Evaluation of the corrosivity of dust deposited on waste packages at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA
- U.S. Department of Energy, Las Vegas, NV
- Bechtel-SAIC Company, Las Vegas, NV
Potentially corrosive brines can form during post-closure by deliquescence of salt minerals in dust deposited on the surface of waste packages at Yucca Mountain during operations and the pre-closure ventilation period. Although thermodynamic modeling and experimental studies of brine deliquescence indicates that brines are likely to form, they will be nitrate-rich and noncorrosive. Processes that modify the brines following deliquescence are beneficial with respect to inhibition of corrosion. For example, acid degassing (HCl, HNO{sub 3}) could dry out brines, but kinetic limitations are likely to limit the effect to increasing their passivity by raising the pH and increasing the NO{sub 3}/Cl ratio. Predicted dust quantities and maximum brine volumes on the waste package surface are small, and physical isolation of salt minerals in the dust may inhibit formation of eutectic brines and decrease brine volumes. If brines do contact the WP surface, small droplet volumes and layer thicknesses do not support development of diffusive gradients necessary for formation on separate anodic-cathodic zones required for localized corrosion. Finally, should localized corrosion initiate, corrosion product buildup will stifle corrosion, by limiting oxygen access to the metal surface, by capillary retention of brine in corrosion product porosity, or by consumption of brine components (Cl{sup -}).
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 967826
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2005-4890C; TRN: US0904554
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Proposed for presentation at the 29th Annual Symposium on the Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, MRS Annual Meeting held September 12-16, 2005 in Ghent, Belgium.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Evaluation of the Corrosivity of Dust Deposited on Waste Packages at Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Evaluation of the Corrosivity of Dust Deposited on Waste Packages at Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BRINES
BUILDUP
CORROSION
CORROSION PRODUCTS
DEGASSING
DUSTS
EUTECTICS
KINETICS
MANAGEMENT
OXYGEN
PASSIVITY
POROSITY
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RETENTION
THERMODYNAMICS
VENTILATION
WASTES
YUCCA MOUNTAIN