Thermal Analysis and Chemical Compatibility of Reillex^TM HPQ Resin and Nitric Acid with Ethylene Glycol

Abstract

Recent processing activities at the Savannah River Site (SRS) involved purifying neptunium solutions using anion exchange (Reillex^TM HPQ resin) columns. The addition of cooling coils and the use of antifreeze in a chemical make-up tank led to an evaluation of chemical incompatibility accident scenarios between the antifreeze agent, ethylene glycol, and other chemicals used in the anion exchange operation, as well as a risk of possible fouling of the resin with ethylene glycol. Therefore, calorimetric and spectroscopy work was conducted to evaluate reactions and thermal hazards.

Ethylene glycol oxidizes readily in 6 M nitric acid (at 60°C) and in 40wt% potassium permanganate. The magnitude of the maximum pressure rate data indicates that the reactions are non-deflagrating and non-explosive. In the presence of reductants such as hydrazine and ferrous sulfamate (both at 0.06 M), ethylene glycol did not oxidize in permanganate. Ethylene glycol reversibly sorbed on Reillex^TM HPQ resin to a limited extent in the time period observed. Therefore, ethylene glycol will not significantly affect the physical shape of the Reillex^TM HPQ resin beads.

Keywords:

• chemical compatibility
• ethylene glycol
• ferrous sulfamate
• hydrazine