Polyethylene encapsulation of single shell tank low-level wastes

Conference · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10132661· OSTI ID:10144581

Kalb, P D; Fuhrmann, M; Colombo, P

Polyethylene encapsulation is being explored for potential use in treating nitrate salts and sludges at US Department of Energy (US DOE) underground storage tank facilities. Some of these wastes contain high concentrations of fission products and are expected to maintain equilibrium temperatures of 50--70{degrees}C for many years. The potential effects of elevated temperature and high radiation conditions on key waste form properties (e.g., mechanical integrity, leachability) are examined. After 6 months of thermal conditioning, waste form tests specimens show no degradation in mechanical integrity. Leaching at elevated temperature resulted in a small increase in leach rate (a factor of less than two), while diffusion remained the dominant mechanism of release. Full-scale polyethylene waste forms containing 50--70 wt % nitrate salt can be expected to leach a total of 5--17% of the original contaminant source term after 300 years of leaching under worst-case conditions (fully saturated at 70{degrees}C).

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 10144581
• Report Number(s): BNL-48607; CONF-930205-56; ON: DE93010868
• Resource Relation: Conference: Waste management `93,Tucson, AZ (United States),28 Feb - 4 Mar 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ENCAPSULATION
HANFORD RESERVATION
REMEDIAL ACTION
POLYETHYLENES
NITRATES
WASTE FORMS
LEACHING
SALTS
DIFFUSION
FISSION PRODUCTS
CEMENTS
GROUTING
STRONTIUM 90
CESIUM 137
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
SAMPLING
052002
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE