Immobilization of rocky flats graphite fines residues

1999 ◽  
Vol 556 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. S. Rudisill ◽  
J. C. Marra ◽  
D. K. Peeler

AbstractThe Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) is developing an immobilization process for graphite fines residues generated during nuclear materials production activities at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Rocky Flats). The continued storage of this material has been identified as an item of concern. The residue was generated during the cleaning of graphite casting molds and potentially contains reactive plutonium metal. The average residue composition is 73 wt% graphite, 15 wt% calcium fluoride (CaF2), and 12 wt% plutonium oxide (PuO2 ). Approximately 950 kg of this material are currently stored at Rocky Flats.The strategy of the immobilization process is to microencapsulate the residue by mixing with a sodium borosilicate (NBS) glass frit and heating at nominally 700°C. The resulting waste form would be sent to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) for disposal. Since the PuO2 concentration in the residue averages 12 wt%, the immobilization process was required to meet the intent of safeguards termination criteria by limiting plutonium recoverability based on a test developed by Rocky Flats. The test required a plutonium recovery of less than 4 g/kg of waste form when a sample was leached using a nitric acid/CaF2 dissolution flowsheet.Immobilization experiments were performed using simulated graphite fines with cerium oxide (CeO2) as a surrogate for PuO2 and with actual graphite fines residues. Small-scale surrogate experiments demonstrated that a 4:1 frit to residue ratio was adequate to prevent recovery of greater than 4 g/kg of cerium from simulated waste forms. Additional experiments investigated the impact of varying concentrations of CaF2 and the temperature/heating time cycle on the cerium recovery. Optimal processing conditions developed during these experiments were subsequently demonstrated at full-scale with surrogate materials and on a smaller scale using actual graphite fines.In general, the recovery of cerium from the full-scale waste forms was higher than for smaller scale experiments. The presence of CaF2 also caused a dramatic increase in cerium recovery not seen in the small-scale experiments. However, the results from experiments with actual graphite fines were encouraging. A 4:1 frit to residue ratio, a temperature of 700°C, and a 2 hr heating time produced waste forms with plutonium recoveries of 4±1 g/kg. With an increase in the frit to residue ratio, waste forms fabricated at this scale should meet the Rocky Flats product specification. The scale-up of the waste form fabrication process to nominally 3 kg is expected to require a 5:1 to 6:1 frit to residue ratio and maintaining the waste form centerline temperature at 700°C for 2 hr.

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 43-53
Author(s):  
G. Klāvs ◽  
A. Kundziņa ◽  
I. Kudrenickis

Abstract Use of renewable energy sources (RES) might be one of the key factors for the triple win-win: improving energy supply security, promoting local economic development, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The authors ex-post evaluate the impact of two main support instruments applied in 2010-2014 – the investment support (IS) and the feed-in tariff (FIT) – on the economic viability of small scale (up to 2MWel) biogas unit. The results indicate that the electricity production cost in biogas utility roughly corresponds to the historical FIT regarding electricity production using RES. However, if in addition to the FIT the IS is provided, the analysis shows that the practice of combining both the above-mentioned instruments is not optimal because too high total support (overcompensation) is provided for a biogas utility developer. In a long-term perspective, the latter gives wrong signals for investments in new technologies and also creates unequal competition in the RES electricity market. To provide optimal biogas utilisation, it is necessary to consider several options. Both on-site production of electricity and upgrading to biomethane for use in a low pressure gas distribution network are simulated by the cost estimation model. The authors’ estimates show that upgrading for use in a gas distribution network should be particularly considered taking into account the already existing infrastructure and technologies. This option requires lower support compared to support for electricity production in small-scale biogas utilities.


Author(s):  
Chris Timms ◽  
Doug Swanek ◽  
Duane DeGeer ◽  
Arjen Meijer ◽  
Ping Liu ◽  
...  

The TurkStream pipeline project is designed to transport approximately 32 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia to Turkey under the Black Sea, with more than 85% of the deep-water route being deeper than 2000 m. The offshore section is intended to consist of two parallel lines, each approximately 900 km long. The preliminary stages of the front end engineering design (pre-FEED) phase was managed by INTECSEA. To support the analyses and design of the deepest portions, a full scale collapse test program was performed by C-FER Technologies (C-FER). This collapse test program, which included 62 full-scale collapse and pressure+bend tests, 54 medium-scale ring collapse tests, and hundreds of small-scale tests, was primarily aimed at measuring, quantifying and documenting the increase in pipe strength and collapse resistance resulting from the thermal induction heat treatment effect (thermal ageing) that arises during the pipe coating process. Two grades of 32-inch (813 mm) outside diameter (OD) line-pipe, SAWL450 and SAWL485 with wall thicknesses of 39.0 mm or 37.4 mm, respectively, were supplied from various mills for testing. The collapse test program objectives were as follows: • Determine the collapse resistance of line pipes originating from various pipe mills; • Determine the pressure+bend performance of line pipes originating from various pipe mills; • Measure the effect of thermal ageing on material and collapse testing results, including the impact of multiple thermal cycles; and • Evaluate the results of medium-scale ring collapse tests as compared to full-scale tests. This paper presents selected results of this work, along with some comparisons to predictive equations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 876 ◽  
pp. 1108-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Till Zürner ◽  
Felix Schindler ◽  
Tobias Vogt ◽  
Sven Eckert ◽  
Jörg Schumacher

Combined measurements of velocity components and temperature in a turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection flow at a low Prandtl number of $Pr=0.029$ and Rayleigh numbers of $10^{6}\leqslant Ra\leqslant 6\times 10^{7}$ are conducted in a series of experiments with durations of more than a thousand free-fall time units. Multiple crossing ultrasound beam lines and an array of thermocouples at mid-height allow for a detailed analysis and characterization of the complex three-dimensional dynamics of the single large-scale circulation roll in a cylindrical convection cell of unit aspect ratio which is filled with the liquid metal alloy GaInSn. We measure the internal temporal correlations of the complex large-scale flow and distinguish between short-term oscillations associated with a sloshing motion in the mid-plane as well as varying orientation angles of the velocity close to the top/bottom plates and the slow azimuthal drift of the mean orientation of the roll as a whole that proceeds on a time scale up to a hundred times slower. The coherent large-scale circulation drives a vigorous turbulence in the whole cell that is quantified by direct Reynolds number measurements at different locations in the cell. The velocity increment statistics in the bulk of the cell displays characteristic properties of intermittent small-scale fluid turbulence. We also show that the impact of the symmetry-breaking large-scale flow persists to small-scale velocity fluctuations thus preventing the establishment of fully isotropic turbulence in the cell centre. Reynolds number amplitudes depend sensitively on beam-line position in the cell such that different definitions have to be compared. The global momentum and heat transfer scalings with Rayleigh number are found to agree with those of direct numerical simulations and other laboratory experiments.


1988 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans G. Scheibel ◽  
V. Friehmelt ◽  
H. Froehlich

ABSTRACTThe fracture and release mechanism of radioactive aerosols of HLW glass and HLW canisters are studied experimentally by laboratory scale and full scale drop tests. The experimental conditions model the conditions of accidental drops in a deep salt repository. The laboratory scale drop tests have a scaling factor of 1:10. Accelerated probes of simulated HLW glass impact on a ground plate and the size distributions of broken fines and released aerosols are measured by sieving and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of aerosol samples.The impact velocity is determined as the dominating impact parameter. Further parameters tested, such as waste glass composition, cooling time (residual thermal stresses), probe temperature at impact, and ground characteristics, show no measurable influence. Source terms of released respirable aerosols are evaluated for two reference cases, borehole drop (impact velocity v = 80 m/s) and reloading hall drop (v = 14 m/s), the values being 0.1 % and to 2.10-4 % respectively of the glass probe mass. The full scale drop tests are performed with European Standard HLW canisters. The canisters keep their integrity in all tests up to drop heights of 14 m. On opening the canisters, the broken fines are analyzed by sieving. The results are in good agreement with the small scale tests and confirm their acceptability for use in a safety analysis.


1988 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Nomine ◽  
A. Billon ◽  
G. Courtois

The confinement ability of a waste package is one of the major safety characteristics to consider in shallow land burial. In order to determine if the confinement is acceptable, in accordance with local policy, one way is to proceed to leaching tests. The practical method, for sake of simplicity, cost and time limit, is to carry out the leaching tests on laboratory samples which are easier to prepare than full-scale blocks, but the representativity of which needs to be treated with caution; it is in this context, that one of the aspect of our work concerns what is known as the “scale effect”.This study has been conducted using blocks the volumes of which are respectively of 200, 20, 2 and 0, 2 1, and made with the same cement-waste form (13 Cs) system.


Author(s):  
Richard Villavicencio ◽  
Young-Hun Kim ◽  
Sang-Rai Cho ◽  
C. Guedes Soares

Numerical simulations are presented, on the dynamic response of a one-tenth scaled tanker double hull structure struck laterally by a knife edge indenter. The small stiffeners of the full-scale prototype are smeared in the small-scale model by increasing the thicknesses of the corresponding plates. The dynamic response is evaluated at an impact velocity of 7.22 m/s and the impact point is chosen between two frames to assure damage to the outer shell plating and stringers. The simulations are performed by LS-DYNA finite element solver. They aim at evaluating the influence of strain hardening and strain rate hardening on the global impact response of the structure, following different models proposed in the literature. Moreover, the numerical model is scaled to its full-scale prototype, summarizing the governing scaling laws for collision analysis and evaluating the effect of the material strain rate on the plastic response of large scaled numerical models.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255393
Author(s):  
Erica K. Baken ◽  
Lauren E. Mellenthin ◽  
Dean C. Adams

Identifying the historical processes that drive microhabitat transitions across deep time is of great interest to evolutionary biologists. Morphological variation can often reveal such mechanisms, but in clades with high microhabitat diversity and no concomitant morphological specialization, the factors influencing animal transitions across microhabitats are more difficult to identify. Lungless salamanders (family: Plethodontidae) have transitioned into and out of the arboreal microhabitat many times throughout their evolutionary history without substantial morphological specialization. In this study, we explore the relationship between microhabitat use and broad-scale climatic patterns across species’ ranges to test the role of climate in determining the availability of the arboreal microhabitat. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we reveal that arboreal species live in warmer, lower elevation regions than terrestrial species. We also employ ecological niche modeling as a complementary approach, quantifying species-level pairwise comparisons of niche overlap. The results of this approach demonstrate that arboreal species on average display more niche overlap with other arboreal species than with terrestrial species after accounting for non-independence of niche model pairs caused by geographic and phylogenetic distances. Our results suggest that occupation of the arboreal microhabitat by salamanders may only be possible in sufficiently warm, low elevation conditions. More broadly, this study indicates that the impact of micro-environmental conditions on temporary microhabitat use, as demonstrated by small-scale ecological studies, may scale up dramatically to shape macroevolutionary patterns.


Author(s):  
Julius Huho ◽  
Margaret Muriuki

Kenya is rapidly urbanizing at an annual rate of about 4.3%. One of the consequences of urbanization has been the problem of food insecurity in peri-urban areas. Increased migration to urban from rural areas has enhanced food insecurity in these areas. The peri-urban area of Kangundo-Tala in Machakos County is one of the fastest-growing peri-urban areas due to its proximity to the capital city of Nairobi. This study investigated the impact of home gardening in enhancing food security in the rapidly urbanizing middle-income Kangundo–Tala peri-urban areas of Machakos County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: to identify the causes of households’ food insecurity in the study area; to examine the factors influencing the adoption of home gardening and; to establish the role of home gardening as a measure of households’ food security. To measure food security, three consumption behaviors were analyzed: consumption changes, food expenditure reduction and income expansion. A qualitative approach was adopted where a total of 120 newly settled households were interviewed. The three main causes of food insecurity were identified (i) small land sizes, (ii) low and erratic rainfall and, (iii) the socialization of peri-urban dwellers. About 68% of the households were practicing at least one form of home gardening. The need for safe and nutritious food, seasonal unavailability, and inaccessibility of food encouraged the establishment of home gardens. From the gardens, households were able to diversify their diets, access safe food and have food readily available. With enhanced stability in food availability, accessibility, and utilization, the study concluded that home gardens played a major role in enhancing food. However, the production was at a very small scale. Up-scaling of home gardening by the Ministry of Agriculture through training was recommended.    


1986 ◽  
Vol 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis F. Bickford ◽  
Daniel J. Pellarin

AbstractA Large-Scale Leach Test Facility (LSLTF) has been constructed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) to perform static leach tests on 24-inch (610 mm)-diameter canister sections cut from simulated (nonradioactive) waste forms cast under reference conditions. The equipment and test procedures are designed to closely correspond to MCC-l leach test criteria.Less than a factor of 3 increase in leachability results from combined scale-up, glass-cracking, leached surface area estimation, and surface roughness effects. This factor is dominated by surface roughness of saw cut surfaces. The factor is negligible when compared to the 200,000/1 ratio of glass sample masses.The MCC-l, and other small-scale leach tests have been valuable in determining the relative merits of alternative waste form compositions. However, the actual waste glass to be stored in repositories is subject to fracture, devitrification, and container/glass interactions, which are difficult to simulate on a laboratory scale. Large-scale leach tests integrate these and other possible waste form characteristics that are not represented in typical small samples.The facility, equipment, test method and results of one year leach test- ing are discussed. These results substantiate the applicability of small scale test data which precede this work, and the use of small scale tests to simulate leaching of the Defense Waste Processing Facility's borosilicate glass product. Exceptionally good sampling statistics make the large scale data particularly well suited for verification of models of leachability rates.


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