Engineering topics

Soderquist, Chuck Z.

Publications and source records attributed to Soderquist, Chuck Z..

29 records · Page 2

DOE OSTI2015

Measuring the Noble Metal and Iodine Composition of Extracted Noble Metal Phase from Spent Nuclear Fuel Using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

Mass quantities of noble metal and iodine nuclides in the metallic noble metal phase extracted from spent fuel are measured using instrumental neutron activation analysis (NAA). Nuclide presence is predicted using fission yield analysis, and mass quantification is derived from standard gamma spectroscopy and radionuclide decay analysis. The nuclide compositions of noble metal phase derived from two dissolution methods, UO2 fuel dissolved in nitric acid and UO2 fuel dissolved in ammonium-carbonate and hydrogen-peroxide solution, are compared. Lastly, the implications of the rapid analytic speed of instrumental NAA are discussed in relation to potential nuclear forensics applications.

Palomares, R. I.↗

DOE OSTI2015

Modeling and production of 240Am by deuteron-induced activation of a 240Pu target

A novel reaction pathway for production of 240Am is reported. Models of reaction cross-sections in EMPIRE II suggests that deuteron-induced activation of a 240Pu target produces maximum yields of 240Am from 11.5 MeV incident deuterons. This activation had not been previously reported in the literature. A 240Pu target was activated under the modeled optimum conditions to produce 240Am. The modeled cross-section for the 240Pu(d, 2n)240Am reaction is on the order of 20-30 mbarn, but the experimentally estimated value is 5.3 ± 0.2 mbarn. We discuss reasons for the discrepancy as well as production of other Am isotopes that contaminate the final product.

240Am↗

DOE OSTI2014

Conditions for critical effects in the mass action kinetics equations for water radiolysis

We report on a subtle global feature of the mass action kinetics equations for water radiolysis that results in predictions of a critical behavior in H2O2 and associated radical concentrations. While radiolysis kinetics has been studied extensively in the past, it is only in recent years that high speed computing has allowed the rapid exploration of the solution over widely varying dose and compositional conditions. We explore the radiolytic production of H2O2 under various externally fixed conditions of molecular H2 and O2 that have been regarded as problematic in the literature – specifically, “jumps” in predicted concentrations, and inconsistencies between predictions and experiments have been reported for alpha radiolysis. We computationally map-out a critical concentration behavior for alpha radiolysis kinetics using a comprehensive set of reactions. We then show that all features of interest are accurately reproduced with 15 reactions. An analytical solution for steady-state concentrations of the 15 reactions reveals regions in [H2] and [O2] where the H2O2 concentration is not unique – both stable and unstable concentrations exist. The boundary of this region can be characterized analytically as a function of G-values and rate constants independent of dose rate. Physically, the boundary can be understood as separating a region where a steady-state H2O2 concentration exists, from one where it does not exist without a direct decomposition reaction. We show that this behavior is consistent with reported alpha radiolysis data and that no such behavior should occur for gamma radiolysis. We suggest experiments that could verify or discredit a critical concentration behavior for alpha radiolysis and could place more restrictive ranges on G-values from derived relationships between them.

Wittman, Richard S.↗

DOE OSTI2014

Method and system for radioisotope generation

A system and a process for producing selected isotopic daughter products from parent materials characterized by the steps of loading the parent material upon a sorbent having a functional group configured to selectively bind the parent material under designated conditions, generating the selected isotopic daughter products, and eluting said selected isotopic daughter products from the sorbent. In one embodiment, the process also includes the step of passing an eluent formed by the elution step through a second sorbent material that is configured to remove a preselected material from said eluent. In some applications a passage of the material through a third sorbent material after passage through the second sorbent material is also performed.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2014

Redox-Dependent Solubility of Technetium in Low Activity Waste Glass

The solubility of technetium was measured in a Hanford low activity waste glass simulant. The simulant glass was melted, quenched and pulverized to make a stock of powdered glass. A series of glass samples were prepared using the powdered glass and varying amounts of solid potassium pertechnetate. Samples were melted at 1000°C in sealed fused quartz ampoules. After cooling, the bulk glass and the salt phase above the glass (when present) were sampled for physical and chemical characterization. Technetium was found in the bulk glass up to 2000 ppm (using the glass as prepared) and 3000 ppm (using slightly reducing conditions). The chemical form of technetium obtained by x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy can be mainly assigned to isolated Tc(IV), with a minority of Tc(VII) in some glasses and TcO 2 in two glasses. The concentration and speciation of technetium depends on glass redox and amount of technetium added. Solid crystals of pertechnetate salts were found in the salt cake layer that formed at the top of some glasses during the melt.

LAW glass↗

DOE OSTI2014

Separation of metallic residues from the dissolution of a high-burnup BWR fuel using nitrogen trifluoride

Nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) was used to fluorinate the metallic residue from the dissolution of a high burnup, boiling water reactor fuel (~70 MWd/kgU). The metallic residue included the noble metal phase (containing ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, technetium, and molybdenum), and smaller amounts of zirconium, selenium, tellurium, and silver. Exposing the noble metal phase to 10% NF 3 in argon between 400 and 550°C, removed molybdenum and technetium near 400°C as their volatile fluorides, and ruthenium near 500C as its volatile fluoride. The events were thermally and temporally distinct and the conditions specified are a recipe to separate these transition metals from each other and from the noble metal phase nonvolatile residue. Depletion of the volatile fluorides resulted in substantial exothermicity. Thermal excursion behavior was recorded under non-adiabatic, isothermal conditions that typically minimize heat release. Physical characterization of the metallic noble phase and its thermal behavior are consistent with high kinetic velocity reactions encouraged by the nanoparticulate phase or perhaps catalytic influences of the mixed platinum metals with nearly pure phase structure. Post-fluorination, only two phases were present in the residual nonvolatile fraction. These were identified as a nano-crystalline, metallic palladium cubic phase and a hexagonal rhodium trifluoride (RhF 3 ) phase. The two phases were distinct as the sub-µm crystallites of metallic palladium were in contrast to the RhF 3 phase, which grew from the parent nano-crystalline noble-metal phase during fluorination, to acicular crystals exceeding 20-µm in length.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2014

Raman Analysis of Perrhenate and Pertechnetate in Alkali Salts and Borosilicate Glasses

Sodium borosilicate glasses containing various concentrations of rhenium or technetium were fabricated, and their vibrational spectra studied using a Raman microscope. Spectra were interpreted with reference to new high resolution measurements of alkali pertechnetates and perrhenates NaReO4, KReO4, NaTcO4, and KTcO4. At low concentrations of ReO4- or TcO4-, glass spectra show weak peaks superimposed on a dominant spectrum of glass characteristic of silicate and borate network vibrations. At high concentrations, sharp peaks characteristic of crystal field splitting and C4h symmetry dominate the spectra of glasses, indicating alkali nearby tetrahedral Re or Tc. Often peaks indicative of both the K and Na pertechnetates/ perrhenates are evident in the Raman spectrum, with the latter being favored at high additions of the source chemical, since Na is more prevalent in the glass and ion exchange takes place. These results have significance to immobilization of nuclear waste containing radioactive 99Tc in glass for ultimate disposal.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

DOE OSTI2013

Characterization Data Package for Containerized Sludge Samples Collected from Engineered Container SCS-CON-210

This data package contains the K Basin sludge characterization results obtained by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory during processing and analysis of four sludge core samples collected from Engineered Container SCS-CON-210 in 2010 as requested by CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company. Sample processing requirements, analytes of interest, detection limits, and quality control sample requirements are defined in the KBC-33786, Rev. 2. The core processing scope included reconstitution of a sludge core sample distributed among four to six 4-L polypropylene bottles into a single container. The reconstituted core sample was then mixed and subsampled to support a variety of characterization activities. Additional core sludge subsamples were combined to prepare a container composite. The container composite was fractionated by wet sieving through a 2,000 micron mesh and a 500-micron mesh sieve. Each sieve fraction was sampled to support a suite of analyses. The core composite analysis scope included density determination, radioisotope analysis, and metals analysis, including the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Hazardous Waste Facility Permit metals (with the exception of mercury). The container composite analysis included most of the core composite analysis scope plus particle size distribution, particle density, rheology, and crystalline phase identification. A summary of the received samples, core sample reconstitution and subsampling activities, container composite preparation and subsampling activities, physical properties, and analytical results are presented. Supporting data and documentation are provided in the appendices. There were no cases of sample or data loss and all of the available samples and data are reported as required by the Quality Assurance Project Plan/Sampling and Analysis Plan.

core sampling↗

DOE OSTI2013

A Non-Aqueous Reduction Process for Purifying 153Gd Produced in Natural Europium Targets

Gadolinium-153 is a low-energy gamma-emitter used in nuclear medicine imaging quality assurance. Produced in nuclear reactors using natural Eu2O3 targets, 153Gd is radiochemically separated from europium isotopes by europium reduction. However, conventional aqueous europium reduction produces hydrogen gas, a flammability hazard in radiological hot cells. We altered the traditional reduction method, using methanol as the process solvent to nearly eliminate hydrogen gas production. This new, non-aqueous reduction process demonstrates greater than 98% europium removal and gadolinium yields of 90%.

Gd-153↗

DOE OSTI2012

Experimental Results for SimFuels

Assessing the performance of Spent (or Used) Nuclear Fuel (UNF) in geological repository requires quantification of time-dependent phenomena that may influence its behavior on a time-scale up to millions of years. A high-level waste repository environment will be a dynamic redox system because of the time-dependent generation of radiolytic oxidants and reductants and the corrosion of Fe-bearing canister materials. One major difference between used fuel and natural analogues, including unirradiated UO 2 , is the intense radiolytic field. The radiation emitted by used fuel can produce radiolysis products in the presence of water vapor or a thin-film of water that may increase the waste form degradation rate and change radionuclide behavior. To study UNF, we have been working on producing synthetic UO 2 ceramics, or SimFuels that can be used in testing and which will contain specific radionuclides or non-radioactive analogs so that we can test the impact of radiolysis on fuel corrosion without using actual spent fuel. Although, testing actual UNF would be ideal for understanding the long term behavior of UNF, it requires the use of hot cells and is extremely expensive. In this report, we discuss, factors influencing the preparation of SimFuels and the requirements for dopants to mimic the behavior of UNF. We have developed a reliable procedure for producing large grain UO 2 at moderate temperatures. This process will be applied to a series of different formulations.

Geological Disposal↗

DOE OSTI2012

Radiolysis Process Model

Assessing the performance of spent (used) nuclear fuel in geological repository requires quantification of time-dependent phenomena that may influence its behavior on a time-scale up to millions of years. A high-level waste repository environment will be a dynamic redox system because of the time-dependent generation of radiolytic oxidants and reductants and the corrosion of Fe-bearing canister materials. One major difference between used fuel and natural analogues, including unirradiated UO 2 , is the intense radiolytic field. The radiation emitted by used fuel can produce radiolysis products in the presence of water vapor or a thin-film of water (including OH• and H• radicals, O 2 -, eaq, H 2 O 2 , H 2 , and O 2 ) that may increase the waste form degradation rate and change radionuclide behavior. H 2 O 2 is the dominant oxidant for spent nuclear fuel in an O 2 depleted water environment, the most sensitive parameters have been identified with respect to predictions of a radiolysis model under typical conditions. As compared with the full model with about 100 reactions it was found that only 30-40 of the reactions are required to determine [H 2 O 2 ] to one part in 10–5 and to preserve most of the predictions for major species. This allows a systematic approach for model simplification and offers guidance in designing experiments for validation.

Hydrogen Peroxide↗