Remobilization of Cs-137 in the Steel Creek system following L-reactor restart at the Savannah River Plant

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6594626

Hayes, D W

The L-Reactor at the Savannah River Plant (SRP), which had been shut down in 1968, was restarted in November 1985. As part of the environmental impact statement required to restart the reactor, SRP agreed to monitor Cs-137 transport in Steel Creek, which receives the cooling water discharged from L-Reactor. Since 1955, 284 curies of radiocesium have been discharged from operations at the Savannah River Plant to Steel Creek. The primary source of this radiocesium was leaking failed fuel elements stored in disassembly basins in the P and L Reactor Areas. Water containing Cs-137 was released from these basins to maintain clarity needed for underwater manipulation of irradiated fuel elements. (About 95% of the radiocesium released was Cs-137; about 5% was Cs-134.) After discharge of the Cs-137 from the P and L Reactor areas to Steel Creek, it became associated with the silts and clays in the Steel Creek system. A total of about 67 curies of Cs-137 remains in the Steel Creek system from past discharges from P and L reactors. The geographical distribution has changed very little since it was initially deposited in the 1960's.

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Plant
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 6594626
• Report Number(s): DP-MS-86-216; CONF-870601-14; ON: DE87006383
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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