Gamma and Alpha Radiolysis of Salt Brines

Abstract

Gamma radiolysis of Permian Basin brine leads to equilibrium gas pressure of about 100 atm. at 75°C and about 40 atm. at 150°C, providing the gas space is very small and/or the total dose is very high. Dose rate dependence is being investigated but is not yet established. Alpha radiolysis of Permian Basin brine is still being evaluated, but it is clear that equilibrium gas pressures will be much higher than with gamma radiolysis. In addition, alpha radiolysis of brine results in a very high solution redox potential. Gas compositions in all cases have been about two parts H2 to one part O2. Efforts to simulate these results with computer models have been quite successful.

Radiolysis of Salts and Long-Term Storage Issues for Both Pure and Impure PuO{sub 2} Materials in Plutonium Storage Containers

“…LET for α particles decreases with energy that is greater than 1.5 MeV. G (hydrogen) values for irradiated water and aqueous salt solutions are often controlled by a back-reaction of hydrogen with the OHá radical to form water (Gray and Simonson 1984). Hyder and others (1998) recently published a literature review pertinent to core technology research for the 94-1 Research and Development Project on recombination of water.…”

“…However, the presence of impurities dissolved in water (such as Brø, Clø, which act as scavengers of the OHá radical) will increase the yield of hydrogen in the gas phase (BŸppelmann et al 1988, Gray andSimonson 1984). Moreover, some researchers have suggested that the G (hydrogen) values and equilibrium concentrations of hydrogen are controlled by a back-reaction of hydrogen with the OHø to form water Orebaugh 1977, Gray andSimonson 1984).…”

“…Moreover, some researchers have suggested that the G (hydrogen) values and equilibrium concentrations of hydrogen are controlled by a back-reaction of hydrogen with the OHø to form water Orebaugh 1977, Gray andSimonson 1984). This back-reaction and the resulting G (hydrogen) values were found to be three to four times higher for α radiolysis as compared to γ radiolysis.…”

“…• First, the G values for primary radiolysis products are very small for both kinds of irradiation because a host of secondary reactions have a net effect of regenerating water (Allen et al 1952, BŸppelmann et al 1988, Gray and Simonson 1984, Van Konynenburg et al 1996; and…”

A possible mechanism of wall-rock hematitization in uranium deposits: Radiation-induced oxidation of ferrous ion.

“…As compared with the results of similar ex periments under room temperature and atmospheric pressure conditions (Table 1), where approximately equal gamma-ray doses are absorbed by water samples, the rise of temperature promotes the ef (Gray and Simonbon, 1984). The hematitization alteration, an enhance ment of ferric iron contents, of the wall-rocks in hydrothermal uranium deposits is thus expected to be more developed than that in the leaching accumulative and sedimentary-diagenetic uranium deposits.…”