THERMAL MODELING OF ION EXCHANGE COLUMNS WITH SPHERICAL RF RESIN

[摘要] Models have been developed to simulate the thermal performance of RF columns fully loaded with radioactive cesium. Temperature distributions and maximum temperatures across the column were calculated during Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) process upset conditions with a focus on implementation at Hanford. A two-dimensional computational modeling approach was taken to include conservative, bounding estimates for key parameters such that the results will provide the maximum centerline temperatures achievable under the design configurations using a feed composition known to promote high cesium loading on RF. The current full-scale design for the SCIX system includes a central cooling tube, and one objective of these calculations was to examine its elimination to simplify the design. Results confirmed that a column design without a central cooling tube is feasible for RF, allowing for the possibility of significant design simplifications if it can be assumed that the columns are always filled with liquid. With active cooling through the four outer tubes, the maximum column diameter expected to maintain the temperature below the assumed media and safety limits is 26 inches, which is comparable to the current design diameter. Additional analysis was conducted to predict the maximum column temperatures for the previously unevaluated accident scenario involving inadvertent drainage of liquid from a cesium-saturated column, with retention of the ion exchange media and cesium in the column. As expected, much higher maximum temperatures are observed in this case due to the poor heat transfer properties of air versus liquid. For this hypothetical accident scenario involving inadvertent and complete drainage of liquid from a cesium-saturated column, the modeling results indicate that the maximum temperature within a 28 inch diameter RF column with external cooling is expected to exceed 250 C within 2 days, while the maximum temperature of a 12 inch column is maintained below 100 C. In addition, the calculation results demonstrate that the cooling tube system external to an air-filled column is not highly effective at reducing the maximum temperature, but the baseline design using a central cooling tube inside the column provides sufficient cooling to maintain the maximum temperature near the assumed safety limit.

[发布日期] 2009-12-30

[学科分类] 核能源与工程

[关键词] AR FACILITIES;RESINS;EXTRACTION COLUMNS;ION EXCHANGE;CESIUM;RADIOISOTOPES;MATHEMATICAL MODELS;THERMODYNAMICS;PERFORMANCE;COOLING SYSTEMS;DESIGN;RADIATION ACCIDENTS;SAFETY ENGINEERING