Radon suppression in storage silos at the United States Department of Energy Feed Material Production Center, Fernald, Ohio

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6302645

Land, R R ^[1]; Biancheria, A ^[2]; Craig, J R ^[3]

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1. Bechtel National, Inc. (USA)
2. Westinghouse Materials Co., Fernald, OH (USA)
3. USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)

Two silos at the Department of Energy Feed Material Production Facility in Fernald, Ohio, contain an estimated 8800 metric tons of high-grade pitchblende ore residue solids, which contain approximately 3,300 curies (Ci) of radium and 1810 Ci of thorium. These silos are the subject of an on-going CERCLA RI/F Program. Fugitive radon emissions from the silos exceed EPA limits. In addition, structural analyses have revealed that the silos have little credible remaining design life. While pursuing final remediation, a removal action is being taken to address the current situation. The removal action entails the emplacement of a covering layer of bentonite slurry inside the silos. The bentonite will reduce the fugitive emissions to EPA limits and mitigate the effects of dome structural failure, while presenting minimum impact on potential final remedial action alternatives for the silos. 4 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Materials Co. of Ohio, Cincinnati, OH (USA). Feed Materials Production Center
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-86OR21600
• OSTI ID: 6302645
• Report Number(s): FMPC-2215; CONF-910270--4; ON: DE91006914
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050400 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Feed Processing
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
054000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BENTONITE
CARBON 14 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CLAYS
CONTAMINATION
COST
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
FEED MATERIALS PRODUCTION CENTER
FLUIDS
GASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MINERALS
MINIMIZATION
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MITIGATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEON 24 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
PITCHBLENDE
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE MINERALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM 226
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RADON
RARE GASES
REMEDIAL ACTION
RESIDUES
STORAGE
STORAGE FACILITIES
THORIUM 230
THORIUM ISOTOPES
URANINITES
URANIUM 235
URANIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM MINERALS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES