Development of a gas-generation model for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Conference · Thu Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:10147418

Brush, L H; Storz, L J ^[1]; Garner, J W ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. Applied Physics, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Design-basis transuranic (TRU) waste to be emplaced in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico may generate significant quantities of gas, which may affect the performance of the WIPP with respect to regulations for radioactive and/or chemically hazardous waste constituents. We are developing a model to predict gas generation in WIPP disposal rooms during and after filling and sealing. Currently, the model includes: (1) oxic and anoxic corrosion of steels and other Fe-base alloys, including passivation and depassivation; (2) microbial degradation of cellulosics with O{sub 2}, NO{sub 3}{sup {minus}}, FeO(OH), SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}, or CO{sub 2} as the electron acceptor; (3) {alpha} radiolysis of brine; (4) consumption of CO{sub 2} and, perhaps, H{sub 2}S by Ca(OH){sub 2} (in cementitious materials) and CaO (a potential backfill additive). The code simulates these processes and interactions among them by converting reactants (steels, cellulosics, etc.) to gases and other products at experimentally observed or estimated rates and plotting temporal reaction paths in three-dimensional phase diagrams for solids in the Fe-H{sub 2}O-CO{sub 2}-H{sub 2}-H{sub 2}S system.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 10147418
• Report Number(s): SAND--94-1145C; CONF-931195--4; ON: DE94010756; BR: GB0103012
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201
550700
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
BIODEGRADATION
BRINES
CARBONATES
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTAINERS
CORROSION
CORROSION AND EROSION
GASES
HYDROXIDES
IRON COMPOUNDS
MICROBIOLOGY
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
SALT DEPOSITS
SYNTHESIS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WIPP