Evaluation of increased cesium loading on submerged demineralizer system (SDS) zeolite beds

A Submerged Demineralizer System (SDS) is being installed at the Three Mile Island Unit (TMI-2) Nuclear Power Station for decontamination of the Containment Building (CB) sump water and Reactor Coolant System (RCS) water. A Department of Energy (DOE) Task Force was assembled to evaluate the relative technical and financial benefits in storing, shipping, treating, and disposing of SDS zeolite liners, assuming that the liners will be loaded to a level higher than that (10,000 Ci/liner) originally planned by General Public Utilities (GPU). The DOE-SDS Task Force concludes that it is technically feasible to load the zeolite liners used in the SDS to levels up to 60,000 Ci of cesium per liner without additional preoperational testing. This would result in approximately ten such liners. The Task Force further concludes that these liners can be safely handled, stored, transported, and vitrified