Non-equilibrium Thermodynamic Dissolution Theory for Multi-Component Solid/Liquid Surfaces Involving Surface Adsorption and Radiolysis Kinetics
A theoretical expression is developed for the dissolution rate response for multi-component radioactive materials that have surface adsorption kinetics and radiolysis kinetics when wetted by a multi-component aqueous solution. An application for this type of dissolution response is the performance evaluation of multi-component spent nuclear fuels (SNFs) for long term interim storage and for geological disposition. Typically, SNF compositions depend on initial composition, uranium oxide and metal alloys being most common, and on reactor burnup which results in a wide range of fission product and actinide concentrations that decay by alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. These compositional/burnup ranges of SNFs, whether placed in interim storage or emplaced in a geologic repository, will potentially be wetted by multi-component aqueous solutions, and these solutions may be further altered by radiolytic aqueous species due to three radiation fields. The solid states of the SNFs are not thermodynamically stable when wetted and will dissolve, with or without radiolysis. The following development of a dissolution theory is based on a non-equilibrium thermodynamic analysis of energy reactions and energy transport across a solid-liquid phase change discontinuity that propagates at a quasi-steady, dissolution velocity. The integral form of the energy balance equation is used for this spatial surface discontinuity analysis. The integral formulation contains internal energy functional of classical thermodynamics for both the SNFs' solid state and surface adsorption species, and the adjacent liquid state, which includes radiolytic chemical species. The steady-state concentrations of radiolytic chemical species are expressed by an approximate analysis of the decay radiation transport equation. For purposes of illustration a modified Temkin adsorption isotherm was assumed for the surface adsorption kinetics on an arbitrary, finite area of the solid-liquid dissolution interface. For one of the two models developed, the propagation velocity of the solid-liquid dissolution interface is assumed proportional to configurational entropy discontinuity across the interface. Based on this assumption, the derived functional forms for non-equilibrium rate-thermodynamic force relationships are different from the near-equilibrium, linear rate-thermodynamic force relationships derived from the non-negative entropy dissipation requirement used in the classical approach of Onsager. These analyses of non-equilibrium thermodynamic processes across a propagating discontinuity, along with other idealized dissolution processes that depend on surface adsorption and radiolysis kinetics, provide generic dissolution response functions for empirical and/or regression analysis of data.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15013436
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-137871; TRN: US0600153
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 8th International Conference on Environmental Management, Bruges, Belgium, Sep 30 - Oct 04, 2001
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
58 GEOSCIENCES
ADSORPTION
ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
DISSOLUTION
ENERGY BALANCE
FISSION PRODUCTS
GAMMA RADIATION
KINETICS
MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR FUELS
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOLYSIS
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
THERMODYNAMICS
URANIUM OXIDES
WASTE STORAGE