Measurements of grain-boundary inventories of {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr and {sup 99}Tc in used CANDU fuel
- Whiteshell Labs., Pinawa, Manitoba (Canada)
Two methods were used to measure grain-boundary inventories of {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr and {sup 99}Tc in used CANDU fuel, to corroborate source term estimates based on a fission gas release code. Used fuels were partially oxidized at 200{degrees}C in air to overall compositions of UO{sub 2+x} (0.15{<=} {times} {<=}0.25) to expose UO{sub 2} grain boundaries, followed by leaching in aqueous solution. Only a fraction (2 to 18%) of the calculated gap + grain-boundary inventories for {sup 137}Cs was released. This suggests that the calculations overestimate Cs release or that oxidation does not expose all grain boundaries, or that Cs release from grain boundaries is slow. Release of {sup 90}Sr (0.01 to 0.7%) agreed reasonably well with the source term estimates (0.001 to 0.3%). Release of {sup 99}Tc (0.3 to 1.5%) suggests that the source term estimate for the upper involved leaching of crushed and side-fractionated used fuel in either a static or dynamic system. A direct one-to-one correlation between calculated and measured gap + grain-boundary inventories for {sup 137}Cs was found for low- and medium-power fuels.
- OSTI ID:
- 62188
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-921101-Vol.294; TRN: 95:002922-0003
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 16. Materials Research Society (MRS) fall meeting, Boston, MA (United States), 30 Nov - 5 Dec 1992; Other Information: PBD: 1993; Related Information: Is Part Of Scientific basis for nuclear waste management XVI; Interrante, C.G. [ed.] [Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)]; Pabalan, R.T. [ed.] [Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (United States)]; PB: 959 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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