Potential for a solids fire during an ITP waste tank deflagration and the impact on gas pressure

Technical Report · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10106561· OSTI ID:10106561

Thomas, J K

During the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) process, solid deposits may form at the water-line on internal waste tank surfaces. These solids may be combustible due to the presence of tetraphenylborate compounds and hence there is a potential that a waste tank deflagration could ignite a solids fire. The work described in this report evaluates the potential for a waste tank deflagration to ignite a solids fire and the subsequent effect on gas pressure. Thermal analyses were performed using a one-dimensional conduction model, radiative heat flux values calculated with the Deflagration Pressure Analysis Code (DPAC), and effective deposit properties calculated from the component properties. It was shown that a solids fire could only be ignited by a waste tank deflagration for a limited range of cases. For the best-estimate mixtures, a solids fire could not be ignited prior to the time the peak gas pressure is reached and would not increase the peak pressure. For the upper-bound mixtures, the thickness of the solid layer which could be ignited is insufficient to increase the energy released by the deflagration by a significant amount. It was also shown that these conclusions are relatively insensitive to uncertainties related to deposit composition. Thus, the contribution from a solids fire to the gas pressure resulting from a waste tank deflagration may be neglected.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 10106561
• Report Number(s): WSRC-RP--93-997; ON: DE94003698
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400800
BORATES
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION, PYROLYSIS, AND HIGH-TEMPERATURE CHEMISTRY
DEPOSITS
FIRES
PRECIPITATION
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SODIUM NITRATES
SOLIDS
TANKS
THERMAL ANALYSIS
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE