Radiolytic bubble formation and level changes in simulated high-level waste salts and sludges -- application to Savannah River Site and Hanford Storage tanks
Radiolytically-produced bubbles of trapped gas are observed in simulated high-level waste (HLW) damp salt cake exposed to Co-60 gamma radiation. As the damp salt cake is irradiated, its volume increases due to the formation of trapped gas bubbles. Based on the increase in volume, the rate of trapped gas generation varies between 0.04 and 0.2 molecules/100 eV of energy deposited in the damp salt cake. The maximum volume of trapped gas observed in experiments is in the range 21--26 vol %. After reaching these volumes, the gas bubbles begin to escape. The generated gas includes hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrous oxide. The ratio in which these components are produced depends on the composition of the waste. Nitrous oxide production increases with the amount of sodium nitrite. Gases trapped by this mechanism may account for some of the observed level changes in Savannah River Site and Hanford waste tanks.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 10132250
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-93-535; CONF-940225-63; ON: DE94007970
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management `94: working towards a cleaner environment,Tucson, AZ (United States),27 Feb - 3 Mar 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SIMULATION
TANKS
SALTS
SLUDGES
BUBBLES
GASES
COBALT 60
GAMMA RADIATION
NITRATES
NITRITES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
052000
052001
052002
054000
400201
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES