Status of radioiodine control for nuclear fuel reprocessing plants

Technical Report · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5795456· OSTI ID:5795456

Burger, L L; Scheele, R D

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.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5795456
• Report Number(s): PNL-4689; ON: DE83016918
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
052002 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ADSORPTION
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BUILDING MATERIALS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CEMENTS
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER HALIDES
COPPER IODIDES
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IODATES
IODIDES
IODINE 129
IODINE COMPOUNDS
IODINE ISOTOPES
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MARINE DISPOSAL
MATERIALS
MINERALS
MORDENITE
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOISOTOPES
SCRUBBING
SILICA
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SILVER COMPOUNDS
SILVER IODIDES
SOLIDIFICATION
SORPTION
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ZEOLITES