2 research outputs found
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Nitrous oxide production from radiolysis of simulted high-level nuclear waste solutions
Nitrous oxide gas (N{sub 2}O) is produced by the radiolysis of aqueous nitrate or nitrite solutions in the presence of organic compounds. When ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or N- (2-hydroxyethyl)-ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA) is present, the G-value for hydrogen increases and N{sub 2}O become the major gaseous product (G=0.54). A survey of organic compounds indicates the amount of N{sub 2}O formed depends on the structure of the organic. With highly oxidized organics (carbonate, formate, acetate and oxalate), little or no N{sub 2}O is formed. Aromatic and aliphatic organics (sodium tetraphenylborate, benzene, phenol, n-paraffin, and tributylphosphate) produce small amounts of N{sub 2}O. Water soluble, easily oxidized organics (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, acetone, and ethylene glycol) produce large amounts of N{sub 2}O relative to the previous two categories. Nitrous oxide production is not greatly affected by pH between neutral and pH=13, but increases significantly in acid solution. The G-value for N{sub 2}O production in 10 wt% potassium tetraphenylborate slurries has been measured under process conditions important at the Savannah River Site
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Gas generation and retention in Tank 101-SY: A summary of laboratory studies, tank data, and information needs
Chemical and radioactive wastes from processes used to separate plutonium from uranium are stored in underground tanks at the Hanford Site in Washington state. In March 1981, it was observed that the volume of wastes in Tank 101-SY slowly increased, followed by a rapid decrease and the venting of large quantities of gases. These cycles occurred every 8 to 15 weeks and continue to the present time. Subsequent analyses showed that these gases were composed primarily of hydrogen and nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O). In response to the potential for explosion and release of hazardous materials to the environment, laboratory programs were initiated at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT), Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), and Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC), to develop a better understanding of the physical and chemical processes occurring in this waste tank. An aggressive sampling and analysis effort is also under way to characterize the wastes as fully as possible. These efforts will provide a technically defensible basis for safety analyses and future mitigation/remediation of the tank and its contents