Concentration profiles of tritium penetrated into concrete

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Fusion Science and Technology

OSTI ID:22109358

Takata, H.; Furuichi, K.; Nishikawa, M.; Fukada, S.; Katayama, K.; Takeishi, T. ^[1]; Kobayashi, K.; Hayashi, T. ^[2]; Namba, H. ^[3]

---

1. Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Science, Kyushu Univ., Hakozaki 6-10-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan)
2. Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura 319-11, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan)
3. Shimizu Corporation, No.2-3, Shibaural-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8007 (Japan)

Concentration profiles of tritium in cement paste, mortar and concrete were measured after exposure to tritiated water vapor for a given time. Tritium penetrated a distance of about 5 cm from the exposed surface during an exposure of 6 months. The model of tritium behavior in concrete materials reported by the present authors was developed in this study with the consideration of the effects of sand and aggregate on both the diffusion coefficient of tritiated water vapor and the isotope exchange capacity. Predictive calculations based on the tritium transport model were also carried out in some situations of tritium leakage. The results of the calculations show that a large amount of tritium will be trapped in the concrete walls, and the trapped tritium will be gradually released back to the tritium handling room over the time of months to years even after the decontamination of the room is completed. (authors)

• OSTI ID: 22109358
• Journal Information: Fusion Science and Technology, Journal Name: Fusion Science and Technology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 54; ISSN 1536-1055
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CEMENTS
CONCRETES
DECONTAMINATION
DIFFUSION
MORTARS
SAND
SURFACES
TRITIUM
WATER VAPOR