Solubility limits on radionuclide dissolution

Technical Report · Mon Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/59167· OSTI ID:59167

Kerrisk, J F

This paper examines the effects of solubility in limiting dissolution rates of a number of important radionuclides from spent fuel and high-level waste. Two simple dissolution models were used for calculations that would be characteristics of a Yucca Mountain repository. A saturation-limited dissolution model, in which the water flowing through the repository is assumed to be saturated with each waste element, is very conservative in that it overestimates dissolution rates. A diffusion-limited dissolution model, in which element-dissolution rates are limited by diffusion of waste elements into water flowing past the waste, is more realistic, but it is subject to some uncertainty at this time. Dissolution rates of some elements (Pu, Am, Sn, Th, Zr, Sm) are always limited by solubility. Dissolution rates of other elements (Cs, Tc, Np, Sr, C, I) are never solubility limited; their release would be limited by dissolution of the bulk waste form. Still other elements (U, Cm, Ni, Ra) show solubility-limited dissolution under some conditions. 9 references, 3 tables.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 59167
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-84-3054; CONF-841157-7; ON: DE85000665
• Resource Relation: Conference: Materials Research Society annual meeting, Boston, MA (United States), 26-29 Nov 1984; Other Information: PBD: 1984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMERICIUM
SOLUBILITY
DISSOLUTION
TIN
THORIUM
ZIRCONIUM
SAMARIUM
CESIUM
TECHNETIUM
NEPTUNIUM
STRONTIUM
CARBON
IODINE
URANIUM
CURIUM
NICKEL
RADIUM
SPENT FUELS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
TUFF
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
GROUND WATER
PLUTONIUM
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
Yucca Mountain Project