Analysis of spent fuel as a nuclear waste form

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5695592

Apted, M J; Liebetrau, A M; Engel, D W

The release of radionuclides from spent fuel has been simulated for three different repository sites and waste package designs. Five distinct distributions for containment failure have been considered, and the release of nuclides from the UO/sub 2/ matrix, gap (including grain boundary), crud/surface layer, and cladding has been calculated with the AREST code. Separate scenarios involving incongruent and congruent release from the UO/sub 2/ matrix have also been examined. Releases for individual radionuclides have been evaluated relative to compliance with allowable NRC fractional release rates and EPA 10,000-year cumulative release limits. For the congruent matrix release scenario, spent fuel meets all EPA and NRC release criteria for all cases in which distributed containment failures are assumed. However, for the incongruent matrix release scenario, releases of several nuclides, notably Cs-135 and I-129, are found to be above their NRC limits. Additional studies, especially to determine whether release of nuclides from UO/sub 2/ is congruent or not, are needed before these general conclusions can be further substantiated.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5695592
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-14663; CONF-870306-72; ON: DE88005133
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
510300 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
A CODES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM 135
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPUTER CODES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FUELS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IODINE 129
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
REACTOR MATERIALS
SPENT FUELS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE FORMS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES