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Title: Removal of Mercury from the Off-Gas from Thermal Treatment of Radioactive Liquid Waste

Abstract

Acidic, radioactive wastes with a high nitrate concentration, and containing mercury are currently being stored at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC). In the past, these wastes were converted into a dry, granular solid by a high temperature fluidized-bed calcination process. In the future, the calcined solids may be immobilized by a vitrification process prior to disposal. It has been proposed that a vitrification facility be built to treat the acidic wastes, as well as the calcined solids. As was the case with the calcination process, NOx levels in the vitrification off-gas are expected to be high, and mercury emissions are expected to exceed the Maximum Control Technology (MACT) limits. Mitigation of mercury emissions by wet scrubbing, followed by adsorption onto activated carbon is being investigated. Scoping tests with sulfur-impregnated activated carbon, KCl-impregnated activated carbon and non-impregnated activated carbon were conducted with a test gas containing1% NO2, 28% H2O, 4% O2 and 67% N2. Average removal efficiencies for Hgo and HgCl2 were 100 ± 2.5% and 99 ± 3.6% respectively, for sulfur-impregnated carbon. The KCl-impregnated carbon removed 99 ± 4.6% HgCl2. The removal efficiency of the non-impregnated carbon was 99 ± 3.6% for HgCl2. No short-term detrimental effectsmore » due to NO2 and H2O were observed. These results indicate that, placed downstream of a wet scrubber, an activated carbon adsorption bed has the potential of reducing mercury levels sufficiently to enable compliance with the MACT limit. Long-term exposure tests, and bed size optimization studies are planned for the future.« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
910900
Report Number(s):
INEEL/CON-00-01332
TRN: US200802%%277
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC07-99ID-13727
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: International Conference on Incineration and Thermal Treatment Technologies,Philadelphia, PA,05/14/2001,05/18/2001
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; ACTIVATED CARBON; CARBON; FLUIDIZED BEDS; LIQUID WASTES; MERCURY; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; REMOVAL; VITRIFICATION; WASTES; INEEL; INTEC; mercury; radioactive wastes

Citation Formats

Deldebbio, John Anthony, and Olson, Lonnie Gene. Removal of Mercury from the Off-Gas from Thermal Treatment of Radioactive Liquid Waste. United States: N. p., 2001. Web.
Deldebbio, John Anthony, & Olson, Lonnie Gene. Removal of Mercury from the Off-Gas from Thermal Treatment of Radioactive Liquid Waste. United States.
Deldebbio, John Anthony, and Olson, Lonnie Gene. 2001. "Removal of Mercury from the Off-Gas from Thermal Treatment of Radioactive Liquid Waste". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/910900.
@article{osti_910900,
title = {Removal of Mercury from the Off-Gas from Thermal Treatment of Radioactive Liquid Waste},
author = {Deldebbio, John Anthony and Olson, Lonnie Gene},
abstractNote = {Acidic, radioactive wastes with a high nitrate concentration, and containing mercury are currently being stored at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC). In the past, these wastes were converted into a dry, granular solid by a high temperature fluidized-bed calcination process. In the future, the calcined solids may be immobilized by a vitrification process prior to disposal. It has been proposed that a vitrification facility be built to treat the acidic wastes, as well as the calcined solids. As was the case with the calcination process, NOx levels in the vitrification off-gas are expected to be high, and mercury emissions are expected to exceed the Maximum Control Technology (MACT) limits. Mitigation of mercury emissions by wet scrubbing, followed by adsorption onto activated carbon is being investigated. Scoping tests with sulfur-impregnated activated carbon, KCl-impregnated activated carbon and non-impregnated activated carbon were conducted with a test gas containing1% NO2, 28% H2O, 4% O2 and 67% N2. Average removal efficiencies for Hgo and HgCl2 were 100 ± 2.5% and 99 ± 3.6% respectively, for sulfur-impregnated carbon. The KCl-impregnated carbon removed 99 ± 4.6% HgCl2. The removal efficiency of the non-impregnated carbon was 99 ± 3.6% for HgCl2. No short-term detrimental effects due to NO2 and H2O were observed. These results indicate that, placed downstream of a wet scrubber, an activated carbon adsorption bed has the potential of reducing mercury levels sufficiently to enable compliance with the MACT limit. Long-term exposure tests, and bed size optimization studies are planned for the future.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/910900}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001},
month = {Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001}
}

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