Tank characterization report for Single-Shell Tank 241-C-110

Abstract

Portions of this document may be illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. ~~ DISTRIBUTION SHEETTo From D i s t r i b u t i o n C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n Support Project TitleNork OrderTank C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n Report f o r Single-Shell Tank 241-C-109 WHC-SD-WM-ER-402, Rev. 0 A-6000-135 (01/93) UEF067ENGINEERING DATA TRANSMITTAL Tank 241 -C-109 went into service in 1 9 4 6 and received first-cycle decontamination waste from bismuth phosphate process operations a t B Plant in 1948. Other waste types added that are expected t o contribute to the current contents include ferrocyanide scavenging waste and Strontium Semiworks waste. It is the last tank in a cascade with Tanks 241 -C-107and 241 -C-108. The tank has a capacity of 2,010 kL (530 kgal) and currently contains 2 5 0 k b (66 kgal) of waste, existing primarily of sludge. Approximately 9.1 5 kb (4 kgal) of supernate remain. The sludge is heterogeneous, with significantly different chemical compositions depending on waste depth.The major waste constituents in Tank 241 -C -l 0 9 waste include aluminum, calcium, iron, nickel, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sodium, sulfate, and uranium. The major radionuclides present in the waste are 13'Cs and "Sr. Total alpha activity was extremely low and did not exceed the 1 g/L threshold. Comparisons t o established limits of concern for selected analytes can be made by referring t o the Tank Characterization Reference Guide (De Lorenzo e t al. 1994).From 1955 t o 1958, Tank 241-C-109 was used as a settling tank for scavenged ferrocyanide waste. As a result, solids high in ferrocyanide, nickel and, nitrates were deposited. In 1990, the presence of ferrocyanide in the tanks was declared an unreviewed safety question and the Ferrocyanide Watch List was created. Twenty-four tanks, including Tank 241 -C-109, were identified as potentially containing 1,000 g-moles or more of ferrocyanide and were placed on the watch list (Meacham et al. 1994). Due t o the amount of iron present in Tank 241 -C-109, the tank could theoretically contain more than 1 0 0 0 gmoles of ferrocyanide. However, the thermodynamic data indicates that a propagating exothermic reaction is unlikely.The results of the analyses have been compared to the dangerous waste codes in the Washington Dangerous Waste Regulations (Ecology 1991 1. This assessment was conducted by comparing tank contents against dangerous waste characteristics ("D" waste codes) and against state waste codes. It did not include checking tank contents against "U", "P", "F", or "K" waste codes since application of these codes is dependent on the source of the waste and not on particular constituent concentrations. The results indicate that the waste in this tank is adequately described in the Dangerous Waste Permit Application for the Single-Shell Tank System; this permit is discussed in the Tank Characterization Reference Guide (De Lorenzo et al. 1994). WHC-SD-WM-ER-402 REV 0Tank 241 Obtaining measurements that ...

Review of the Scientific Understanding of Radioactive Waste at the U.S. DOE Hanford Site

“…The rheology of Hanford wastes has been measured to support the design of waste slurry handling systems (e.g., pumps and mixers). ,− Results have been summarized by Wells et al , and Meacham et al The rheology of the liquid and supernate fractions is Newtonian, as the soluble species are typically limited to simple sodium salts (such as sodium hydroxide, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, carbonate, and sulfate). However, given the high degree of saturation, small perturbations could promote precipitation and a more complex rheology.…”