, and vinyl ester-styrene (Dow polymer). Analyses of leachates indicate measurable leach rates of /sup 137/Cs, /sup 134/Cs, and /sup 60/Co from both BWR and PWR cement waste forms. The leach rates for both cesium isotopes in cement are at least two orders of magnitude greater than those for cobalt. Leachates from the BWR Dow polymer waste form include the same isotopes present in cement leachates, with the addition of /sup 54/Mn. Cesium leach rates from the Dow polymer waste form are approximately one order of magnitude lower than from an equivalent cement waste form. The /sup 60/Co cumulative fraction release, however, is approximately three times greater for the Dow polymer waste form.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5942503
• Report Number(s): BNL-51613; ON: DE83014660
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CEMENTS
LEACHING
CESIUM 134
CESIUM 137
COBALT 60
LEACHATES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANGANESE 54
POLYSTYRENE
PORTLAND CEMENT
BWR TYPE REACTORS
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
LIQUID WASTES
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SOLID WASTES
SOLIDIFICATION
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BUILDING MATERIALS
CESIUM ISOTOPES
COBALT ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MANGANESE ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MIXTURES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PLASTICS
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYVINYLS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
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053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
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Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 - Power Reactors
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