Tritium waste control project: October 1976--March 1977

Technical Report · Thu Oct 06 04:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5455175· OSTI ID:5455175

Anderson, H. F.; Kershner, C. J.

Catalytic Exchange Detritiation: A pilot-scale combined electrolysis catalytic exchange system was constructed. Tritiated Liquid Waste Decontamination (Molecular Excitation): The scavenger and irradiation cell apparatus was completed for the two-photon ISP system. The uv source (xenon flashlamp) was adapted to the photolysis cell. A problem with the optical parametric oscillator was traced to prelasing due to a degradation in isolator rejection, and the laser power supply is being modified. Fixation of Aqueous Tritiated Waste in Polymer Impregnated Concrete: An optimum weight percent of catalyst in the monomer of 0.5 percent and an oven curing temperature of 55/sup 0/C were established. The ratio of monomer to concrete is under investigation. Radiation Chemistry Studies of Tritium Fixation Packages: Pressure increase and gas composition were measured over (1) tritiated water (1000 Ci/l) with and without cement-plaster fixation and (2) tritiated n-octane (1000 Ci/l) with and without vermiculite or absorbal fixation. The back reaction that limits pressure buildup over water was inhibited by the fixative. The pressure buildup over waste vacuum pump oils was much less than the ''worst case'' predicted. Management of High Specific Activity Tritiated Liquid Wastes: Drums of solidified liquid waste were inspected one year after assembly. Of the 96 drums, four had internal pressures of 10 psig in the polyethylene primary container. This gas was found to contain H/sub 2/ and N/sub 2/ in addition to the original Ar. In the study of tritium release from typical waste packages, a max release of 1 Ci occurred from a 90,000-Ci package, and the average daily fractional release from six packages is 2 x 10/sup -8/. Pressure tests were performed on both the components and the assembled package. The primary container can withstand a minimum of 30 psig internal pressure and 40 psig when contained in the secondary steel drum. 20 figures, 2 tables.

• Research Organization: Mound Lab., Miamisburg, Ohio (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0053
• OSTI ID: 5455175
• Report Number(s): MLM-2451
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALKANES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BUILDING MATERIALS
CATALYSIS
CLEANING
CONCRETES
DECONTAMINATION
ELECTROLYSIS
HEAVY WATER
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
IMPREGNATION
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
ISOTOPIC EXCHANGE
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIGHT NUCLEI
LIQUID WASTES
LYSIS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NUCLEI
OCTANE
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PACKAGING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLYMERS
PRESSURIZING
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOISOTOPES
REMOVAL
SELF-IRRADIATION
SOLIDIFICATION
TRITIUM
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
WATER
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES