Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Technical basis for a minimum hydroxide concentration in tanks containing dilute waste

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/119887· OSTI ID:119887

Laboratory tests were performed to address the protection of waste tank steel from corrosion in situations of elevated temperatures up to 75 C (hot spots) in the sludge layer of Extended Sludge Processing (ESP) tanks. Coupon immersion tests were conducted at 75 C in two ESP simulants at four hydroxide (or pH) levels. The nitrite concentrations of the simulants were calculated from the ESP technical standards based on a temperature of 40 C. The results showed that a hydroxide concentration of at least 0.01 M prevented significant corrosion of the steel at the elevated temperature. This conclusion provides the technical basis for the revised minimum hydroxide concentration of 0.01 M in the draft WSRC 241-82H Control Room Process Requirements, for the ESP 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:
119887
Report Number(s):
WSRC-TR--95-0213; ON: DE96001692
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English