Abstract
This project investigated radiation-induced processes involving Magnox nuclear waste sludges and attempted to expose the underlying mechanisms at work in the sludges to inform procedures for their current and future handling. The processes involving the breakdown of the sludge constituents by ionising radiation to produce hydrogen are currently being investigated. In t he sludges radiation originates from radioactive material present in the sludge itself. This project developed novel experimental procedures for radiation chemistry. The efficacy these procedures was demonstrated by measuring a dose rate effect in the ferrous sulphate dosimeter. Using these procedures simple materials which are analogous to sludges were irradiated with x-rays to investigate these mechanisms. The two properties measured where the effective hydrogen diffusivity in the sludge simulant and the radiolytic yield of hydrogen in the sludge simulant. This project demonstrated that a simple model could accurately simulate hydrogen diffusion in sludges is accurate. In this model, hydrogen diffuses through the water around the material without build up. The radiolytic hydrogen yield was observed to be significantly higher than that in water alone. These observations can form the basis for better understanding nuclear waste sludges.Page numbering as original
| Date of Award | Dec 2019 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Sponsors | National Nuclear Laboratory |
| Supervisor | Jorge Kohanoff (Supervisor) & Brendan Dromey (Supervisor) |
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