Final Report - Gas Generation Testing of Uranium Metal in Simulated K Basin Sludge and in Grouted Sludge Waste Forms

Technical Report · Thu Aug 19 00:00:00 EDT 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/15008844· OSTI ID:15008844

Delegard, Calvin H; Schmidt, Andrew J; Sell, Rachel L; Sinkov, Sergei I; Bryan, Samuel A; Gano, Sue; Thornton, Brenda M

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is being considered for the disposal of K Basin sludge as RH-TRU. Because the hydrogen gas concentration in the 55-gallon RH-TRU sealed drums to be transported to WIPP is limited by flammability safety, the number of containers and shipments likely will be driven by the rate of hydrogen generated by the uranium metal-water reaction (U + 2 H{sub 2}O {yields} UO{sub 2} + 2 H{sub 2}) in combination with the hydrogen generated from water and organic radiolysis. Gas generation testing was conducted with uranium metal particles of known surface area, in simulated K West (KW) Basin canister sludge and immobilized in candidate grout solidification matrices. This study evaluated potential for Portland cement and magnesium phosphate grouts to inhibit the reaction of water with uranium metal in the sludge and thereby permit higher sludge loading to the disposed waste form. The best of the grouted waste forms decreased the uranium metal-water reaction by a factor of four.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 15008844
• Report Number(s): PNNL-14811; 830403000; TRN: US0404068
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 19 Aug 2004
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
08 HYDROGEN
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CONTAINERS
FLAMMABILITY
GROUTING
HYDROGEN
MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATES
MATRICES
MOLTEN METAL-WATER REACTIONS
PORTLAND CEMENT
RADIOLYSIS
SLUDGES
SURFACE AREA
TESTING
URANIUM
WASTE FORMS
WIPP
HANFORD K BASIN
K BASIN SLUDGE
SIMULATED K BASIN SLUDGE
GROUTED WASTE FORMS
SCHOEPITE
GAS GENERATION
URANIUM METAL
URANIUM METAL-WATER REACTION
WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT
MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE GROUT
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM HYDRIDE
CORROSION