Drying characteristics of simulated debris in a pretreatment process for dry storage

Nakayoshi, Akira  ; Suzuki, Seiya ; Okamura, Nobuo ; Watanabe, Masayuki; Koizumi, Kenji 

Treatment policies for debris from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is not decided, however, any policies may include medium and long term storages of debris. Dry storages may be desirable in terms of costs and handlings, but it is necessary to assess generating hydrogen during storages due to radiolysis of accompanied water with debris before debris storages. AlO, SiO, ZrO, UO and cement paste pellets as simulated debris were prepared, which have some porosities and pore. Weight changes of wet samples were measured at various drying temperatures (200, 300, and 1000 C) using a thermal gravity measurement, under helium gas flow (50 cc/min) or reduced pressure conditions (reducing pressure rate: 200 Pa in 30 min.). From the results, drying curves were evaluated.