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Title: Technical progress and community relations activities for the fluidized bed thermal treatment process at the Rocky Flats Plant

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6985815

A fluidized bed system is being developed at Rocky Flats for the treatment of mixed waste (a mixture of radioactive and chemically hazardous waste). The current program builds on experience gained in the 1970's and 1980's in tests with bench-scale, pilot-scale, and demonstration-scale fluidized bed incinerators. Rocky Flat's fluidized bed system operates at low temperatures ([approximately]525--600[degrees]C) which eliminates many of the disadvantages associated with high temperature thermal treatment processes. The bed makes use of in situ neutralization of acidic off-gases by incorporating either sodium carbonate or a mixture of sodium carbonate and bicarbonate (Trona) in the bed media. This obviates using wet scrubbers to treat the off-gas. It is expected that once in production, the fluidized bed process will yield up to a 40:1 reduction in the volume of the waste feed. The current development program for the full-scale system is a nationwide effort incorporating input from national laboratories, universities, regulatory agencies, and private companies to assure the most current technology is utilized and that regulatory concerns are addressed. In addition to resolving technological issues, the fluidized bed program is addressing public concerns with a proactive community relations program.

Research Organization:
EG and G Rocky Flats, Inc., Golden, CO (United States). Rocky Flats Plant
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC34-90DP62349
OSTI ID:
6985815
Report Number(s):
RFP-4646; CONF-930205-2; ON: DE93005174
Resource Relation:
Conference: Waste management '93, Tucson, AZ (United States), 28 Feb - 4 Mar 1993
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English