Thermal runaway of nitric acid-soaked kitty litter in transuranic waste

Journal Article · Thu Sep 22 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Process Safety and Environmental Protection

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2022.09.047· OSTI ID:1894462

Hobbs, Michael L. ^[1]; Britt, Phillip F. ^[2]; Hobbs, David T. ^[3]; Kaneshige, Michael J. ^[1]; Minette, Michael ^[4]; Mintz, Jessica ^[5]; Pennebaker, Frank M. ^[3]; Parker Jr., Gary R. ^[6]; Pierce, Robert ^[3]; Rosenberg, David M. ^[1]; Schwantes, Jon M. ^[4]; Williams, Audrey M. ^[5]

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1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
3. Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Aiken, SC (United States)
4. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
5. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
6. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Precise wording is important in every field of study, including operational procedures. Confusion in the wording “organic” and “inorganic” may have contributed to substitution of an organic kitty litter for an inorganic adsorbent used to prepare nuclear waste for disposal at an underground salt repository. Adsorbents prevent liquids like nitric acid from causing corrosion within the waste drums. However, combination of organic material with nitric acid can cause heat- and gas-generating reactions resulting in thermal runaway, rapid pressurization, and drum rupture. In 2014, waste Drum 68660 containing nitric acid-soaked organic kitty litter exploded and released transuranic waste into the repository. The cause of the accident was never identified. Here we show that the root cause of Drum 68660 igniting was restriction of the drum vent resulting in accelerated nitric acid chemistry, thermal runaway, and radiation dispersal.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830; NA0003525
• OSTI ID: 1894462
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 2431335
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-175761
• Journal Information: Process Safety and Environmental Protection, Journal Name: Process Safety and Environmental Protection Vol. 167; ISSN 0957-5820
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
Cookoff
Drum 68660
Nitric acid and organic kitty litter
Safety analysis
Swheat
Thermal hazard
Transuranic waste drums
WIPP
Waste behavior
Waste characteristics