Monitoring the degradation of nuclear waste packages induced by interior metallic corrosion using synchrotron X-ray tomography

DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.04.178

Authors: C. Paraskevoulakos (University of Bristol) , C. A. Stitt (Imperial College London) , K. R. Hallam (University of Bristol) , A. Banos (University of Bristol) , M. Leal Olloqui (University of Bristol) , C. P. Jones (University of Bristol) , G. Griffiths (University of Bristol) , A. M. Adamska (Vertex) , J. Jowsey (Sellafield Ltd) , T. B. Scott (University of Bristol)
Co-authored by industrial partner: Yes

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Construction And Building Materials , VOL 215 , PAGES 90 - 103

State: Published (Approved)
Published: August 2019
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 13941

Abstract: Within the British nuclear inventory, waste is classified into three main categories, including Intermediate Level Waste (ILW). ILW mainly consists of fuel casing metallic swarf, where parts of uranium metal are also expected to have been agglomerated. ILW treatment route includes the material storage in stainless steel drums and subsequent grout encapsulation. The solidified matrix is believed to maintain the radioactive waste fully confined and immobile. Recent inspections revealed mechanical distortion around the steel liner in a proportion of the inspected drums. The distortion has been ascribed to the corrosion of the encapsulated metallic parts. The generated corrosion products occupy greater volume than the parent metal, resulting in an internal volume expansion which imposes stress/strain on the encapsulants. This study attempts to correlate the level of internal corrosion with the magnitude of package degradation in ILW drum–simulant systems by favouring the use of powerful synchrotron X-rays.

Journal Keywords: Crack detection; Corrosion; Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag; Ordinary Portland Cement; Synchrotron X-ray tomography

Subject Areas: Materials, Engineering


Instruments: I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing

Added On: 08/05/2019 09:24

Discipline Tags:

Earth Sciences & Environment Materials Engineering & Processes Corrosion Materials Science Engineering & Technology Nuclear Waste

Technical Tags:

Imaging Tomography