Assessment of granite–kaolin composite bricks as storage barrier facility for liquid radioactive waste.

Echeweozo, Eugene; Asiegbu, ‎A.D; Efurumibe, ‎E.L‎. ‎; Nnanna, ‎L.A‎. ‎; Idu, ‎H.K‎. ‎

doi:10.22034/rpe.2022.315654.1045

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

¹ Department of Physics with Electronics‎, ‎Evangel University Akaeze‎, ‎Ebonyi State‎, ‎Nigeria

² Department of Physics Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike‎, ‎Abia State‎, ‎Nigeria

³ Department of Physics‎, ‎Taraba State University‎, ‎Jalingo‎, ‎Taraba State‎, ‎Nigeria

https://doi.org/10.22034/rpe.2022.315654.1045

Abstract

‎Gamma radiation shielding of baked and unbaked granite bricks produced with 0%‎, ‎10%‎, ‎20%‎, ‎30%‎, ‎40%‎, ‎and 50% of kaolin powder were experimentally and theoretically assessed for possible deployment in liquid radioactive waste storage‎. ‎A 3×3 inches NaI(Ti) detector and WinXCOM program were used to measure the linear attenuation coefficients at different energies‎. ‎Elements composition of samples were analyzed using particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) spectroscopy‎. ‎Results show that adding kaolin to granite positively reduced the liquid permeability coefficients of the bricks but negatively reduced the shielding properties of the bricks‎. ‎Optimum results were obtained from unbaked sample of granite brick produced with 50% of micro scale kaolin powder (GK50) with mass attenuation coefficient of 0.0663‎, ‎0.0572 and 0.0552 cm².g^-1‎, ‎radiation protection efficiency (RPE) of 38.36%‎, ‎34.11% and 33.13% for radiation energies levels of 661.6‎, ‎1173.2‎, ‎and 1332.5 keV respectively and liquid permeability coefficient of 6.53×10^-11 m.s^-1‎. The study concludes that all brick samples were thermally stable‎, ‎good in gamma radiation shielding and efficient in liquid radioactive waste immobilization‎.

Highlights

• Gamma radiation shielding of baked and unbaked granite bricks were experimentally and theoretically assessed.
• A NaI(Ti) detector and WinXCOM program were used to measure the linear attenuation coefficients.
• Elements composition of samples were analyzed using PIXE spectroscopy.
• The Results show that adding kaolin to granite positively reduced the liquid permeability coefficients.

Keywords

20.1001.1.26456397.2021.2.4.4.0

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Radiation Physics and Engineering

Assessment of granite–kaolin composite bricks as storage barrier facility for liquid radioactive waste.

References

References

Volume 2, Issue 4
December 2021
Pages 29-37

Assessment of granite–kaolin composite bricks as storage barrier facility for liquid radioactive waste.

References

References

Volume 2, Issue 4December 2021Pages 29-37

Volume 2, Issue 4
December 2021
Pages 29-37