Independent DOE document. The summary below is provided for reference and search; full bibliographic details are in the citation at the foot of this page.
01 Overview
This report addresses the generation of hydrogen gas from the reaction of uranium metal with water in Hanford K Basin sludge and sludge waste forms. Because the sludge contains reactive uranium metal, any immobilization matrix must be assessed for how it influences hydrogen generation as that metal corrodes. AQUASET II is examined as a candidate sludge waste form, with the hydrogen-generation behavior of the resulting waste forms characterized.
02 Why this matters
- A safety-critical problem: uranium-metal K Basin sludge produces hydrogen as it corrodes, so the waste form must be qualified against that hazard, not just for leaching.
- Directly tied to the K Basins: the same Hanford K Basins as the 105-KW decommissioning project — real, not surrogate, sludge chemistry.
- Independent evaluation: a national laboratory examines AQUASET II in a demanding, reactive-sludge context.
03 Citation
Sinkov, S. I.; Delegard, C. H.; Schmidt, A. J. Mitigation of Hydrogen Gas Generation from the Reaction of Uranium Metal with Water in K Basin Sludge and Sludge Waste Forms. PNNL-20455 (53451-RPT15, Rev. 0). Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, June 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-76RL01830.