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Title: Status of radioiodine control for nuclear fuel reprocessing plants

Abstract

This report summarizes the status of radioiodine control in a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant with respect to capture, fixation, and disposal. Where possible, we refer the reader to a number of survey documents which have been published in the last four years. We provide updates where necessary. Also discussed are factors which must be considered in developing criteria for iodine control. For capture from gas streams, silver mordenite and a silver nitrate impregnated silica (AC-6120) are considered state-of-the-art and are recommended. Three aqueous scrubbing processes have been demonstrated: Caustic scrubbing is simple but probably will not give an adequate iodine retention by itself. Mercurex (mercuric nitrate-nitric acid scrubbing) has a number of disadvantages including the use of toxic mercury. Iodox (hyperazeotropic nitric acid scrubbing) is effective but employs a very corrosive and hazardous material. Other technologies have been tested but require extensive development. The waste forms recommended for long-term storage or disposal are silver iodide, the iodates of barium, strontium, or calcium, and silver loaded sorbents, all fixed in cement. Copper iodide in bitumen (asphalt) is a possibility but requires testing. The selection of a specific form will be influenced by the capture process used.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
5795456
Report Number(s):
PNL-4689
ON: DE83016918
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL; IODINE 129; MARINE DISPOSAL; RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING; ADSORPTION; SOLIDIFICATION; BARIUM COMPOUNDS; CALCIUM COMPOUNDS; CEMENTS; COPPER IODIDES; FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS; IODATES; MORDENITE; OFF-GAS SYSTEMS; SCRUBBING; SILICA; SILVER COMPOUNDS; SILVER IODIDES; STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS; ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BUILDING MATERIALS; CHALCOGENIDES; COPPER COMPOUNDS; COPPER HALIDES; HALIDES; HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS; INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI; INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES; IODIDES; IODINE COMPOUNDS; IODINE ISOTOPES; ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS; ISOTOPES; MANAGEMENT; MATERIALS; MINERALS; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; NUCLEI; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; OXIDE MINERALS; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS; PROCESSING; RADIOISOTOPES; SILICATE MINERALS; SILICON COMPOUNDS; SILICON OXIDES; SORPTION; TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS; WASTE DISPOSAL; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTE PROCESSING; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; ZEOLITES; 052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing; 052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage; 050800 - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing

Citation Formats

Burger, L.L., and Scheele, R.D. Status of radioiodine control for nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. United States: N. p., 1983. Web. doi:10.2172/5795456.
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Burger, L.L., & Scheele, R.D. Status of radioiodine control for nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. United States. doi:10.2172/5795456.
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Burger, L.L., and Scheele, R.D. Fri . "Status of radioiodine control for nuclear fuel reprocessing plants". United States. doi:10.2172/5795456. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5795456.
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@article{osti_5795456,
title = {Status of radioiodine control for nuclear fuel reprocessing plants},
author = {Burger, L.L. and Scheele, R.D.},
abstractNote = {This report summarizes the status of radioiodine control in a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant with respect to capture, fixation, and disposal. Where possible, we refer the reader to a number of survey documents which have been published in the last four years. We provide updates where necessary. Also discussed are factors which must be considered in developing criteria for iodine control. For capture from gas streams, silver mordenite and a silver nitrate impregnated silica (AC-6120) are considered state-of-the-art and are recommended. Three aqueous scrubbing processes have been demonstrated: Caustic scrubbing is simple but probably will not give an adequate iodine retention by itself. Mercurex (mercuric nitrate-nitric acid scrubbing) has a number of disadvantages including the use of toxic mercury. Iodox (hyperazeotropic nitric acid scrubbing) is effective but employs a very corrosive and hazardous material. Other technologies have been tested but require extensive development. The waste forms recommended for long-term storage or disposal are silver iodide, the iodates of barium, strontium, or calcium, and silver loaded sorbents, all fixed in cement. Copper iodide in bitumen (asphalt) is a possibility but requires testing. The selection of a specific form will be influenced by the capture process used.},
doi = {10.2172/5795456},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983},
month = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983}
}
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DOI:  10.2172/5795456
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  • ; ;
    The present backlog of irradiated reactor fuel leads to projections that no fuel out of the reactor less than 10 years need be reprocessed prior to the year 2000. The only radioiodine present in such aged fuel is /sup 129/I (half-life 1.6 x 10/sup 7/ y). The /sup 131/I initially present in the fuel decays to insignificance in the first few hundred days post-reactor. The /sup 129/I content of irradiated fuel is about 1 Ci per gigawatt-year of electricity generated (Ci/GW(e)-y). The US EPA has specified, in 40 CFR 190, a release limit for /sup 129/I of 5 mCi/GW(e)-y. Thusmore » a retention factor (RF) of 200 for /sup 129/I at the fuel reprocessing plant (FRP) is required. Experience indicates that RF values obtained under actual FRP operating conditions can average as little as 10% of experimentally determined RF values. Therefore processes theoretically capable of achieving RF values of up to 10/sup 4/ have been investigated. The US EPA has also specified in 40 CFR 90 a thyroid dose limit of 75 mrem/y for a member of the general public. This dose limit could be readily met at a typical FRP site with an RF value of about 10 or less. Therefore, the limit of 5 mCi/GW(e)-y is more restrictive than the thyroid dose limit for /sup 129/I. The absence of /sup 131/I in effluents from processing of aged fuels makes analysis of /sup 129/I somewhat easier. However, in-line, real-time monitoring for /sup 129/I in FRP gas streams is currently not feasible. Moisture, chemicals, and other radioactive fission products interfere with in-plant measurements. Samples collected over several days must be taken to a laboratory for /sup 129/I analysis. Measurement techniques currently in use or under investigation include neutron activation analysis, scintillation counting, mass spectroscopy, and gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detection. 26 references, 3 figures, 7 tables.« less

  • ;
    With regard to the specific question embodied in California's nuclear statutes about the demonstrated and approved permanent terminal disposal of nuclear waste (assuming that the reprocessing question is now most for legislative purposes), the finding of the Energy Commission is that such a technology has not been demonstrated and that it is even questionable to assume that one will be demonstrated before the mid 1980s. Following upon this finding and addressing the broader question of continued implementation of the policy expressed by the nuclear fuel cycle statutes, the evidence indicates that it is not prudent to continue siting nuclear powerplantsmore » based on an optimistic assumption that waste management technologies to handle nuclear waste will be developed and scientifically demonstrated. The California Legislature has questioned that optimistic assumption by placing the burden of proof on the developers of a demonstrated, scientifically tested process for the permanent and terminal disposal of nuclear wastes. Such a process does not exist at this time. There are many who are optimistic that the development of such a technology will become a reality in the near future. This overview and the supporting report indicate that this optimism is not warranted. Weapons proliferation and degradation of the biosphere by radioactive waste have proved to be unanticipated, difficult and possibly intractable problems in spite of an overriding confidence that nuclear technology would not present such problems. On the basis of the evidence received by this Commission, there are substantial scientific gaps which preclude proceeding on the basis of faith that all the attendant risks and issues will be resolved.« less

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  • ; ;
    A study is reported on how extrapolations of current and developing technology might be applied to the task of reducing radioactive effluents from future fuel reprocessing plants to near zero.'' The study indicates that significant reductions of effluente can be achieved by integrating advanced effluent control systems with new concepts of containment and ventilation that would reduce net inleakage of air to the process enclosures and provide for extensive recycle of gases and liquids. If net plant effluent flow rates can be thus reduced and if the highly efticient fission product removal systems, under development do in fact become available,more » it should be possible to reduce the discharge of activity to the environment in futarff plants by four to six orders of magnitude. Overall plant retention factors in the order of 10/sup 10/ for iodine, 10/sup 5/ for tritium and krypton, and 10/sup 14/ to 10/sup 16/ for part iculates appear possible. (auth)« less