DOE 2000. - Waste Isolation Pilot Plant - U.S. Department of Energy

WIPP RH PSAR DOE/WIPP-03-3174 CHAPTER 5
Ç From a long term gas generation standpoint, RH waste is assumed to have the same composition as
CH waste. Therefore, the hazardous gas generation rate for RH waste after panel closure will be
the same as that for CH waste ( 0 - 0.04 moles/kg-yr with expected values of 0.02 moles/kg-yr) 30 .
Ç The 72B casks meet the certification requirements for DOT Type B shipping containers (10 CFR
71.71-73 30 ) and will withstand DBTs and explosions (maintain containment of contents).
Ç The 72 B canisters meet the certification requirements for DOT Type A (or equivalent) shipping
containers.
Ç All 72-B canisters are vented; the vents will be functional under normal and abnormal conditions.
Ç There is no criticality concern related to disposal of 72B cask TRU waste at the WIPP site provided
that the 72B waste canisters meet the following requirements:
Ç The maximum fissile loading will be no greater than 325 grams per canister. 29
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The canister in the Transfer Cell will remain sub-critical under all normal and abnormal
conditions. 29
The 72B canisters are to be stored in horizontal positions in the walls of the Underground
storage area. The boreholes shall not be placed any closer together than 30 inches
center-to-center). 29
Ç The exposure rate at the surface of an unshielded 72B canister will be no greater than 1000 rem/hr
(10 Sv/hr).
Ç Verification of 72B canister identification in the Transfer Cell will be done remotely.
Ç The maximum radioactivity for the 72-B canister in terms of Pu-239 Equivalent Activity
(PE-Ci) is 80 PE-Ci/canister for direct loading and 240 PE-Ci/canister for double contained RH
waste ( loaded with three 55- gal drums).
Ç The consequences of a radiological release from a RH 72-B waste canister are significantly greater
than the toxicological consequences. Therefore, any toxicological consequences resulting from a
release of material from a RH 72-B waste container are considered to be bounded by the
radiological consequences.
Ç RH 72-B waste handling operations will be performed only in the areas described in Section 2.2 of
DOE/WIPP-99-2303. 4
Ç The 10-160B cask meets the certification requirements for DOT Type B shipping containers (10
CFR 71.71-73) and will withstand DBTs and explosions (maintain containment of contents). 13
Ç Drains are located on the bottom of the 10-160B cask lower impact limiter such that no liquid can
accumulate in that impact limiter.
Ç The drums (max 10) in the 10-160B cask meet the certification requirements for DOT Type A
shipping containers (49 CFR 178.350).
Ç There is no criticality concern related to the 10-160B cask provided the mass limits of 10 CFR
71.53 13 are not exceeded.
Ç The tools used to vent the 10-160B cask have HEPA filtration.
Ç It is assumed that the facility canister has an equivalent design to the 72B waste canister
5.1-14 January 22, 2003