Studies on Nonequilibrium Physico-Chemical Processes in the System "Fuel Containing Masses - Aqueous Solutions of Radioactive Elements"

On the Hydration of Ions

“…Holovko [20] has discussed this problem recently from a theoretical point of view, while Yukhnovskij et al [21] collected relevant information on this subject from a chemical viewpoint. In this chapter it is pointed out in which way computer simulation and/or ab initio calculations could contribute to the understanding of these effects on a molecular level.…”

PHYSICAL PROCESSES IN THE FUEL CONTAINING MASSES INTERACTING WITH AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS IN THE "SHELTER" OBJECT. INHOMOGENEOUS DIFFUSION OF IONS UO_{2}^{2+}, Cs^{+} IN THE SYSTEM "GLASSY NUCLEAR MAGMA - WATER"

“…The nuclear and ecological safety of the "Shelter" object at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant is determined by the state of nuclear fuel and water [1][2][3][4][5]. During the last 6 years, a large number of investigations was made on the Chornobyl's problem, some of the results were published [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

“…Radiolysis products and water molecules at the interface "nuclear magma -water" participate in complicated hydration [16,17] of uranium UO 2 , plutonium PuO 2 and other oxides of radioactive elements [4,18,19]. An intensive leaching of uranium from nuclear magma and egress into indoor water basins at the "Shelter" object occur.…”

“…All of these minerals have one very significant feature -they are well soluble in water. These mineral combinations along with UO 2 , UO 2 +UO 3 , PuO 2 , (ZrU)O 2 , (UZr)SiO 4 are nuclear hazardous materials with a large amount of neutron moderators SiO 2 , Al 2 (SiO 3 )(OH) 4 …”

“…• Water interaction with nuclear magma causes a substantial increase of effective neutron multiplication factor K eff , and as a result, local self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction is possible [1][2][3][4][5].…”