Patent Number: 044328923
Section: summary

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a process for the safe intermediate and final storage of tritium after reaction of tritium or tritium containing gases with hydride forming metals in comminuted form with formation of metal tritides. Tritium containing residues and waste which accumulate in many areas of the nuclear art must be stored safely and without contact with the biosphere in order to avoid danger to the environment. Thus, for example, tritium containing water can be treated with hydraulic binders (Portland cement, Sorel cement) and admixtures which improve the binding of the tritiated water (German OS No. 2819086 and German OS No. 2842475). However, with this binding, there is not obtained sufficient resistance to leaching out the tritium. Furthermore, it is known to react tritium or tritium containing gases with hydride forming metal powders or metal granulates with formation of metal tritides. A later tying up of this metal tritide or other tritium containing metal waste in concrete certainly does not guarantee the complete exclusion from the environment since the tritium is able to permeate through the concrete. Therefore, it was the task of the present invention to develop a process for the safe intermediate and final storage of tritium after reaction of the tritium or tritium containing gases with hydride forming metals in comminuted form, which guarantees a safe enclosing of the tritium and in a given case guarantees a reprocessing. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This problem was solved according to the invention by pressing into a molded body at room temperature the tritium containing metal particles with a powder of a metal with low tritium permeability. Preferably, for this purpose there is used aluminum powder; but there can also be used other metal powders with low tritium permeabilities as, for example, stainless steel, copper, or molybdenum. It has proven particularly effective to carry out the pressing process in a jacket made of a metal with low tritium permeability, especially an aluminum jacket. The tritium containing gas is bound to a suitable hydride former such as titanium, zirconium, rare earths, or depleted uranium, preferably in the form of pieces. Illustrative rare earths are cerium, neodymium, dysprosium, praseodymium, and samarium. The metal hydride or tritide, respectively, powder formed is then mixed with a powder of a metal which is impervious to tritium or has at least a low tritium permeability and worked according to powder metallurgy pressing processes to molded bodies in which the tritium is tightly embedded on all sides. In order to still further reduce a theoretically possible release of tritium, and thus produced molded body is advantageously inserted into a metal containment, preferably made of steel. For this purpose, there have proven good tubes or U-profiles which are closed after filling with the molded bodies and preferably are further compacted by cold forming, as by rolls or presses. These products can be intermediately stored or also inserted into a final storage drum and subsequently cast with concrete. The especial advantage of the process of the invention is the formation of a multiple barrier system which minimizes the release of tritium. Besides, the containment prevents a reciprocal action between the aluminum matrix and the concrete filling. The process can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the steps set forth with the stated materials.