Implementation of an evaporative oxidation process for treatment of aqueous mixed wastes

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:210477

Bounini, L ^[1]; Stelmach, J ^[2]

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1. Rust Geotech, Grand Junction, CO (United States)
2. US Dept. of Energy, Grand Junction, CO (United States)

The US Department of Energy and Rust Geotech conducted treatability tests for mixed wastes with a pilot-scale evaporative oxidation unit known as the mini-PO*WW*ER unit. In the evaporative oxidation process, water and volatile organic compounds are vaporized and passed through a catalytic oxidizer to destroy the organic compounds. Nonvolatiles are concentrated into a brine that may be solidified. Ten experiment runs were made. The oxidation of the unit was calculated using total organic carbon analyses of feed and composite product condensate samples. These data indicate that the technology is capable of achieving oxidation efficiencies as high as 99.999 percent on mixed wastes when the bed temperature is near 600 C, residence times are about 0.2 seconds, and adequate oxygen flow is maintained. Concentrations of the tested volatile organic compounds in the product-condensate composite samples were well below standards for wastewaters. Combined gross alpha and beta radioactivity levels in the samples were below detection limites of 12.5 pico-Cu/l, so the liquid would not qualify as a radioactive waste. Thus, the product condensate process by the process is not restricted as either hazardous or mixed waste and is suitable for direct disposal. The brines produced were not considered mixed waste and could be handled and disposed of as radioactive waste.

• OSTI ID: 210477
• Report Number(s): CONF-9509139--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
EVAPORATION
EVAPORATORS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
WASTE PROCESSING