Application of SYNROC to high-level defense wastes
The SYNROC method for immobilization of high-level nuclear reactor wastes is currently being applied to US defense wastes in tank storage at Savannah River, South Carolina. The minerals zirconolite, perovskite, and hollandite are used in SYNROC D formulations to immobilize fission products and actinides that comprise up to 10% of defense waste sludges and coexisting solutions. Additional phases in SYNROC D are nepheline, the host phase for sodium; and spinel, the host for excess aluminum and iron. Up to 70 wt % of calcined sludge can be incorporated with 30 wt % of SYNROC additives to produce a waste form consisting of 10% nepheline, 30% spinel, and approximately 20% each of the radioactive waste-bearing phases. Urea coprecipitation and spray drying/calcining methods have been used in the laboratory to produce homogeneous, reactive ceramic powders. Hot pressing and sintering at temperatures from 1000 to 1100/sup 0/C result in waste form products with greater than 97% of theoretical density. Hot isostatic pressing has recently been implemented as a processing alternative. Characterization of waste-form mineralogy has been done by means of XRD, SEM, and electron microprobe. Leaching of SYNROC D samples is currently being carried out. Assessment of radiation damage effects and physical properties of SYNROC D will commence in FY 81.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6579627
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-85032; CONF-810519-1; TRN: 81-006609
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Workshop on alternate nuclear waste forms and interactions in geologic media, Gatlinburg, TN, USA, 13 May 1981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
LEACHING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SOLIDIFICATION
SYNROC PROCESS
CERAMICS
ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
HOT PRESSING
MINERALOGY
PEROVSKITE
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPINELS
TITANATES
UREA
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
AMIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM OXIDES
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
DISSOLUTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FABRICATION
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MATERIALS WORKING
MICROANALYSIS
MICROSCOPY
MINERALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEROVSKITES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLLUTANTS
PRESSING
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SCATTERING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing