EVALUATION OF RADIOLYSIS INDUCED HYDROGEN GENERATION IN DOT 6M DRUMS FROM INTEC

Vinson, D

Savannah River Site (S.C.)

关键词: Flammability;    Hydrogen Production;    Storage;    Radiolysis;    Idaho Chemical Processing Plant;   

DOI  :  10.2172/909610
RP-ID  :  WSRC-TR-2007-00200
RP-ID  :  DE-AC09-96SR18500
RP-ID  :  909610

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Three DOT 6M 30-gallon drums are scheduled to be shipped from the Idaho Nuclear Technology Engineering Center (INTEC) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to L-Area at the Savannah River Site (SRS). These three drums contain radioactive materials that resulted from the material recovery effort following a small explosion that had occurred in the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) hot chemistry laboratory (HCL). In support of the shipment and subsequent storage of the three DOT 6M drums, an evaluation of the potential for molecular hydrogen production in the drums has been completed and documented herein. The potential sources of hydrogen evaluated in the current report include radiolytic decomposition of polymeric materials in the DOT 6M drums No.3031 and No.3598 and the radiolytic decomposition of water in drum No.20102. No other potential sources have been identified based upon reported drum contents and packaging configuration. A parametric approach was used to evaluate the maximum quantity of molecular hydrogen that can be expected to evolve in two DOT 6M 30-gallon drums in support of receipt and subsequent interim storage prior to canyon processing. These drums are two of three drums scheduled for shipment from INTEC to SRS as part of the decommissioning effort of the INTEC facility. The three DOT 6M drums will be received at L-Area in SRS and stored for up to 13-years prior to final disposition at HB-Line in 2020. Results of the current analysis do not include parametric analysis of drum No.20102 containing 114/133 SAL (salvage) which contains UO{sub 3} powder. This drum has not been identified as containing polymeric materials and a conservative calculation indicates that the maximum gross molecular hydrogen production due to the radiolysis of adsorbed moisture would yield a production rate of 5.1-cm{sup 3}/yr, driven primarily by the large surface are to volume ratio of the oxide powder. The remaining two drums, No.3031 and No.3598 contain polymer bags and/or bottles that will be subject to radiolytically induced hydrogen gas generation due to decomposition of the polymers. Conservative values for hydrogen gas generation rates and rates of pressure increase within the drums have been determined based upon a number of inputs and assumptions. The results are that hydrogen will be produced at a rate of 1.93-cm{sup 3}/yr and 1.50-cm{sup 3}/yr, respectively for drums No.3031 and No.3598. Projected molecular hydrogen concentrations at 2020 have been calculated to remain below the lower flammability limit of 4% molecular hydrogen by volume in air.