Scaled-up testing of alternative trapping agents for radioactive constituents in plant vent streams

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5567352

Saraceno, A. J.; Reiter, N. F.

Radioactive discharges from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant vent streams are in compliance with present standards specifying radiation limits. Regulatory trends have become increasingly restrictive on the maximum permissible dose to a member of the public. This could mean more stringent controls for radioactive emissions in the future. Fixed bed activated alumina (Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/) trapping is currently the principal method of limiting plant vent stream emissions of technetium and uranium to the atmosphere. Earlier small scale tests identified pure limestone (CaCO/sub 3/) and soda-lime (NaOH-CaO) as more effective than activated Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ for improved control of both radionuclides under top purge vent stream conditions. These same tests showed that soft sintered (400/sup 0/F) sodium fluoride (NaF) was best if only uranium is present. Scaled-up testing of these materials is being carried out, and preliminary data for technetium removal confirm the earlier results. Data for uranium removal efficienty are not complete as yet, but available results indicate the trapping process is capable of significant (80 to 85%) uranium reduction at the 0.5 ppM trap inlet level under prevailing test conditions. Removal efficiency for technetium is higher compared to uranium at on-stream trap times of approximately one month, irrespective of the type trapping agent examined. Factors affecting optimal control of radioactive constituents in plant vent streams by fixed bed trapping operations include: bed loading, trap change-out and recharging requirements; operating trap bank configurations in multiple-bed modes; and stability of sorbent materials. These factors will be studied, and results will be used to define available radionuclide emission control options.

• Research Organization: Goodyear Atomic Corp., Piketon, OH (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76OR00001
• OSTI ID: 5567352
• Report Number(s): GAT-T-3115; CONF-820418-3; ON: DE82011809
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050501 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Uranium Enrichment-- Gaseous Diffusion-- (-1989)
052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
500300 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDES
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM OXIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTROL
DATA
DOLOMITE
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS
GASEOUS WASTES
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE SEPARATION PLANTS
ISOTOPES
LIMESTONE
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
MINERALS
MONITORING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REMOVAL
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM FLUORIDES
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TECHNETIUM 99
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES