Evaluation of tanks that release flammable gases

Conference · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5883181

Babad, H; Reynolds, D A; Stepnewski, D D; Johnson, G D

Scenarios of significant concern associated with waste in these flammable gas tanks include the following. The potential for ignition of flammable gases such as hydrogen-air and/or hydrogen-nitrous oxide, and the potential for secondary ignition of organic-nitrate mixtures no the crust initiated by the burning of flammable gases or mechanical in-tank energy source. Administrative and technical controls are in place to restrict activities that could cause undersirable exothermic reactions. So-called normal'' activities for tanks at issue are limited to surveillance. Special safety analysis documents prepared for all work inside the tank are extensively peer reviewed and require US Department of Energy (DOE) approval. Although there are 22 other tanks also suspected of potentially containing smaller accumulations of hydrogen or other flammable gases, this paper will focus only on Tank 241-SY-101. There is a significant difference in severity between Tank 241-SY-101 and the other 22 tanks. Evidence of venting, surface level behavior, and knowledge of the other tank contents suggests a much lower likelihood of potentially dangerous gas concentrations in these other tanks. This paper will center on Tank 241-SY-101 because it is currently the focus of efforts to understand and ultimately remediate the problem.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-87RL10930
• OSTI ID: 5883181
• Report Number(s): WHC-SA-1216; CONF-910981-54; ON: DE92008359
• Resource Relation: Conference: Environmental remediation '91 conference, Pasco, WA (United States), 8-11 Sep 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
FERROCYANIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
GASES
FLAMMABILITY
HANFORD RESERVATION
TANKS
HYDROGEN
SAFETY
AMMONIA
COMBUSTION
NITROGEN OXIDES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SLUDGES
SLURRIES
THERMODYNAMICS
CHALCOGENIDES
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
COMPLEXES
CONTAINERS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IRON COMPLEXES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NONMETALS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
SUSPENSIONS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
400800 - Combustion
Pyrolysis
& High-Temperature Chemistry
053004 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects- Design Basis & Hypothetical Accidents- (1992-)