Hot spot in the sludge of Tank 39-H

Technical Report · Tue Mar 17 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7153734

Waste Management Technology has requested SRL assistance in dealing with the hot spot problem. Technical standards and methods of reducing hot spot temperatures are being reviewed. A heat transfer model was run to examine the history and predicted future of Tank 39. Operating data from the tank were examined in order to explain the rapid temperature increase. It is found that: (1) The model predicted that the operating limit temperature would be exceeded in a third consecutive fill cycle of Tank 39. The third cycle was started in September, 1986. (2) The administrative limit for heat generation of 3 million Btu/hr in the tank was not exceeded. Heat generation remained below 2.4 million Btu/hr in 1/87. (3) Side and bottom tank temperatures remained at safe levels. The maximum side and bottom temperatures were 60 and 94/degree/C, respectively. Since waste never boiled against the tank interior, the intent of the technical standard on waste temperature was never violated. (4) Tank 39 temperatures should decline at the rate of 2--3/degree/C/month initially if the tank is left to rest undisturbed.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Lab., Aiken, SC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 7153734
• Report Number(s): DPST-87-344; ON: DE89000009
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CONTAINERS
DATA
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
HIGH TEMPERATURE
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUMERICAL DATA
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SLUDGES
TANKS
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING