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Polycube oxidation and factors affecting the concentrations of gaseous products [electronic resource].

Published
Washington, D.C. : United States. Dept. of Energy, 2000.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Physical Description
69 pages : digital, PDF file
Additional Creators
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (U.S.), United States. Department of Energy, and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information
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Summary
The polycubes stored at the Hanford Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) have been identified in a Vulnerability Assessment as material that requires a stabilization process in support of the Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board Recommendation 94-1. The baseline plan involves a pyrolysis process to separate out the plutonium and uranium oxides before the remaining material is packaged for interim storage, in accordance with the Record of Decision (ROD), issued June 25, 1996, for the Plutonium Finishing Plant Stabilization Final Environmental Impact Statement, DOE/EIS-0244-F. The polycubes were manufactured at Hanford in the 1960s for use in criticality studies to determine the hydrogen-to-fissile atom ratios for neutron moderation. A mixture of plutonium and/or uranium oxides and a polystyrene (vinyl benzene) matrix, cast into the shape of cubes, the polycubes simulated solutions containing high concentrations of fissile materials. The polycubes varied in size, typically 1/2 x 2 x 2 in. up to 2 x 2 x 2 in., and were sealed with a coating of aluminum paint and/or tape (PVC or Shurtape). The estimated 1,600 polycubes (calculated 179,165 grams net weight) stored at PFP were packed in vented food cans with five to eight cubes per can to accommodate gas generation by radiolysis. Some polycube containers are suspected to contain loose material as well, left over from the forming process. With a fairly high ²⁴°Pu content, polycubes present a challenge for handling, as a result of the 7 to 8 R contact dose rate. Significant hazards linked to unstabilized polycubes are associated with the polystyrene matrix, which generates hydrogen gas due to radiolysis. In addition, some cans of polycubes may contain fines. Because of insufficient data, hazards associated with the fines have not been assessed.
Report Numbers
E 1.99:pnnl-13166
pnnl-13166
Subject(s)
Other Subject(s)
Note
Published through SciTech Connect.
05/04/2000.
"pnnl-13166"
"820201000"
J Abrefah; RL Sell; PJ MacFarlan.
Type of Report and Period Covered Note
Topical;
Funding Information
AC06-76RL01830
40199
View MARC record | catkey: 14091936