Tank 241-A-105 leak assessment
Tank 241-A-105 is one of 149 single shell tanks constructed at Hanford to contain and store highly radioactive wastes originating from the processing of spent nuclear reactor fuel. Radiation detection and temperature monitoring devices installed beneath the tank indicate that several episodes of leakage of waste from the tank have occurred. The aim of this study was to evaluate the previous estimates and reanalyze the data to provide a more accurate estimate of leakage from the tank. The principal conclusions of this study are as follows: Earlier investigators estimated leakage prior to August 1968 at 5,000 to 15,000 gallons. Their estimate appears reasonable. Leakage while the tank was being sluiced (8/68--11/70) probably exceeded 5,000 gallons, but probably did not exceed 30,000 gallons. Insufficient data are available to be more precise. Cooling water added to the tank during the sprinkling phase (11/70 -- 12/78) was approximately 610,000 gallons. Sufficient heat was generated in the tank to evaporate most, and perhaps nearly all, of this water. Radionuclides escaping into the soil under the tank cannot be estimated directly because of many uncertainties. Based on a range of leakage from 10,000 to 45,000 gallons, assumed compositions, and decayed to 1/1/91, radioactivity under the tank is expected to be in the range of 85,000--760,000 curies. Measured radiation peaks were nearly all located directly below the perimeter of the tank and, except in rare cases, they showed no tendency to spread horizontally. Moreover, the maximum radiation readings detected are a very small fraction of the radiation reading in the tank. This is the basis for the conclusion that the rate of leakage and, most likely, the quantity leaked, was small. 51 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-87RL10930
- OSTI ID:
- 5087886
- Report Number(s):
- WHC-MR-0264; ON: DE92002047
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
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CESIUM 137
CONTAMINATION
DOCUMENTATION
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MONITORING
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION HEATING
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SPENT FUELS
STORAGE FACILITIES
STRONTIUM 90
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ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
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CONTAINERS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
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HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEATING
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
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MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
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RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR MATERIALS
STORAGE
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
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YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
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