Demonstration of an optimized TRUEX flowsheet for partitioning of actinides from actual ICPP sodium-bearing waste using centrifugal contactors in a shielded cell facility
The TRUEX process is being evaluated at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) for the separation of the actinides from acidic radioactive wastes stored at the ICPP. These efforts have culminated in recent demonstrations of the TRUEX process with actual tank waste. The first demonstration was performed in 1996 using 24 stages of 2-cm diameter centrifugal contactors and waste from tank WM-183. Based on the results of this flowsheet demonstration, the flowsheet was optimized and a second flowsheet demonstration was performed. This test also was performed using 2-cm diameter centrifugal contactors and waste from tank WM-183. However, the total number of contactor stages was reduced from 24 to 20. Also, the concentration of HEDPA in the strip solution was reduced from 0.04 M to 0.01 M in order to minimize the amount of phosphate in the HLW fraction, which would be immobilized into a glass waste form. This flowsheet demonstration was performed using centrifugal contactors installed in the shielded hot cell at the ICPP Remote Analytical Laboratory. The flowsheet tested consisted of six extraction stages, four scrub stages, six strip stages, two solvent was stages, and two acid rinse stages. An overall removal efficiency of 99.79% was obtained for the actinides. As a result, the activity of the actinides was reduced from 540 nCi/g in the feed to 0.90 nCi/g in the aqueous raffinate, which is well below the NRC Class A LLW requirement of 10 nCi/g for non-TRU waste. Removal efficiencies of 99.84%, 99.97%, 99.97%, 99.85%, and 99.76% were obtained for {sup 241}Am, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239}Pu, {sup 235}U, and {sup 238}U, respectively.
- Research Organization:
- Lockheed Idaho Technologies Co., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-94ID13223
- OSTI ID:
- 573170
- Report Number(s):
- INEEL/EXT-98-00004; ON: DE98052248; TRN: 98:009206
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jan 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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