Testing of the In Situ, Mixed Iron Oxide (IS-MIO) Alpha Removal Process
One of the throughput limitations for the Actinide Removal Process (ARP) and Salt Waste Processing Facility is the lengthy sorption time of plutonium on monosodium titanate(MST). Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) personnel proposed use of the In-Situ-Mixed Iron Oxide (IS-MIO) process, which removes strontium and actinides from waste streams with faster reaction kinetics than the MST process. The Savannah River National Laboratory and ANL received funding to develop the IS-MIO process for deployment at the Savannah River Site. Personnel performed simulant filtration tests to evaluate the process. They prepared 100 L of simulated SRS high level waste, added IS-MIO solutions to the simulated waste, mixed the solutions for four hours, and filtered the slurry in a bench-scale crossflow filter. The simulant was designed to maximize strontium solubility; it was not designed to match a particular tank composition. The crossflow filter was 3/8 inch internal diameter, 2 feet long, and possessing a 0.196 ft2 internal surface area. Researchers also performed a series of decontamination tests using actual waste. They prepared a multi-tank composite adjusted it to 5.6 M sodium, and allowed it to equilibrate. They used this material in six tests. Four of the tests used IS-MIO solutions, one of the tests used MST, and one test served as a control. In each test, personnel sampled the supernate at regular intervals and analyzed for strontium and actinides to determine the effective removal capability. The conclusions from this work follow. The IS-MIO solids do not produce an increase in filter flux. The increased flux observed in some comparisons is due to differences in operating conditions rather than to improved filterability of the IS-MIO solids. Filter flux with sludge and IS-MIO solids increases with increasing axial velocity. A similar correlation occurred with sludge and MST solids. The IS-MIO particles are initially larger than MST particles. Because of shear, by the end of the test, the IS-MIO solids were approximately the same size as MST solids. An initial plutonium Decontamination Factor (DF) of 7 resulted. This declined to a DF of 1.6 over a period of two weeks. An initial strontium DF of 110 occurred. This increased to a DF of 128 after a period of two weeks. In comparison, MST provided a DF of 67. The IS-MIO process provided no significant removal of uranium from solution.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-96SR18500
- OSTI ID:
- 834243
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-TR-2004-00283; TRN: US0407076
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 29 Jun 2004
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ACTINIDES
DECONTAMINATION
FILTRATION
IRON OXIDES
PERSONNEL
PLUTONIUM
REACTION KINETICS
REMOVAL
SHEAR
SLUDGES
SODIUM
SOLUBILITY
SORPTION
STRONTIUM
SURFACE AREA
TANKS
URANIUM
WASTE PROCESSING
IN SITU
IRON OXIDE (IS-MIO)