DOE OSTI2019
Based on the nuclear industry in the U.K., storage of nuclear waste poses a particularly complex challenge. Specifically, this research is concerned with post-PUREX (Plutonium Uranium Redox Extraction) high level waste, known as HAL (Highly Active Liquor), containing nitric acid and a host of fission products. HAL is concentrated, and stored in HASTs (Highly Active Storage Tanks) at the HALES (Highly Active Liquor Evaporation and Storage) facility at the Sellafield site, UK. HASTs are large concrete containers designed to keep the HAL cool and continually circulated prior to vitrification for permanent storage and disposal. Without comprehensive understanding of how this HAL is behaving within the HASTs, a multitude of issues could arise, and understanding such issues is the basis of this research. Components of the HAL begin to form solid particles in the HASTS, and impinging vertical liquid jets are used to mobilize the sedimented particle bed to reduce hot-spot formation. Experimental validation of the jets and associated modelling is required to assess the jets efficacy, and by considering the erosion based on dimensionless parameters, will allow the results to be scaled. This is of particular interest due to the wide reaching applications to all industries that require utilisation of impinging jets, for mass or heat transfer. An experimental rig of 0.5 m{sup 3} has been used to experimentally model the central jet of the HASTs. A spherical glass simulant (SiO{sub 2}, spherical) of various sizes has been used for the initial non-cohesive particle testing, and modelling. Each experiment used 8 different jet diameters. Dimensionless analysis takes the form of the erosion parameter, Ec, which allows comparison of systems of different scales and a means of correlating multiple simulants against one another, so patterns are easily identifiable. Part of the dimensionless analysis was also to deduce the modified Shields parameter from vane viscometry to allow for a comparison of erosion behaviour taking into account particle properties, flow properties and the overall influence these have on the erosion profile. Particle size distribution was found to have a direct effect on yield stress and modified Shields parameter, with larger particles being dominated by inertial forces and past a certain size threshold surface forces appear to dominate. Ec data found the larger glass simulants to behave as expected for a non-cohesive particles, however surface forces also appear to be present for the smaller size distributions. (authors)
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗