WASTE STREAM

9A47

FED Stainless Steel

SITE SITE OWNER WASTE CUSTODIAN WASTE TYPE WASTE VOLUMES

Stocks: Total future arisings: Total waste volume: Comment on volumes:

Berkeley Nuclear Licensed Site Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Magnox Electric Ltd ILW; SPD1

At 1.4.2007.......................

0.3 m 0 m 0.3 m

Station operation ceased in March 1989. This waste stream was accumulated between May 1964 and December 1967. The stainless steel was used for flux flattening and was replaced by zirconium on later elements as fuel irradiation had increased and flux flattening by the stainless steel was not required. The volume quoted is the estimated bulk volume of the waste if separated from other wastes with which it is mixed. The source of the waste is the removal of graphite struts and associated zirconium and stainless steel bridge pieces from fuel elements prior to dispatch of the elements to Sellafield.

WASTE SOURCE

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
General description: The waste comprises predominantly stainless steel bridge pieces. The bridge pieces may still be connected to the graphite struts (see waste stream 9A31). Approximately 38% of fuel elements used stainless steel top support bridges, (with the rest being zirconium). There will also be a small quantity of nimonic springs, which may be attached to thermocouple wires. A stainless steel top support bridge is 127mm in length and weighs aproximately 26g and a Nimonic spring weighs approximately 5g. The thermocouple wires are approximately 380mm in length. It is unlikely that there will be any large items which will require special handling. The waste is loose in the vaults. Stainless steel bridge pieces (>98.5% wt), Nimonic springs (~0.75% wt) and thermocouples wires (~0.75% wt). 2.6 The average bulk density 2.6 t/m assumes a packing factor to give an overall volume of about three times the displacement volume of the waste.

Physical components (%wt): Bulk density (t/m): Comment on density:

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
General description and components (%wt): Chemical state: Chemical form of radionuclides: Stainless steel will account for more than 98.5% of the waste, with 0.75% Nimonic and 0.25%, alumina, magnesia and other minor constituents. The stainless steel may be contaminated with fission products, actinides and graphite. The waste is not acidic, alkaline, oxidising or reducing. H-3: Tritium will probably be present as surface contamination, possibly as water or perhaps as other inorganic or organic compounds. C-14: Carbon 14 may be present as carbon incorporated in the stainless steel and is likely to be in the form of graphite contamination. Se-79: The selenium content is insignificant. Tc-99: The technetium content is insignificant Ra: Radium isotope content is insignificant. Th: The thorium isotope content is insignificant. U: Chemical form of uranium isotopes has not been determined but may be uranium oxides. Np: The neptunium content is insignificant. Pu: Chemical form of plutonium isotopes has not been determined but may be plutonium oxides. There is no further information on the metals in the waste.

Metals and alloys (%wt):

2007 Inventory

WASTE STREAM

9A47

FED Stainless Steel

Stainless steel.......................... Other ferrous metals................ Aluminium................................ Copper..................................... Lead......................................... Zinc.......................................... Magnox/Magnesium................. Zircaloy..................................... Brass........................................ Other metals: Inorganic anions (%wt):

~99.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Bronze................................. 0 Inconel................................. 0 Nimonic................................ ~0.75 Stellite.................................. 0 Boral..................................... 0 Dural..................................... 0 Monel.................................... 0 Other metals (below)............ 0

No "other" metals have been identified.

None of the inorganic anions listed in the table is expected to be present at greater than trace concentration. Fluoride..................................... Chloride................................... Iodide........................................ Cyanide.................................... Carbonate................................. TR TR 0 0 TR Nitrate................................. Nitrite.................................. Phosphate........................... Sulphate.............................. Sulphide.............................. TR TR TR TR 0

Listed substances: Hazardous and problematic materials (%wt):

Not present. There are no identified materials likely to represent a fire or other non-radiological hazard. Combustible metals................... Low flash point liquids................. Explosive materials...................... Phosphorus................................. Hydrides..................................... Putrescible wastes...................... Biological etc. materials.............. Powder....................................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 P Strong oxidising agents........... Pyrophoric materials.............. Generating toxic gases........... Reacting with water................. Asbestos................................. Free aqueous liquids............... Free non-aqueous liquids........ 0 0 0 0 0 TR 0

Complexing agents (%wt):

Not yet determined. Complexing agents..................... TR

Organics (%wt):

The loose stainless steel is currently stored under the drums of ion exchange material in the vaults, which will have corroded to an extent. Therefore, it is likely to be contaminated with spilt Lewatit DN, the organic ion exchanger. Total cellulosics............................ 0 Paper, cotton............................. 0 Wood......................................... 0 Halogenated plastics .................. 0 Total non-halogenated plastics.... 0 Condensation polymers............ 0 Others........................................ 0 Organic ion exchange materials... TR Total rubber.................................. 0 Halogenated rubber ................ 0 Non-halogenated rubber............ 0 Other organics.............................. TR Halogenated plastics and rubbers will not be present. Graphite contamination. Inorganic ion exchange materials.. Inorganic sludges and flocs.......... Soil................................................ Rubble........................................... Concrete, cement and sand........... Glass............................................. Ceramics....................................... Graphite......................................... TR 0 0 0 0 0 0 TR

Halogenated plastics and rubber (%wt): Other materials (%wt):

PACKAGING AND CONDITIONING

Conditioning method: The waste will be encapsulated in a 3m box. 2007 Inventory

WASTE STREAM

9A47

FED Stainless Steel

Plant Name: Location: Plant startup date: Total capacity (m/y incoming waste): Target start date for packaging this stream: Throughput for this stream (m/y incoming waste): Other information:

Berkeley AWVR Process Facility Berkeley Nuclear Licensed Site 2008 ~1120.0 2008 ~0.3 The above dates are under review. The loose waste will be retrieved once all of the containerised waste has been removed from the vault. The waste will be transferred to the process facility and encapsulated in a 3m box. Waste packaged (%vol) 100.0 Waste loading (m) 2.4 Payload (m) 2.65 Container displacement volume (m) 3.27

Likely container type: Container 3m box (round corners)

Likely container type comment: Range in container waste volume: Other information on containers: Likely conditioning matrix: Other information:

The waste volume is not expected to be reduced when it is put into the box. The waste will not be tamped but the surface layer will be raked over. No significant variability is expected. The container material is expected to be stainless steel 316S11 manufactured to BS1501 part 3. BFS/OPC The conditioning matrix and capping grout will both be BFS/OPC but at different water/cement ratios. 2.55 The grouted waste package will weigh between 6000kg and 8000kg. With an internal volume of 2.7m, the conditioned density will range between 2.2 and 2.9t/m. The average within this range is quoted. Appropriate plant will be provided at the Station in accordance with Company strategy. The conditioned waste will be stored on site pending disposal to a suitable repository.

Conditioned density (t/m): Conditioned density comment: Other information on conditioning:

RADIOACTIVITY
Source: Activation when the associated fuel elements were irradiated, of nuclides incorporated into the stainless steel. Contamination by fission products and actinides when the fuel elements were in the fuel pond. The values quoted are indicative of the activities that might be expected. Totals shown on table of radionuclide activities are the sums of the listed alpha or beta/gamma emitting radionuclides plus 'other alpha' or 'other beta/gamma.' Specific activity is a function of Station operating history. Values were derived from calculations of induced activity and estimates of likely contamination. Other beta/gamma nuclides include (in TBq/m3): Al26 (2E-6).

Accuracy: Definition of total alpha and total beta/gamma: Measurement of specific activities: Other information:

2007 Inventory

WASTE STREAM

9A47

FED Stainless Steel

Nuclide H3 Be 10 C 14 Cl 36 Ar 39 Ar 42 K 40 Ca 41 Mn 53 Mn 54 Fe 55 Co 60 Ni 59 Ni 63 Zn 65 Se 79 Kr 81 Kr 85 Rb 87 Sr 90 Zr 93 Nb 91 Nb 92 Nb 93m Nb 94 Mo 93 Tc 97 Tc 99 Ru 106 Pd 107 Ag 108m Ag 110m Cd 109 Cd 113m Sn 119m Sn 121m Sn 123 Sn 126 Sb 125 Sb 126 Te 125m Te 127m I 129 Cs 134 Cs 135 Cs 137 Ba 133 La 137 La 138 Ce 144 Pm 145 Pm 147 Sm 147 Sm 151 Eu 152 Eu 154 Eu 155 Gd 153

Average specific activity, TBq/m Future Bands Waste at Bands arisings and Code and Code 1.4.2007 6E-03 3E-01 7E-06 CC 2 8 CC 2 CC 2 8 8 8 8 8 8 CC 2 C 3 CC 2 CC 2 8 CC 2 8 8 8 CC 2 CC 2 8 CC 2 CC 2 CC 2 CC 2 8 CC 2 8 8 CC 2 8 8 CC 2 8 8 8 CC 2 8 8 8 8 8 8 CC 2 CC 2 8 8 8 8 8 CC 2 8 CC 2 CC 2 CC 2 CC 2 8

Nuclide Ho 163 Ho 166m Tm 170 Tm 171 Lu 174 Lu 176 Hf 178n Hf 182 Pt 193 Tl 204 Pb 205 Pb 210 Bi 208 Bi 210m Po 210 Ra 223 Ra 225 Ra 226 Ra 228 Ac 227 Th 227 Th 228 Th 229 Th 230 Th 232 Th 234 Pa 231 Pa 233 U 232 U 233 U 234 U 235 U 236 U 238 Np 237 Pu 236 Pu 238 Pu 239 Pu 240 Pu 241 Pu 242 Am 241 Am 242m Am 243 Cm 242 Cm 243 Cm 244 Cm 245 Cm 246 Cm 248 Cf 249 Cf 250 Cf 251 Cf 252 Other a Other b/g Total a Total b/g

Waste at 1.4.2007

Average specific activity, TBq/m Future Bands Bands arisings and Code and Code 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 3 8 3 8 8 2 2 2 2 2 8 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 2 2 2

2E-01 <3E+00 8E-01 8E+01 5E-09

5E-04 4E-08 6E-08 5E-01 4E-03 4E-03 7E-04

7E-07 4E-08

CC CC

8E-03

3E-09

6E-07 2E-08 5E-08 7E-07 4E-08 8E-05 2E-04 2E-04 3E-03 6E-08 4E-04 4E-07 8E-08 3E-07 5E-08 4E-07

CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC

7E-09

6E-09 6E-04

9E-08 2E-06 2E-08 2E-06 1E-07

2E-06 9E-04 8E+01

CC CC CC

Bands (Upper and Lower) A a factor of 1.5 B a factor of 3 C a factor of 10 D a factor of 100 E a factor of 1000 Note: Bands quantify uncertainty in the average specific activity.

Code 1 Measured activity 2 Derived activity (best estimate) 3 Derived activity (upper limit) 4 Not present 5 Present but not significant 6 Likely to be present but not assessed 7 Present in significant quantities but not determined 8 Not expected to be present in significant quantity

2007 Inventory