Assessment of K Basin Sludge Volume Expansion Resulting from Uranium Corrosion During Storage

摘要

K Basin sludge contains metallic uranium and uranium oxides that will corrode and hydrate during storage. The end-state (final) corrosion products will have a lower particle density and a higher void fraction (or volume fraction of sludge occupied by water) than the starting-state sludge at the beginning of storage. As the particle density and void fraction change, the volume occupied by a given mass of sludge will also change. The purpose of this report is to quantify how the various types and sources of K Basin sludge will react and volumetrically expand between the time the sludge is first loaded into the storage containers (starting state) and the time all major volume-changing reactions have been completed (end state). The results from this report will be used in design and safety basis calculations for sludge management systems and will be incorporated into the sludge technical basis documents.