Submerged demineralizer system vessel shipment report

Vessels containing zeolites and absorbed fission products from processing accident-generated water at Three Mile Island through the Submerged Demineralizer System were found to generate radiolytic hydrogen and oxygen gases. In some vessels with high curie contents, gas generation during shipment could have resulted in flammable gas concentrations exceeding federal limits for radioactive material shipments. Tests of a catalyst bed in the vessel demonstrated that recombination of the gases back into water would permit safe shipment of the sealed vessels. Catalyst was loaded into an available screen assembly in each vessel. Vessel pressure monitoring ensured that net gas generation had stopped and that hydrogen and oxygen concentrations were kept below flammable limits. All shipments complied with federal regulations