부산대학교 도서관

Transportation of plutonium-bearing materials requires a shipping package that has been rigorously tested to withstand normal and accident conditions. Plutonium-bearing materials can contribute to package internal pressure by producing heat and gases from chemical and radiochemical reactions. Of particular concern is the production of hydrogen gas from the radiolysis of moisture, which can result in flammable gas mixtures within the shipping package. Estimating the gas generation rates for plutonium residues is complicated by the large variability of material composition and process origin. In February 1999, the Savannah River Technology Center established a gas generation test program to support transportation of plutonium residue materials. The initial efforts of this program have focused on evaluation of residues identified as sand, slag, and crucible (SS and C) generated as a by-product of plutonium metal production.