Behavior of carbon-14 in waste packages for spent fuel in a repository in tuff
Analysis of gas from a heated air-filled canister containing a spent fuel assembly before and after rupture of a fuel rod shows that about 1.5 mCi of {sup 14}C from the external surface of the assembly was rapidly oxidized and released as {sup 14}CO{sub 2} in excess oxygen at 275{sup 0}C and 10{sup 4} /sup rad//hr. After rupture, an additional 0.3 mCi was released, probably also from the external surface. The total {sup 14}C inventory in the entire 15 x 15 rod assembly including structural hardware is estimated to be 690 mCi. These measurements indicate that accounts will have to be taken of the time distribution of lifetimes of the canisters, and a broad definition of the "engineered system" may be necessary, in order to meet 10CFR60 requirements with spent fuel in a repository in tuff. 22 refs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (United States); New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 59868
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-841157--; ON: TI85015352; ISBN 0-931837-09-X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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