WASTE STREAM 9A47 FED Stainless Steel

SITE Berkeley Nuclear Licensed Site

WASTE TYPE ILW; SPD1

Bulk density (t/m): 2.6

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

General description: The waste comprises predominantly stainless steel bridge pieces. The bridge pieces may still be connected to the graphite struts (see waste stream 9A31). Approximately 38% of fuel elements used stainless steel top support bridges, (with the rest being zirconium). There will also be a small quantity of nimonic springs, which may be attached to thermocouple wires. A stainless steel top support bridge is 127mm in length and weighs aproximately 26g and a Nimonic spring weighs approximately 5g. The thermocouple wires are approximately 380mm in length. It is unlikely that there will be any large items which will require special handling. The waste is loose in the vaults.

Physical components Stainless steel bridge pieces (>98.5% wt), Nimonic springs (~0.75% wt) and thermocouples wires (~0.75% wt).

WASTE VOLUMES

Stocks: At 1.4.2007.......................

Total future arisings: 0

(%wt):

0.3 m

m

Comment on volumes: Station operation ceased in March 1989. This waste stream was accumulated between May 1964 and December 1967. The stainless steel was used for flux flattening and was replaced by zirconium on later elements as fuel irradiation had increased and flux flattening by the stainless steel was not required. The volume quoted is the estimated bulk volume of the waste if separated from other wastes with which it is mixed.

WASTE SOURCE The source of the waste is the removal of graphite struts and associated zirconium and stainless steel bridge pieces from fuel elements prior to dispatch of the elements to Sellafield.

Comment on density: The average bulk density 2.6 t/m assumes a packing factor to give an overall volume of about three times the displacement volume of the waste.

General description and components (%wt):

Stainless steel will account for more than 98.5% of the waste, with 0.75% Nimonic and 0.25%, alumina, magnesia and other minor constituents. The stainless steel may be contaminated with fission products, actinides and graphite.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

SITE OWNER Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

WASTE CUSTODIAN Magnox Electric Ltd

Total waste volume: 0.3 m

Chemical state: The waste is not acidic, alkaline, oxidising or reducing.

Chemical form of radionuclides:

H-3: Tritium will probably be present as surface contamination, possibly as water or perhaps as other inorganic or organic compounds.C-14: Carbon 14 may be present as carbon incorporated in the stainless steel and is likely to be in the form of graphite contamination.Se-79: The selenium content is insignificant.Tc-99: The technetium content is insignificantRa: Radium isotope content is insignificant.Th: The thorium isotope content is insignificant.U: Chemical form of uranium isotopes has not been determined but may be uranium oxides.Np: The neptunium content is insignificant.Pu: Chemical form of plutonium isotopes has not been determined but may be plutonium oxides.

Metals and alloys (%wt): There is no further information on the metals in the waste.

2007 Inventory

WASTE STREAM 9A47 FED Stainless Steel

Other ferrous metals................ 0Aluminium................................ 0Copper..................................... 0Lead......................................... 0Zinc.......................................... 0Magnox/Magnesium................. 0

Stainless steel.......................... ~99.0 Bronze................................. 0Inconel................................. 0Nimonic................................ ~0.75Stellite.................................. 0Boral..................................... 0Dural..................................... 0Monel.................................... 0

Other metals: No "other" metals have been identified.

Zircaloy..................................... 0 Other metals (below)............ 0Brass........................................ 0

Inorganic anions (%wt): None of the inorganic anions listed in the table is expected to be present at greater than trace concentration.

Iodide........................................ 0Nitrite.................................. TR

Sulphate.............................. TR

Fluoride..................................... TR

Cyanide.................................... 0Carbonate................................. TR

Phosphate........................... TR

Nitrate................................. TR

Sulphide.............................. 0

Chloride................................... TR

Listed substances: Not present.

Hazardous and problematic materials (%wt):

There are no identified materials likely to represent a fire or other non-radiological hazard.

Low flash point liquids................. 0Explosive materials...................... 0Phosphorus................................. 0Hydrides..................................... 0

Combustible metals................... 0 Strong oxidising agents........... 0Pyrophoric materials.............. 0Generating toxic gases........... 0Reacting with water................. 0

Putrescible wastes...................... 0Biological etc. materials.............. 0

Asbestos................................. 0Free aqueous liquids............... TRFree non-aqueous liquids........ 0

Powder....................................... P

Complexing agents (%wt): Not yet determined.

Complexing agents..................... TR

Organics (%wt): The loose stainless steel is currently stored under the drums of ion exchange material in the vaults, which will have corroded to an extent. Therefore, it is likely to be contaminated with spilt Lewatit DN, the organic ion exchanger.

Paper, cotton............................. 0Wood......................................... 0

Halogenated plastics .................. 0Total non-halogenated plastics.... 0

Total cellulosics............................ 0

Condensation polymers............ 0Others........................................ 0

Organic ion exchange materials... TRTotal rubber.................................. 0

Halogenated rubber ................ 0Non-halogenated rubber............ 0

Other organics.............................. TR

Halogenated plastics and rubber (%wt):

Halogenated plastics and rubbers will not be present.

Other materials (%wt):

Soil................................................ 0Rubble........................................... 0Concrete, cement and sand........... 0Glass............................................. 0

Inorganic ion exchange materials.. TR

Ceramics....................................... 0Graphite......................................... TR

Inorganic sludges and flocs.......... 0

Graphite contamination.

PACKAGING AND CONDITIONING

The waste will be encapsulated in a 3m box.Conditioning method:

2007 Inventory

WASTE STREAM 9A47 FED Stainless Steel

Location: Berkeley Nuclear Licensed Site

Plant startup date: 2008

Total capacity (m/y incoming waste):

~1120.0

Target start date for packaging this stream:

2008

Other information: The above dates are under review.The loose waste will be retrieved once all of the containerised waste has been removed from the vault. The waste will be transferred to the process facility and encapsulated in a 3m box.

Throughput for this stream (m/y incoming waste):

~0.3

Plant Name: Berkeley AWVR Process Facility

Likely container type:

Waste packaged

(%vol)

Payload (m)

Waste loading (m)

Container displacement volume (m)

2.4

2.65

Container

3.27

100.0

3m box (round corners)

Conditioned density comment:

The grouted waste package will weigh between 6000kg and 8000kg. With an internal volume of 2.7m, the conditioned density will range between 2.2 and 2.9t/m. The average within this range is quoted.

Likely conditioning matrix: BFS/OPCOther information: The conditioning matrix and capping grout will both be BFS/OPC but at different

water/cement ratios.

Other information on conditioning:

Appropriate plant will be provided at the Station in accordance with Company strategy. The conditioned waste will be stored on site pending disposal to a suitable repository.

Conditioned density (t/m): 2.55

Range in container waste volume:

No significant variability is expected.

Likely container type comment:

The waste volume is not expected to be reduced when it is put into the box. The waste will not be tamped but the surface layer will be raked over.

Other information on containers:

The container material is expected to be stainless steel 316S11 manufactured to BS1501 part 3.

RADIOACTIVITY

Source: Activation when the associated fuel elements were irradiated, of nuclides incorporated into the stainless steel. Contamination by fission products and actinides when the fuel elements were in the fuel pond.

Accuracy: The values quoted are indicative of the activities that might be expected.

Totals shown on table of radionuclide activities are the sums of the listed alpha or beta/gamma emitting radionuclides plus 'other alpha' or 'other beta/gamma.'

Measurement of specific activities:

Specific activity is a function of Station operating history. Values were derived from calculations of induced activity and estimates of likely contamination.

Definition of total alpha and total beta/gamma:

Other information: Other beta/gamma nuclides include (in TBq/m3): Al26 (2E-6).

2007 Inventory

WASTE STREAM 9A47 FED Stainless Steel

Average specific activity, TBq/mWaste at1.4.2007

Bands and Code

Future arisings

Bands and Code Nuclide

Waste at1.4.2007

Bands and Code

Bands and Code

Future arisings

Average specific activity, TBq/m

Nuclide

6E-03H 3 C C 2Be 10 8

3E-01C 14 C C 27E-06Cl 36 C C 2

Ar 39 8Ar 42 8K 40 8Ca 41 8Mn 53 8Mn 54 8

2E-01Fe 55 C C 2