Evaluating detonation possibilities in a Hanford radioactive waste tank
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
Since the early 1940s, radioactive wastes generated from the defense operations at the Hanford site have been stored in underground waste storage tanks. During the intervening years, the waste products in some of these tanks have transformed into a potentially hazardous mixture of gases and solids as a result of radiolytic and thermal chemical reactions. One tank in particular, tank 241-SY-101, has been periodically releasing high concentrations of a hydrogen/nitrous oxide/nitrogen/ammonia gas mixture into the tank dome vapor space. The purpose of this study is to determine the conditions under which a detonation of the flammable gas mixture may occur and damage the tank system. There are two ways that a detonation can occur during a release of waste gases into the dome vapor space: direct initiation of detonation by a powerful ignition source and deflagration to detonation transition (DDT). The first case involves a strong ignition source of high energy, high power, or of large size [{approximately}1 g of high explosive (4.6 kJ) for a stoichiometric hydrogen-air mixture] to directly initiate a detonation by {open_quotes}shock{close_quotes} initiation. This strong ignition is thought to be incredible for in-tank ignition sources. The second process involves igniting the released waste gases, which results in a subsonic flame (deflagration) propagating into the unburned combustible gas. The flame accelerates to velocities that cause compression waves to form in front of the deflagration combustion wave. Shock waves may form and the combustion process may be transformed to a detonation wave.
- OSTI ID:
- 89343
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941102--
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 71; ISSN TANSAO; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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