Thermal stress analysis of an Am/Cm stabilization bushing melter

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:491489

Gong, C; Hardy, B J

Decades of nuclear material production at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has resulted in the generation of large quantities of the isotopes Am{sup 243} and Cm{sup 244}. Currently, the Am and Cm isotopes are stored as a nitric acid solution in a tank. The Am and Cm isotopes have great commercial value but must be transferred to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for processing. The nitric acid solution contains other isotopes and is intensely radioactive, which makes storage a problem and precludes shipment in the liquid form. In order to stabilize the material for onsite storage and to permit transport the material from SRS to ORNL, it has been proposed that the Am and Cm be separated from other isotopes in the solution and vitrified. The vitrification process in the Platinum-Rhodium alloy vessel generates a wide spectrum of temperature distributions. The melter is partially supported by a suspension system and confined by the flexible insulation. The combination of the fluctuation of temperature distribution and variable boundary conditions, induces stresses and strains in the melter. The thermal stress analysis is carried out with the finite element code ABAQUS. This analysis is closely associated with the design, manufacture and testing of the melter. The results were compared with the test data.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 491489
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS--96-0591; CONF-970726--15; ON: DE97060145
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
AMERICIUM 243
CERAMIC MELTERS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CURIUM 244
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
STRESS ANALYSIS
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
THERMAL STRESSES
VITRIFICATION