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Development and Evaluation of a Tracer-Injection Hydrothermal Technique for Studies of Waste Package Interactions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2011

Thomas E. Jones ,
D.G. Coles ,
R.C. Britton  and
J.R. Burnell
Thomas E. Jones
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest Laboratory, P. 0. Box 999, Richland, WA 99352
D.G. Coles
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest Laboratory, P. 0. Box 999, Richland, WA 99352
R.C. Britton
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest Laboratory, P. 0. Box 999, Richland, WA 99352
J.R. Burnell
Affiliation:
Rockwell Hanford Operations, P. 0. Box 800, Richland, WA 99352
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Abstract

A tracer-injection system has been developed for use in characterizing reactions of waste package materials under hydrothermal conditions. High-pressure liquid chromatographic instrumentation has been coupled with Dickson-type rocking autoclaves to allow injection of selected components into the hydrothermal fluid while maintaining run temperature and pressure. Hydrothermal experiments conducted using this system included the interactions of depleted uranium oxide and Zircaloy-4 metal alloy discs with trace levels of 99Tc and non-radioactive Cs and I in a simulated groundwater matrix. After waste-package components and simulated waste forms were pre-conditioned in the autoclave systems (usually 4 to 6 weeks), known quantities of tracer-doped fluids were injected into the autoclaves' gold reaction bag at run conditions. Time-sequenced sampling of the hydrothermal fluid provided kinetic data on the reactions of tracers with waste package materials. The injection system facilitates the design of experiments that will better define “steady-state” fluid compositions in hydrothermal reactions. The injection system will also allow for the formation of tracer-bearing solid phases in detectable quantities.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 84: Symposium L – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management X , 1986 , 421
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1987

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