Development of Equipment for the Retrieval, Stabilization and Encapsulation of Radioactive Sludge at the Hanford Site.

Roosendaal, G. D. ; Crawford, G. ; Phillips, C.

Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee

关键词: Sludges;    Radioactive waste retrieval;    Containers;    Encapsulation;    Fuel elements;   

RP-ID  :  DE2005841363

学科分类：工程和技术（综合）

美国|英语

来源: National Technical Reports Library

【 摘 要 】

This poster presentation describes and illustrates some of the equipment and tools that Fluor Hanford and BNG America have developed and designed to remove, transport, stabilize and encapsulate radioactive sludge from the K Basins at the Hanford nuclear site in Washington State, U.S.A. K Basins were built in the early 1950s to temporarily store irradiated nuclear fuel prior to chemical processing to remove plutonium for nuclear weapons. The sludge is the result of corrosion of these fuel elements and its removal is the final stage before the basin water can be drained and the basins decommissioned. The sludge is hydrogen-generating because of its uranium metal content and account has to be taken also of its heat generating capacity and criticality potential as it is moved from one containment to another. The paper describes all stages of sludge treatment from the use of vacuum wands to suck up the sludge, through consolidating the sludge in temporary underwater containers, transporting it though flexible, temporary pipe systems, acceleration of the corrosion of uranium to reduce hydrogen generation, measuring the fissile content and finally encapsulation in a cement grout.