Ion Exchange Resin and Clay Vitrification by Plasma Discharges

Journal Article · Mon Dec 04 00:00:00 EST 2006 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2405926· OSTI ID:20898794

Diaz A, Laura V ^[1]; Pacheco S, Joel O; Pacheco P, Marquidia; Monroy G, Fabiola; Emeterio H, Miguel; Ramos F, Fidel ^[1]

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1. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, km 36.5, Carretera Mexico-Toluca, Ocoyoacac, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico)

The lack of treatment of a low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILRW) lead us to propose a vitrification process based on a plasma discharge; this technique incorporates LILRW into a matrix glass composed of ceramic clays material. The Mexican Institute of Nuclear Research (ININ), uses an ion exchange resin IRN 150 (styrene-divinilbence copolymer) in the TRIGA MARK III nuclear reactor. The principal objective of this resin is to absorb particles containing heavy metals and low-level radioactive particles. Once the IRN 150 resin filter capacity has been exceeded, it should be replaced and treated as LILRW. In this work, a transferred plasma system was realized to vitrify this resin taking advantage of its high power density, enthalpy and chemical reactivity as well as its rapid quenching and high operation temperatures. In order to characterize the morphological structure of these clay samples, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques were applied before and after the plasma treatment.

• OSTI ID: 20898794
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 875, Issue 1; Conference: 16. IAEA technical meeting on research using small fusion devices; 11. Latin American workshop on plasma physics, Mexico City (Mexico), 30 Nov - 3 Dec 2005; 5-9 Dec 2005; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2405926; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CERAMICS
CLAYS
COPOLYMERS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ENTHALPY
HEAVY METALS
INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ION EXCHANGE
POWER DENSITY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
REACTIVITY
RESINS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
STYRENE
THERMAL GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
VITRIFICATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION