Process simulation and uncertainty analysis of plasma arc mixed waste treatment
Innovative mixed waste treatment subsystems have been analyzed for performance, risk, and life-cycle cost as part of the U.S. Department of Energy`s (DOE)`s Mixed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP) treatment alternatives development and evaluation process. This paper concerns the analysis of mixed waste treatment system performance. Performance systems analysis includes approximate material and energy balances and assessments of operability, effectiveness, and reliability. Preliminary material and energy balances of innovative processes have been analyzed using FLOW, an object-oriented, process simulator for waste management systems under development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The preliminary models developed for FLOW provide rough order-of-magnitude calculations useful for sensitivity analysis. The insight gained from early modeling of these technologies approximately will ease the transition to more sophisticated simulators as adequate performance and property data become available. Such models are being developed in ASPEN by DOE`s Mixed Waste Treatment Project (MWTP) for baseline and alternative flow sheets based on commercial technologies. One alternative to the baseline developed by the MWIP support groups in plasma arc treatment. This process offers a noticeable reduction in the number of process operations as compared to the baseline process because a plasma arc melter is capable of accepting a wide variety of waste streams as direct inputs (without sorting or preprocessing). This innovative process for treating mixed waste replaces several units from the baseline process and, thus, promises an economic advantage. The performance in the plasma arc furnace will directly affect the quality of the waste form and the requirements of the off-gas treatment units. The ultimate objective of MWIP is to reduce the amount of final waste produced, the cost, and the environmental impact.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 10183666
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940433-7; ON: DE94019144; TRN: 94:019054
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Spring meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers,Atlanta, GA (United States),17-21 Apr 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
PLASMA FURNACES
LIFE-CYCLE COST
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MINIMIZATION
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
ARC FURNACES
COMMERCIALIZATION
052001
WASTE PROCESSING