Pressure-Pulse Attenuation in a Non-Newtonian Slurry With a Dispersed Non-Condensable Gas Phase

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), located in southeastern Washington state, will process waste slurries capable of retaining a dispersed non-condensable gas phase while in a quiescent state. Under postulated conditions, a pressure pulse generated from a deflagration or detonation within a flammable gas pocket may be transmitted into piping systems that contain the gas-liquid slurry. In general, this traveling pressure pulse will impose structural loads on the piping and its associated supports. It is necessary to understand how a pressure pulse attenuates as it propagates through the system in order to properly quantify the structural loading. Simplifications to the general equations are presented in this paper that are applicable to WTP while eliminating the numerical challenges associated with the full set of equations. This alternate set of equations is used to model the propagation and attenuation of a pressure pulse characteristic of those of interest to WTP in a slurry system that contains a small amount of dispersed non-condensable gas. The numerical results are compared to experimental data and are shown to be consistent with experimental observations.