Fabrication of vitrified isotopic heat and radiation sources for testing in the Asse Mine
The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), under contract to the US Department of Energy, has produced 30 isotopic heat and radiation sources (canisters) for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) to be used as part of a repository testing program in the Asse Salt Mine. PNL was responsible for the fabrication, including filling, closing, decontaminating, and characterizing the canisters. The canisters were fabricated (filled) in three separate processing campaigns using the radioactive liquid-fed ceramic melter to produce a borosilicate glass. Radiochemical constituents (/sup 137/Cs and /sup 90/Sr) were immobilized within the borosilicate glass matrix to yield a product with a predetermined decay heat and surface radiation exposure rate. Canister lid-welding was completed using an autogenous gas tungsten arc welding process. A helium leak test of lid weld tightness verified the leak rate to be no greater than 2.4 /times/ 10/sup /minus/8/ atm-cc/sec, which was less than the criterion of 10/sup /minus/7/ atm-cc/sec. The top, sides, and bottom of the canisters were decontaminated by electropolishing. All canisters were decontaminated to surface smear contamination levels of less than 33 Bq/100 cm/sup 2/ beta-gamma radiation. No significant alpha contamination was observed on canister surfaces. 11 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6381368
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-16658; CONF-890207-10; ON: DE89008129
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management '89, Tucson, AZ, USA, 26 Feb 1989; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CONTAINERS
FABRICATION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
DECONTAMINATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
VITRIFICATION
CLEANING
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
STORAGE
TESTING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES
052000* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management