Predictive modeling of crystal accumulation in high-level waste glass melters processing radioactive waste

Matyáš, Josef; Gervasio, Vivianaluxa; Sannoh, Sulaiman E.; Kruger, Albert A.

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.08.034

Predictive modeling of crystal accumulation in high-level waste glass melters processing radioactive waste

Journal Article · Wed Aug 30 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.08.034· OSTI ID:1379944

Matyáš, Josef ^[1]; Gervasio, Vivianaluxa ^[1]; Sannoh, Sulaiman E. ^[2]; Kruger, Albert A. ^[3]

Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); U.S. Department of Energy, Office of River Protection, Richland, WA (United States)
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of River Protection, Richland, WA (United States)

We present that the effectiveness of high-level waste vitrification at Hanford's Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant may be limited by precipitation/accumulation of spinel crystals [(Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn)(Fe, Cr)₂O₄] in the glass discharge riser of Joule-heated ceramic melters during idling. These crystals do not affect glass durability; however, if accumulated in thick layers, they can clog the melter and prevent discharge of molten glass into canisters. To address this problem, an empirical model was developed that can predict thicknesses of accumulated layers as a function of glass composition. This model predicts well the accumulation of single crystals and/or small-scale agglomerates, but excessive agglomeration observed in high-Ni-Fe glass resulted in an underprediction of accumulated layers, which gradually worsened over time as an increased number of agglomerates formed. In conclusion, the accumulation rate of ~53.8 ± 3.7 μm/h determined for this glass will result in a ~26 mm-thick layer after 20 days of melter idling.

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 1379944

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1549906
OSTI ID: 1414530

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA--125881; PII: S002231151730449X

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Vol. 495; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (9)

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Crystallization behavior of iron- and boron-containing nepheline (Na ₂ O·Al ₂ O ₃ ·2SiO ₂ ) based model high-level nuclear waste glasses Deshkar, Ambar; Ahmadzadeh, Mostafa; Scrimshire, Alex Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 102, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.15936	journal	August 2018

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