AIR PASSIVATION OF METAL HYDRIDE BEDS FOR WASTE DISPOSAL

Conference · Mon Jul 02 04:00:00 EDT 2007

OSTI ID:910170

Klein, J; R H Hsu, R

Metal hydride beds offer compact, safe storage of tritium. After metal hydride beds have reached the end of their useful life, the beds will replaced with new beds and the old beds prepared for disposal. One acceptance criteria for hydride bed waste disposal is that the material inside the bed not be pyrophoric. To determine the pyrophoric nature of spent metal hydride beds, controlled air ingress tests were performed. A simple gas handling manifold fitted with pressure transducers and a calibrated volume were used to introduce controlled quantities of air into a metal hydride bed and the bed temperature rise monitored for reactivity with the air. A desorbed, 4.4 kg titanium prototype hydride storage vessel (HSV) produced a 4.4 C internal temperature rise upon the first air exposure cycle and a 0.1 C temperature rise upon a second air exposure. A total of 346 scc air was consumed by the bed (0.08 scc per gram Ti). A desorbed, 9.66 kg LaNi{sub 4.25}Al{sub 0.75} prototype storage bed experienced larger temperature rises over successive cycles of air ingress and evacuation. The cycles were performed over a period of days with the bed effectively passivated after the 12th cycle. Nine to ten STP-L of air reacted with the bed producing both oxidized metal and water.

• Research Organization: SRS
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-96SR18500
• OSTI ID: 910170
• Report Number(s): WSRC-STI-2007-00139
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AIR
HYDRIDES
PASSIVATION
SERVICE LIFE
STORAGE
TITANIUM
TRANSDUCERS
TRITIUM
WASTE DISPOSAL
WATER