Membrane mediated separation of tritiated water from water without phase change
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
This development effort at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has been directed toward the separation of tritium (via {sup 3}HOH or HTO) from contaminated groundwater with the use of membrane technology. Tritium contamination exists in both aquifers and water used for reactor cooling and represents both a technical and financial challenge for the U.S. Department of Energy. Currently, the primary option for the remediation low-level tritium is migration with time through geologic formations. However, point sources containing tritiated water can be attacked by separation technology, thus directly addressing environmental concerns. The separation technology reported here is especially applicable to tritium-contaminated water generated in nuclear fuel storage basins. At Hanford, the dual K basins contain 1000 tonnes of fuel with cooling waters; the K-east basin contains 5.7 million litres of water at 11.1 MBq (3 {mu}Ci/l). The K-west basin contains 300,000 pCi/l also due to canister leakage. The membrane investigated for separation was an aromatic polyphosphazene.
- OSTI ID:
- 91986
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941102-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 95:004215-0074
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 71; Conference: Winter meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), Washington, DC (United States), 13-18 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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