Treatment of EBR-I NaK mixed waste at Argonne National Laboratory and subsequent land disposal at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.

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Sodium/potassium (NaK) liquid metal coolant, contaminated with fission products from the core meltdown of Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I) and classified as a mixed waste, has been deactivated and converted to a contact-handled, low-level waste at Argonne's Sodium Component Maintenance Shop and land disposed at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex. Treatment of the EBR-I NaK involved converting the sodium and potassium to its respective hydroxide via reaction with air and water, followed by conversion to its respective carbonate via reaction with carbon dioxide. The resultant aqueous carbonate solution was solidified in 55-gallon drums. Challenges in the NaK treatment involved processing … continued below

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17 p.

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Herrmann, S. D.; Buzzell, J. A. & Holzemer, M. J. February 3, 1998.

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Sodium/potassium (NaK) liquid metal coolant, contaminated with fission products from the core meltdown of Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I) and classified as a mixed waste, has been deactivated and converted to a contact-handled, low-level waste at Argonne's Sodium Component Maintenance Shop and land disposed at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex. Treatment of the EBR-I NaK involved converting the sodium and potassium to its respective hydroxide via reaction with air and water, followed by conversion to its respective carbonate via reaction with carbon dioxide. The resultant aqueous carbonate solution was solidified in 55-gallon drums. Challenges in the NaK treatment involved processing a mixed waste which was incompletely characterized and difficult to handle. The NaK was highly radioactive, i.e. up to 4.5 R/hr on contact with the mixed waste drums. In addition, the potential existed for plutonium and toxic characteristic metals to be present in the NaK, resultant from the location of the partial core meltdown of EBR-I in 1955. Moreover, the NaK was susceptible to degradation after more than 40 years of storage in unmonitored conditions. Such degradation raised the possibility of energetic exothermic reactions between the liquid NaK and its crust, which could have consisted of potassium superoxide as well as hydrated sodium/potassium hydroxides.

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17 p.

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INIS; OSTI as DE00008111

Medium: P; Size: 17 pages

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  • Waste Management Conference 1998 Winter Meeting, Tucson, AZ (US), 03/01/1998--03/05/1998

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  • Report No.: ANL/ED/CP-94029
  • Grant Number: W-31-109-ENG-38
  • Office of Scientific & Technical Information Report Number: 8111
  • Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metadc740176

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Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports

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  • February 3, 1998

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  • Oct. 18, 2015, 6:40 p.m.

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  • April 7, 2017, 3:44 p.m.

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Herrmann, S. D.; Buzzell, J. A. & Holzemer, M. J. Treatment of EBR-I NaK mixed waste at Argonne National Laboratory and subsequent land disposal at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory., article, February 3, 1998; Illinois. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc740176/: accessed May 14, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.

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