Radcalc for Windows validation and benchmark study
Radcalc for Windows, version 2.01 (Radcalc), is a software program developed by Waste Management Federal Services, Inc., Northwest Operations for the US Department of Energy. It is used to generate selected transportation and packaging data necessary for the shipment of radioactive waste materials. Among its applications are the classification of waste per US Department of Transportation regulations, the calculation of heat and daughter products generated as a result of radioactive decay, and the calculation of the radiolytic production of hydrogen gas. The Radcalc program has been extensively tested and validated by comparison of each Radcalc algorithm to hand calculations. An opportunity to benchmark Radcalc hydrogen gas generation calculations to experimental data arose when the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (REFETS) residue stabilization program collected hydrogen gas generation data to determine compliance with requirements for shipment of waste in the TRUPACT-II. Previously, Radcalc had been benchmarked to residue/waste drums tested at RFETS containing contaminated solid inorganic materials in plastic bags. In this paper Radcalc is compared with data collected for contaminated solid organic waste. The contamination is predominantly due to plutonium and americium isotopes. The information provided by RFETS includes decay heat, hydrogen gas generation rates, calculated hydrogen G{sub eff} values (molecules of hydrogen formed per 100-eV decay heat energy released), and waste material. Radcalc cases are run using RFETS G{sub eff} values, TRUPACT-II G values, and dose-dependent G values. Work on calculating the radiolytic production of hydrogen gas and related increase in package pressure has also been performed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in support of efforts to ship nuclear materials in the 9975 package. The calculations made at SRS are contained in an Excel spreadsheet. The SRS model has been compared with experimental data collected at SRS and at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- Research Organization:
- Waste Management Federal Services, Inc. (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20005748
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 81; Conference: American Nuclear Society 1999 Winter Meeting, Long Beach, CA (US), 11/14/1999--11/18/1999; Other Information: PBD: 1999; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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