Polyethylene encapsulation of single shell tank low-level wastes

Conference · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 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
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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