Irradiation experiments of simulated wastes of carbonate slurry

Nagaishi, Ryuji ; Motooka, Takafumi; Yamagishi, Isao 

Overflow of water from waste storage tanks of High Integrity Containers (HIC) in the multi-nuclide removal equipment (ALPS) was discovered at Fukushima Daiichi NPS in April of last year. The mechanism of overflow was not understood very much at that time. To elucidate that for chemical safety in the waste storage, irradiation experiments of simulated carbonate slurry by Co-60 -rays have been conducted in CLADS, JAEA in cooperation with TEPCO, TOSHIBA and KURITA. Hydrogen molecule was the main radiolytic gas product in the slurry, and its amount was enhanced by dissolved species of not only halide ions as seawater components but also carbonate ion as an additive for co-precipitation at a basic condition. The bubbles of molecules were further formed and almost held in the slurry without stirred. These sequentially led to the expansion of slurry, and then to its separation into the shrunk one and supernatant water, which was little accumulated without irradiated.