Tritium effluent control project progress report, July--September 1975. [Tritiated liquid waste decontamination by molecular excitation, electrolysis of high-level tritiated water, and catalytic exchange detritiation studies]
In the Tritiated Liquid Waste Decontamination (Molecular Excitation) program, it was found that a 1/4'' Nd:YAG amplifier and a Faraday rotator isolator must be added to the oscillator to obtain the required power for the laser excitation experiments. The isotopic selectivity of the two-photon dissociation process was examined in more detail. The selectivity or ratio of HTO to H/sub 2/O molecules that are photodissociated was found to be on the order of 25, which is inadequate for application to large-scale detritiation projects, e.g., nuclear fuel reprocessing plant waste. The selectivity is such that most of the laser energy is wasted in photodissociation of H/sub 2/O. This obstacle may be overcome by pumping more vibrational energy into the HTO molecules. Various schemes towards this end are being considered. Extensive ab initio calculations on the potential surface for the hydrogen atom-water exchange reaction have been carried out. The energy barrier is calculated to be 38 1/2 kcal/mole, which implies that the exchange reaction T + H/sub 2/O ..-->.. HTO + H is at least 10/sup 9/ times slower than the exchange reaction T + H/sub 2/ ..-->.. HT + H. Calculations were also performed on the analogous hydrogen atom-hydrogen fluoride exchange reaction. In lieu of other disposal methods a system using a General Electric UCT-1 regenerative cell has been assembled and tested. This system should be capable of decomposing pure water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. The tritium from this process can be purified and reused instead of buried. A preliminary economic evaluation was made of the HT/H/sub 2/O catalytic exchange detritiation stripping process as it might apply to a 5 metric ton/day nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. A tritiated water shipping container has been designed and developed for use with the ERDA--DOT approved AL--MI secondary container.
- Research Organization:
- Mound Plant (MOUND), Miamisburg, OH (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- E-33-1-GEN-53
- OSTI ID:
- 7196258
- Report Number(s):
- MLM-2288; TRN: 76-013002
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Tritium Waste Control Project progress report: April--June 1976. [LIS; electrolysis; monitor; shipping container; catalytic exchange]
Tritium waste control: April--June 1978. [Catalytic exchange detritiation; liquid waste decontamination; fixation in polymer impregnated concrete; management of high specific activity tritiated wastes]
Related Subjects
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
LIQUID WASTES
TRITIUM
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
DECONTAMINATION
ELECTROLYSIS
HEAVY WATER
ISOTOPIC EXCHANGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CLEANING
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIGHT NUCLEI
LYSIS
MANAGEMENT
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOISOTOPES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
WATER
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage