Post-Test Evaluations of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant?Savannah River Simulated Defense HLW Canisters and Waste Form

by Martin A. Molecke, Sandia Natl Lab, Albuquerque, United States,
N. Robert Sorensen, Sandia Natl Lab, Albuquerque, United States,
John R. Harbour, Sandia Natl Lab, Albuquerque, United States,
Daro M. Ferrara, Sandia Natl Lab, Albuquerque, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: High Level Radioactive Waste Management 1993

Abstract:

Eighteen nonradioactive defense high-level waste (DHLW) canisters were emplaced in and subjected to accelerated overtest thermal conditions for about three years at the bedded salt Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility. Post-test laboratory corrosion results of several stainless steel 304L waste canisters, cast steel overpacks, and associated instruments ranged from negligible to moderate. We found appreciable surface corrosion products on the cast steel overpacks. Pieces of both 304 L and 316 stainless steel test apparatus underwent extensive stress-corrosion cracking failure and nonuniform attack. One of the retrieved test packages contained nonradioactive glass waste form from the Savannah River Site. We conducted post-test analyses of this glass to determine the degree of resultant glass fracturing, and whether any respirable fines were present. Linear glass fracture density ranged from about 1 to 8 fractures intersecting every 5 cm (2 inch) segment along a diameter line of the canister cross-section. Glass fines between 1 and 10 microns in diameter were detected, but were not quantified.

Subject Headings: Waste storage | Radioactive wastes | Waste disposal | Glass | Cracking | Stainless steel | Corrosion

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