Issue |
EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol.
Volume 10, 2024
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | 1 | |
Number of page(s) | 10 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/epjn/2024002 | |
Published online | 19 March 2024 |
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjn/2024002
Regular Article
Rheological investigation of bitumen, used for radioactive waste conditioning, with ultrasonic waves
1
IES, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
2
Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SPDR/USDR, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
* e-mail: didier.laux@umontpellier.fr
Received:
11
December
2023
Received in final form:
24
January
2024
Accepted:
26
January
2024
Published online: 19 March 2024
In the context of bituminized radioactive waste storage and disposal, nucleation monitoring at room temperature and radiolysis bubbles migration at elevated temperature is crucial particularly in fire scenarios where bubble may impact thermal properties. Traditional methods are limited by the opacity of bitumen. To gain a deeper insight into bitumen rheology and ultrasonic wave propagation, we conducted a pilot study using ultrasonic testing cells spanning temperatures from 10°C to 60°C. Ultrasonic velocities and attenuations were measured at around 500 kHz in a 70/100 grade bitumen. Rheological information was deduced with the Time-Temperature Superposition principle and a behaviour model was proposed to describe bitumen across a wide frequency range. Notably, our study reveals a transition point around 50°C to 60°C, where bitumen’s liquid behaviour becomes dominant. The shear-thinning characteristics gradually give way to a more Newtonian response. Using the proposed model, ultrasonic attenuation and viscosity were estimated at 110°C. Acceptable ultrasonic frequencies for monitoring the nucleation and migration of radiolysis bubbles are discussed for future investigations. These findings have significant implications for safety measures and a deeper understanding of bitumen response within the realm of radioactive waste management.
© D. Laux et al., Published by EDP Sciences, 2024
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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