Hydrogen generation during treatments of simulated high-level radioactive waste with formic acid

Journal Article · Tue Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1993 · Nuclear Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5534896

Ritter, J A; Zamecnik, J R; Hsu, Chia Lin W ^[1]

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1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)

The Integrated Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Melter System (IDMS), operated by the Savannah River Technology Center, is a one-fifth scale pilot facility used in support of the startup and operation of the US Department of Energy's DWPF. Seven IDMS runs examined the effect of noble metals in simulated high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and important process variables on the generation of H[sub 2] during the preparation of melter feed with formic acid. The results showed that due to the noble metals in actual HLW, the lower flammable limit of H[sub 2] in air (4 vol%) could be exceeded in DWPF vessels, depending on such factors as offgas generation and air inleakage. A small but detectable quantity of H[sub 2] was generated even in the absence of noble metals. The results also verified that the most important process variable that affected the H[sub 2] generation rate was the amount of formic added to the system. Forced air purge systems with H[sub 2] monitoring instruments were installed in the DWPF to control the concentration of H[sub 2] in the offgas by fuel dilution during melter feed preparation. The design-basis forced air purge flow rate required in the DWPF during radioactive operations was based on the peak H[sub 2] generation rate observed during an IDMS run operated with 25% excess formic acid. This amount of excess formic acid was deemed a credible deviation from nominal operating conditions; therefore, a margin of safety was included in the design basis.

• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 5534896
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; (United States) Vol. 104:3; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CATALYSIS
CERAMIC MELTERS
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DESIGN
ELECTRIC FURNACES
ELEMENTS
FORMIC ACID
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
FURNACES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HYDROGEN
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PILOT PLANTS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SAFETY
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
YIELDS