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Calcimator

Nuclear Waste Classification Calculator

Classify radioactive waste per 10 CFR 61 from radionuclide concentrations using sum-of-fractions.

Inputs

Ci/m³
Ci/m³
Ci/m³
Ci/m³
nCi/g
cu yd
years

Results

Waste Classification

2

Class A Sum of Fractions1.11
Class B Sum of Fractions0.03
Class C Sum of Fractions0
Total Activity51.51 Ci
Estimated Disposal Cost$35,300.00
Decay Time to Class A4.4 years
Requires Structural Stability1
Requires Intruder Barrier0
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Cs-137 Concentration, Sr-90 Concentration, and Co-60 Concentration.
  2. Set Ni-63 Concentration, Transuranic (Alpha) Activity, and Total Waste Volume.
  3. Adjust Weighted Average Half-Life as needed.
  4. Review the Waste Classification result.
  5. Use Class A Sum of Fractions and Class B Sum of Fractions to inform your decision.

What each input means

Cs-137 Concentration
Cesium-137 concentration in curies per cubic meter. Class A limit: 1 Ci/m³.
Sr-90 Concentration
Strontium-90 concentration in Ci/m³. Class A limit: 0.04 Ci/m³.
Co-60 Concentration
Cobalt-60 concentration in Ci/m³. Class A limit: 700 Ci/m³.
Ni-63 Concentration
Nickel-63 concentration in Ci/m³. Class A limit: 3.5 Ci/m³.
Transuranic (Alpha) Activity
Total transuranic alpha activity in nanocuries per gram. >100 nCi/g = GTCC waste.
Total Waste Volume
Total volume of waste requiring classification in cubic meters.
Weighted Average Half-Life
Activity-weighted average half-life of the waste for decay-in-storage estimates.

What each result means

Waste Classification
1=Class A, 2=Class B, 3=Class C, 4=GTCC
Class A Sum of Fractions
Must be ≤1.0 for Class A
Class B Sum of Fractions
Must be ≤1.0 for Class B
Class C Sum of Fractions
Must be ≤1.0 for Class C
Requires Structural Stability
1 = Yes (Class B/C), 0 = No
Requires Intruder Barrier
1 = Yes (Class C), 0 = No

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Cs-137 Concentration = 0.5, Sr-90 Concentration = 0.01, Co-60 Concentration = 50, Ni-63 Concentration = 1 = 7 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Waste Classification
    Waste Classification = 1=Class A
    2 = 2
  3. Calculate Class A Sum of Fractions
    Class A Sum of Fractions
    1.107 = 1.107
  4. Calculate Class B Sum of Fractions
    Class B Sum of Fractions
    0.026 = 0.026

Engine last updated . Checked against 1 independently-derived test — how we verify calculators.

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