Electrochemical corrosion-scoping experiments: An evaluation of the results

Prior to emplacement in a nuclear waste repository, each waste form must be well characterized with respect to its behavior in the environments expected to develop in the repository. This scoping study was designed to obtain a qualitative idea of how spent fuel cladding would respond to a hot water environment that could develop in a tuff repository at a time when temperatures have cooled to /approximately/95/degree/C and hot liquid water has infiltrated the repository horizon. That information would then be used to establish more definitive tests on cladding behavior in a tuff repository. For this study bundles of spent fuel cladding held together with a 304 stainless steel (SS) wrap were constructed which simulate the geometries and materials associations in a breached 304L SS container. They were exposed to 90/degree/C tuff-equilibrated Well J-13 water for periods of 2, 6, and 12 mo. During the experiments, the water level, temperature, conductivity, and pH were monitored on a regular basis. The water was also checked periodically for carbon (organic, inorganic, and later in the experiment Carbon-14) and zirconium. More extensive water analyses were carried out at the midpoint and completion of the experiments. 12 refs., 16 figs., 5 tabs