Year-end report for UST: Cesium extraction testing project DOE/DT and E TTP No. SR1-03-20-01

摘要

This document contains results of a variety of studies on the SRS (Savannah River Site) resorcinol-formaldehyde ion exchange resin with a simulant of the high-level liquid waste found in the Hanford 101-AW tank. Small column studies indicate that flow rates of 2.5 column volumes or less per hour give well-defined breakthrough curves. More rapid flow rates of three to twenty column volumes per hour produce leakage of cesium ion before 50% breakthrough has been reached after processing about 100 column volumes of feed. Upflow elution of the small columns with three concentrations of nitric acid show that about 85% of the cesium, sodium, and potassium ions on the resin can be removed simultaneously with 0.5 M HNO(sub 3). Radiolysis studies at doses as high as 1E+09 rads have shown that the resin is more stable to radiation in water than in the 101-AW simulant. Radiation doses up to 1 E+08 rads did not alter the performance of the resin for cesium removal. Exposure to radiation or storage did not affect the thermal stability of the resin. Hydrogen gas is produced from radiolysis of resin in 101-AW simulant. Other gases that were measured were N(sub 2), O(sub 2), CO(sub 2), N(sub 2)O, CO, and CH(sub 4). Densities and kinetic and dynamic viscosities were determined for the 101-AW simulant at six temperatures ranging between 25(degrees)C and 80(degrees)C. Preliminary results indicated that the performance of the resin was only slightly diminished with increase in temperature although elution efficiency appeared to be enhanced.