Management of waste cladding hulls. Part II. An assessment of zirconium pyrophoricity and recommendations for handling waste hulls
Abstract
This report reviews experience and research related to the pyrophoricity of zirconium and zirconium alloys. The results of recent investigations of the behavior of Zircaloy and some observations of industrial handling and treatment of Zircaloy tubing and scrap are also discussed. A model for the management of waste Zircaloy cladding hulls from light water reactor fuel reprocessing is offered, based on an evaluation of the reviewed information. It is concluded that waste Zircaloy cladding hulls do not constitute a pyrophoric hazard if, following the model flow sheet, finely divided metal is oxidized during the management procedure. Steps alternative to the model are described which yield zirconium in deactivated form and also accomplish varying degrees of transuranic decontamination. Information collected into appendixes is (1) a collation of zirconium pyrophoricity data from the literature, (2) calculated radioactivity contents in Zircaloy cladding hulls from spent LWR fuels, and (3) results of a laboratory study on volatilization of zirconium from Zircaloy using HCl or Cl/sub 2/.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Lab., Ill. (USA)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 5203818
- Report Number(s):
- ANL-77-63
TRN: 78-005772
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT; REPROCESSING; SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS; DECLADDING; HAZARDS; ZIRCALOY; IGNITION; FUEL CANS; FUEL CYCLE; HEAD END PROCESSES; WATER COOLED REACTORS; ALLOYS; FUEL ELEMENTS; MANAGEMENT; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; SEPARATION PROCESSES; TIN ALLOYS; WASTE MANAGEMENT; ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS; ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS; 050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing; 052000 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management
Citation Formats
Kullen, B J, Levitz, N M, and Steindler, M J. Management of waste cladding hulls. Part II. An assessment of zirconium pyrophoricity and recommendations for handling waste hulls. United States: N. p., 1977.
Web. doi:10.2172/5203818.
Kullen, B J, Levitz, N M, & Steindler, M J. Management of waste cladding hulls. Part II. An assessment of zirconium pyrophoricity and recommendations for handling waste hulls. United States. doi:10.2172/5203818.
Kullen, B J, Levitz, N M, and Steindler, M J. Tue .
"Management of waste cladding hulls. Part II. An assessment of zirconium pyrophoricity and recommendations for handling waste hulls". United States.
doi:10.2172/5203818. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5203818.
@article{osti_5203818,
title = {Management of waste cladding hulls. Part II. An assessment of zirconium pyrophoricity and recommendations for handling waste hulls},
author = {Kullen, B J and Levitz, N M and Steindler, M J},
abstractNote = {This report reviews experience and research related to the pyrophoricity of zirconium and zirconium alloys. The results of recent investigations of the behavior of Zircaloy and some observations of industrial handling and treatment of Zircaloy tubing and scrap are also discussed. A model for the management of waste Zircaloy cladding hulls from light water reactor fuel reprocessing is offered, based on an evaluation of the reviewed information. It is concluded that waste Zircaloy cladding hulls do not constitute a pyrophoric hazard if, following the model flow sheet, finely divided metal is oxidized during the management procedure. Steps alternative to the model are described which yield zirconium in deactivated form and also accomplish varying degrees of transuranic decontamination. Information collected into appendixes is (1) a collation of zirconium pyrophoricity data from the literature, (2) calculated radioactivity contents in Zircaloy cladding hulls from spent LWR fuels, and (3) results of a laboratory study on volatilization of zirconium from Zircaloy using HCl or Cl/sub 2/.},
doi = {10.2172/5203818},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1977},
month = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1977}
}
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