State-of-the-art report on low-level radioactive waste treatment
An attempt is made to identify the main sources of low-level radioactive wastes that are generated in the United States. To place the waste problem in perspective, rough estimates are given of the annual amounts of each generic type of waste that is generated. Most of the wet solid wastes arise from the cleanup of gaseous and liquid radioactive streams prior to discharge or recycle. The treatment of the process streams and the secondary wet solid wastes thus generated is described for each type of government or fuel cycle installation. Similarly, the institutional wet wastes are also described. The dry wastes from all sources have smilar physical and chemical characteristics in that they can be classified as compactible, noncompactible, combustible, noncombustible, or combinations thereof. The various treatment options for concentrated or solid wet wastes and for dry wastes are discussed. Among the dry-waste treatment methods are compaction, baling, and incineration, as well as chopping, cutting, and shredding. Organic materials can usually be incinerated or, in some cases, biodegraded. The filter sludges, spent resins, incinerator ashes, and concentrated liquids are usually solidified in cement, urea-formaldehyde, or unsaturated polyester resins prior to burial. Asphalt has not yet been used as a solidificaton agent in the United States, but it probably will be used in the near future. The treatment of radioactive medical and bioresearch wastes is described, but the waste from radiochenmical, pharmaceutical, and other industries is not well defined at the present time. Recovery of waste metals and treatment of hazardous contaminated wastes are discussed briefly. Some areas appearing to need more research, development, and demonstration are specifically pointed out.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 5045732
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-7427; TRN: 80-015981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
USA
ASPHALTS
BIODEGRADATION
CEMENTS
CENTRIFUGATION
DEMINERALIZATION
EVAPORATION
FILTRATION
FLOCCULATION
FLUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTORS
FORMALDEHYDE
INCINERATORS
ION EXCHANGE
MOLTEN SALTS
OSMOSIS
POLYMERS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SEDIMENTATION
SLAGGING PYROLYSIS PROCESS
SOLIDIFICATION
ULTRAFILTRATION
UREA
ALDEHYDES
AMIDES
BITUMENS
BUILDING MATERIALS
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTORS
DECOMPOSITION
DIFFUSION
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PRECIPITATION
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SALTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TAR
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing