Production Test IP-719: The effect of water plant variables on effluent activity. Final report

摘要

One source of the parent materials which are converted into the radioisotopes in reactor effluent is the impurity content of Columbia River water. It has been demonstrated that as the efficiency of removal of the radioisotope parent materials increases, the amount of radioisotopes in the reactor effluent decreases. An example of this is the activity reduction which results from the use of high alum feed. In order to determine whether effluent activity would be influenced by the length of filter run, a half-plant test was initiated at DR Reactor on September 28, 1964, under the authorization of Production Test IP-719. This report presents the results of the test. The water treatment plant at DR Reactor was operated for a three-month period with half the filters on a seven-hour filter cycle and the other half on a 5.25 hour filter cycle. The shorter filter cycle did not significantly reduce either the filtered water turbidity or the P(sup 32) and As(sup 76) concentration in the reactor effluent. It can be concluded that in the range investigated effluent activity is not influenced by the length of filter cycle as long as breakthrough is avoided.