Ultimate Disposal of Purex Wastes

Technical Report · Thu Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 1957

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2439237· OSTI ID:2439237

Van Tuyl, H. H. ^[1]

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1. Hanford Site (HNF), Richland, WA (United States)

Since much Chemical Research and Development effort is being expended on the recovery of fission products from Purex waste streams, it seems well to simultaneously consider waste disposal practices, even though the two fields are quite different, with different goals. Recovery necessitates removal of fission products in a highly concentrated form, while disposal requires that most of the waste products be discarded with only minor amounts of fission product contamination. The high concentration of fission products required for recovery purposes is not consistent with the high decontamination factors required for disposal. Therefore economies in waste disposal as a result of recovery programs are unlikely, but not impossible. Of course, the fission products themselves must always be stored until they have decayed sufficiently to permit safe discard. This report will discuss primarily the chemical problems associated with adequate storage or discard of the major waste streams. Safe reduction of the amount of material to be stored, either in tanks or held in the soil, is the first goal, and other possible economies are secondary.

• Research Organization: Hanford Site (HNF), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: NONE
• OSTI ID: 2439237
• Report Number(s): HW--52824; DE92003724
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES