
doi: 10.2172/554183
Gases and vapors in the high-level radioactive waste underground storage tanks at the Hanford Site are being characterized to help resolve waste storage safety issues and estimate air emissions. Characterization is accomplished by collecting and analyzing air samples from the headspaces of the tanks. Samples are generally collected from a single central location within the headspace, and it is assumed that they are representative of the entire headspace. The validity of this assumption appears to be very good for most tanks, because thermally induced convection currents within the headspaces mix constituents continuously. In the coolest waste tanks, however, thermally induced convection may be suppressed for several months of each year because of the seasonal soil temperature cycle. To determine whether composition does vary significantly with location in a cool tank, the headspaces of three waste tanks have been sampled at different horizontal and vertical locations during that part of the year when thermally induced convection is minimized. This report describes the bases for tank selection and the sampling and analytical methods used, then analyzes and discusses the results. Headspace composition data from two risers at three elevations in Tanks 241-B-103, TY-103, and U-112 have been analyzed by standard analysis of variance (ANOVA) methods, which indicate that these tank headspaces are essentially homogeneous. No stratification of denser vapors (e.g., carbon tetrachloride, dodecane) or lighter gases (e.g., ammonia, hydrogen) was detected in any of the three tanks. A qualitative examination of all tentatively identified organic vapors in SUMMA{trademark} and TST samples supported this conclusion.
05 Nuclear Fuels, Remedial Action, Hanford Reservation, Underground Storage, Ventilation Systems, Radioactive Waste Management, Radioactive Wastes, Tanks, 620
05 Nuclear Fuels, Remedial Action, Hanford Reservation, Underground Storage, Ventilation Systems, Radioactive Waste Management, Radioactive Wastes, Tanks, 620
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