U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Scientific and Technical Information
Removal of contaminated concrete surfaces by microwave heating: Phase 1 results
Abstract
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is developing a microwave heating process to remove radiologically contaminated surface layers from concrete. The microwave energy is directed at the concrete surface and heats the concrete and free water present in the concrete matrix. Continued heating produces steam-pressure-induced mechanical stresses that cause the concrete surface to burst. The concrete particles from this steam explosion are small enough to be removed by a vacuum system, yet less than 1% of the debris is small enough to pose an airborne contamination hazard. The first phase of this program has demonstrated reliable removal of noncontaminated concrete surfaces at frequencies of 2.45 GHz and 10.6 GHz. Continuous concrete removal rates of 1.07 cm{sup 3}/s with 5.2 kW of 2.45.-GHz power and 2.11 cm{sup 3}/s with 3.6 kW of 10.6-GHz power have been demonstrated. Figures-of-merit for microwave removal of concrete have been calculated to be 0.21 cm{sup 3}/s/kW at 2.45 GHz and 0.59 cm{sup 3}/s/kW at 10.6 GHz. The amount of concrete removed in a single pass can be controlled by choosing the frequency and power of the microwave system.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 10121775
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-920307-15
ON: DE92007675
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management `92,Tucson, AZ (United States),1-5 Mar 1992; Other Information: PBD: [1992]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; CONCRETES; RADIATION HEATING; DECONTAMINATION; SURFACES; REMOVAL; STEAM; DUSTS; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; 054000; HEALTH AND SAFETY
Citation Formats
White, T L, Grubb, R G, Pugh, L P, Foster, D Jr, and Box, W D. Removal of contaminated concrete surfaces by microwave heating: Phase 1 results. United States: N. p., 1992.
Web.
White, T L, Grubb, R G, Pugh, L P, Foster, D Jr, & Box, W D. Removal of contaminated concrete surfaces by microwave heating: Phase 1 results. United States.
White, T L, Grubb, R G, Pugh, L P, Foster, D Jr, and Box, W D. 1992.
"Removal of contaminated concrete surfaces by microwave heating: Phase 1 results". United States.
@article{osti_10121775,
title = {Removal of contaminated concrete surfaces by microwave heating: Phase 1 results},
author = {White, T L and Grubb, R G and Pugh, L P and Foster, D Jr and Box, W D},
abstractNote = {Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is developing a microwave heating process to remove radiologically contaminated surface layers from concrete. The microwave energy is directed at the concrete surface and heats the concrete and free water present in the concrete matrix. Continued heating produces steam-pressure-induced mechanical stresses that cause the concrete surface to burst. The concrete particles from this steam explosion are small enough to be removed by a vacuum system, yet less than 1% of the debris is small enough to pose an airborne contamination hazard. The first phase of this program has demonstrated reliable removal of noncontaminated concrete surfaces at frequencies of 2.45 GHz and 10.6 GHz. Continuous concrete removal rates of 1.07 cm{sup 3}/s with 5.2 kW of 2.45.-GHz power and 2.11 cm{sup 3}/s with 3.6 kW of 10.6-GHz power have been demonstrated. Figures-of-merit for microwave removal of concrete have been calculated to be 0.21 cm{sup 3}/s/kW at 2.45 GHz and 0.59 cm{sup 3}/s/kW at 10.6 GHz. The amount of concrete removed in a single pass can be controlled by choosing the frequency and power of the microwave system.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10121775},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}