Possible explosive compounds in the Savannah River Site waste tank farm facilities

Technical Report · Sun Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5433141· OSTI ID:5433141

Hobbs, D T

Based on a comparison of the known constituents in high-level nuclear waste stored at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and explosive compounds reported in the literature, only two classes of explosive compounds (metal NO{sub x} compounds and organic compounds) were identified as requiring further work to determine if they exist in the waste, and if so, in what quantities. Of the fourteen classes of explosive compounds identified as conceivably being present in tank farm operations, nine classes (metal fulminates, metal azides, halogen compounds, metal-amine complexes, nitrate/oxalate mixtures, metal oxalates, metal oxohalogenates, metal cyanides/cyanates, and peroxides) are not a hazard because these classes of compounds cannot be formed or accumulated in sufficient quantity, or they are not reactive at the conditions which exist in the tank farm facilities. Three of the classes (flammable gases, metal nitrides, and ammonia compounds and derivatives) are known to have the potential to build up to concentrations at which an observable reaction might occur. Controls have been in place for some time to limit the formation or control the concentration of these classes of compounds. A comprehensive list of conceivable explosive compounds is provided in Appendix 3.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 5433141
• Report Number(s): WSRC-TR-91-444; ON: DE92013216
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
054000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CONTAINERS
ELEMENTS
EXPLOSIVES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITRATES
NITRIDES
NITRITES
NITRO COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
TANKS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES