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Title: Treatment options for low-level radiologically contaminated ORNL filtercake

Abstract

Water softening sludge (>4000 stored low level contaminated drums; 600 drums per year) generated by the ORNL Process Waste Treatment Plant must be treated, stabilized, and placed in safe storage/disposal. The sludge is primarily CaCO{sub 3} and is contaminated by low levels of {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs. In this study, microwave sintering and calcination were evaluated for treating the sludge. The microwave melting experiments showed promise: volume reductions were significant (3-5X), and the waste form was durable with glass additives (LiOH, fly ash). A commercial vendor using surrogate has demonstrated a melt mineralization process that yields a dense monolithic waste form with a volume reduction factor (VR) of 7.7. Calcination of the sludge at 850-900 C yielded a VR of 2.5. Compaction at 4500 psi increased the VR to 4.2, but the compressed form is not dimensionally stable. Addition of paraffin helped consolidate fines and yielded a VR of 3.5. In conclusion, microwave melting or another form of vitrification is likely to be the best method; however for immediate implementation, the calculation/compaction/waxing process is viable.

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc., TN (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge K-25 Site, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge K-25 Site, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
220583
Report Number(s):
K/TSO-7
ON: DE96009970; TRN: 96:011426
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OT21400
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Apr 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
05 NUCLEAR FUELS; LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING; CALCINATION; MICROWAVE HEATING; SLUDGES; ORNL

Citation Formats

Lee, Hom-Ti, and Bostick, W D. Treatment options for low-level radiologically contaminated ORNL filtercake. United States: N. p., 1996. Web. doi:10.2172/220583.
Lee, Hom-Ti, & Bostick, W D. Treatment options for low-level radiologically contaminated ORNL filtercake. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/220583
Lee, Hom-Ti, and Bostick, W D. 1996. "Treatment options for low-level radiologically contaminated ORNL filtercake". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/220583. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/220583.
@article{osti_220583,
title = {Treatment options for low-level radiologically contaminated ORNL filtercake},
author = {Lee, Hom-Ti and Bostick, W D},
abstractNote = {Water softening sludge (>4000 stored low level contaminated drums; 600 drums per year) generated by the ORNL Process Waste Treatment Plant must be treated, stabilized, and placed in safe storage/disposal. The sludge is primarily CaCO{sub 3} and is contaminated by low levels of {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs. In this study, microwave sintering and calcination were evaluated for treating the sludge. The microwave melting experiments showed promise: volume reductions were significant (3-5X), and the waste form was durable with glass additives (LiOH, fly ash). A commercial vendor using surrogate has demonstrated a melt mineralization process that yields a dense monolithic waste form with a volume reduction factor (VR) of 7.7. Calcination of the sludge at 850-900 C yielded a VR of 2.5. Compaction at 4500 psi increased the VR to 4.2, but the compressed form is not dimensionally stable. Addition of paraffin helped consolidate fines and yielded a VR of 3.5. In conclusion, microwave melting or another form of vitrification is likely to be the best method; however for immediate implementation, the calculation/compaction/waxing process is viable.},
doi = {10.2172/220583},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/220583}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}