Environmental and Radiological Safety Studies. Interaction of exp 238 PuO sub 2 Heat Sources with Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments. Progress Report, October 1-December 31, 1980

摘要

The containers for exp 238 PuO sub 2 heat sources in radioisotope thermoelectric generators are designed with large safety factors to ensure that they will withstand reentry from orbit and impact with the earth and safely contain the nuclear fuel until it is recovered. Existing designs have proved more than adequately safe, but the Space and Terrestrial Division of the Department of Energy Office of Advanced Nuclear Systems and Projects continually seeks more information about the heat sources to improve their safety. The work discussed here includes studies of the effects on the heat source of terrestrial and aquatic environments to obtain data for design of even safer systems. The data obtained in several ongoing experiments are presented; these data tables will be updated quarterly. Discussions of experimental details are minimized and largely repetitive in succeeding reports. Compilations of usable data generated in each experiment are emphasized. These compilations include data from environmental chamber experiments that simulate terrestrial conditions, experiments to measure PuO sub 2 dissolution rates, soil column experiments to measure sorption of plutonium by soils, and several aquatic experiments. (ERA citation 06:021691)