Flowthrough dissolution tests using leachants with pH in the range 2 to 7 have been conducted on a moderate burnup Light Water Reactor spent fuel. Such low pH conditions have been modeled as possibly occurring in a failed waste package at the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. The release of total uranium, 99Tc, 90Sr, 137Cs, and 239&240Pu were measured for up to 90% total reaction of the specimens. The reaction rates, determine both from the cumulative release and the release normalized to surface area, were found to decrease with increasing pH and with increasing extent of reaction. The implications to instantaneous release and long-term behavior in a geologic repository are discussed.
Revised: February 23, 2005 |
Published: December 1, 2004
Citation
Hanson B.D., J.I. Friese, and C.Z. Soderquist. 2004.Initial Results From Dissolution Testing of Spent Fuel Under Acidic Conditions. In Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Managment XXVIII. Materials Rsearch Society Symposium Proceedings, 824, 113-118. Warrendale, Pennsylvania:Materials Research Society.PNNL-SA-42262.