Methodology for calculating combustible gas concentration in radwaste containers: Final report
In September 1984, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued I and E Notice No. 84-72 dealing with the generation of hydrogen (H/sub 2/) and other combustible gases in radioactive waste containers. As an alternative to the tests and/or measurements required by the Notice, a calculational procedure was developed to predict the concentration of H/sub 2/ present inside a waste container after a specified storage duration. The calculational methodology determines the total dose absorbed by the waste as a function of curie loading, waste density, and container geometry, and then calculates H/sub 2/ generation as a function of absorbed dose and a predetermined gas generation constant. To ''benchmark'' the theoretical predictions against actual gas measurements from representative waste packages, liners containing dewatered resin waste that originated during cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) were used for comparison. On average, the predicted H/sub 2/ gas concentrations using the calculational model were within 20% of the H/sub 2/ concentrations measured when the liners were vented prior to shipment. The entire calculational procedure has been implemented on a desk top computer ''electronic spreadsheet,'' designed to be a simple, easy-to-implement tool to calculate H/sub 2/ generation in waste containers with minimal input by the user. Accompanying this report diskette containing the spreadsheet translated into several computer languages for use with various systems. 8 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Analytical Resources, Inc., Wyomissing, PA (USA); Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6588460
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-NP-4938; ON: TI87920349
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GAS YIELDS
CALCULATION METHODS
HYDROGEN
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
CONTAINERS
GAS PRODUCTION RATES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ELEMENTS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
STORAGE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES
YIELDS
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage