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Chernobyl at 40 years: Looking back at Nuclear News
Sunday, April 26, at 1:23 a.m. local time will mark 40 years since the most severe nuclear accident in history: the meltdown of Unit 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union.
In the ensuing four decades, countless books, documentaries, articles, and conference sessions have examined Chernobyl’s history and impact from various angles. There is a similar abundance of outlooks in the archives of Nuclear News, where hundreds of scientists, advocates, critics, and politicians have shared their thoughts on Chernobyl over the years. Today, we will take a look at some highlights from the pages of NN to see how the story of Chernobyl evolved over the decades.
R. R. Jackson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 32 | Number 1 | January 1977 | Pages 10-15
Technical Paper | Materials in Waste Storage / Radioactive Waste | doi.org/10.13182/NT77-A31732
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The strontium and cesium fractions separated from high-radiation-level wastes at Hanford are converted to the solid strontium fluoride and cesium chloride salts, doubly encapsulated, and stored underwater in the Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility. A capsule contains ∼70 000 Ci (2.59 PBq) of 137Cs or 70 000 to 140 000 Ci (2.59 to 5.18 PBq) of 90Sr. Materials for fabrication of process equipment and capsules must withstand a combination of corrosive chemicals, high radiation dosages, and, frequently, elevated temperatures. The two metals selected for capsules, Hastelloy C-276 for strontium fluoride and Type 316L stainless steel for cesium chloride, are adequate for prolonged containment. Additional materials studies are being done both for licensing strontium fluoride as source material and for second-generation process equipment.