Minimum Additive Waste Stabilization (MAWS). Technology summary

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10135791· OSTI ID:10135791

In the Minimum Additive Waste Stabilization(MAWS) concept, actual waste streams are utilized as additive resources for vitrification, which may contain the basic components (glass formers and fluxes) for making a suitable glass or glassy slag. If too much glass former is present, then the melt viscosity or temperature will be too high for processing; while if there is too much flux, then the durability may suffer. Therefore, there are optimum combinations of these two important classes of constituents depending on the criteria required. The challenge is to combine these resources in such a way that minimizes the use of non-waste additives yet yields a processable and durable final waste form for disposal. The benefit to this approach is that the volume of the final waste form is minimized (waste loading maximized) since little or no additives are used and vitrification itself results in volume reduction through evaporation of water, combustion of organics, and compaction of the solids into a non-porous glass. This implies a significant reduction in disposal costs due to volume reduction alone, and minimizes future risks/costs due to the long term durability and leach resistance of glass. This is accomplished by using integrated systems that are both cost-effective and produce an environmentally sound waste form for disposal. individual component technologies may include: vitrification; thermal destruction; soil washing; gas scrubbing/filtration; and, ion-exchange wastewater treatment. The particular combination of technologies will depend on the waste streams to be treated. At the heart of MAWS is vitrification technology, which incorporates all primary and secondary waste streams into a final, long-term, stabilized glass wasteform. The integrated technology approach, and view of waste streams as resources, is innovative yet practical to cost effectively treat a broad range of DOE mixed and low-level wastes.

• Research Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Technology Development
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 10135791
• Report Number(s): DOE/EM-0124P; ON: DE94008856; NC: NONE; TRN: 94:006589
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Feb 1994
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ADDITIVES
MINIMIZATION
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
VITRIFICATION
US DOE
STABILIZATION
MIXTURES
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
FEED MATERIALS PRODUCTION CENTER
OHIO
REMEDIAL ACTION
WASTE FORMS
052001
054000
WASTE PROCESSING
HEALTH AND SAFETY