Initiation Temperature for Runaway Tri-n-Butyl Phosphate/Nitric Acid Reaction
In a review of the safety basis for solvent extraction processes at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, a question was raised concerning the safety margin associated with a postulated accident involving a runaway tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP)/nitric acid reaction due to the inadvertent heating of a tank. The safety margin was based on studies which showed the maximum temperature would not exceed 128 degrees Celsius compared to 130 degrees Celsius, the minimum initiation temperature for runaway reaction established in the 1950's following damaging incidents at the Savannah River and Hanford Sites. The reviewers were concerned the minimum temperature was not conservative since data for solutions containing 20 wt percent dissolved solids showed initiation temperatures at or below 130 degrees Celsius and process solutions normally contain some dissolved solids.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-96SR18500
- OSTI ID:
- 786603
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-2001-00214; TRN: US0108968
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Twelfth Symposium on Separation Science and Technology for Energy Applications, Gatlinburg, TN (US), 09/15/2001--09/18/2001; Other Information: PBD: 14 Sep 2001
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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