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Detection of Free Liquid in Cement-Solidified Radioactive Waste Drums Using Computed Tomography

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2011

J.S. Steude  and
P.D. Tonner
J.S. Steude
Affiliation:
now at Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation, PO Box 550, Richland, WA 99352
P.D. Tonner
Affiliation:
ARACOR, 425 Lakeside Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
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Abstract

Acceptance criteria for disposal of radioactive waste drums require that the cement-solidified material in the drum contain minimal free liquid after the cement has hardened. Free liquid is to be avoided because it may corrode the drum, escape and cause environmental contamination. The DOE has requested that a nondestructive evaluation method be developed to detect free liquid in quantities in excess of 0.5% by volume. This corresponds to about 1 liter in a standard 208 liter (55 gallon) drum. In this study, the detection of volumes of free liquid in a 57 cm (2′) diameter cement-solidified drum is demonstrated using high-energy X-ray computed tomography (CT). It is shown that liquid concentrations of simulated radioactive waste inside glass tubes imbedded in cement can easily be detected, even for tubes with inner diameters less than 2 mm (0.08″). Furthermore, it is demonstrated that tubes containing water and liquid concentrations of simulated radioactive waste can be distinguished from tubes of the same size containing air. The CT images were obtained at a rate of about 6 minutes per slice on a commercially available CT system using a 9 MeV linear accelerator source.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 217: Symposium U – Advanced Tomographic Imaging Methods for the Analysis of Materials , 1990 , 111
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1991

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References

REFERENCES

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