Melting of the metallic wastes generated by dismantling retired nuclear research facilities
- 150, Dukjin-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 305-353 (Korea, Republic of)
The decommissioning of nuclear installations results in considerably large amounts of radioactive metallic wastes such as stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, copper etc. It is known that the reference 1,000 MWe PWR and 881 MWe PHWR will generate metal wastes of 24,800 ton and 26,500 ton, respectively. In Korea, the D and D of KRR-2 and a UCP at KAERI have been performed. The amount of metallic wastes from the KRR-1 and UCP was about 160 ton and 45 ton, respectively, up to now. These radioactive metallic wastes will induce problems of handling and storing these materials from environmental and economical aspects. For this reason, prompt countermeasures should be taken to deal with the metal wastes generated by dismantling retired nuclear facilities. The most interesting materials among the radioactive metal wastes are stainless steel (SUS), carbon steel (CS) and aluminum wastes because they are the largest portions of the metallic wastes generated by dismantling retired nuclear research facilities. As most of these steels are slightly contaminated, if they are properly treated they are able to be recycled and reused in the nuclear field. In general, the technology of a metal melting is regarded as one of the most effective methods to treat metallic wastes from nuclear facilities. In conclusion: The melting of metal wastes (Al, SUS, carbon steel) from a decommissioning of research reactor facilities was carried out with the use of a radioisotope such as cobalt and cesium in an electric arc furnace. In the aluminum melting tests, the cobalt was captured at up to 75% into the slag phase. Most of the cesium was completely eliminated from the aluminum ingot phase and moved into the slag and dust phases. In the melting of the stainless steel wastes, the {sup 60}Co could almost be retained uniformly in the ingot phase. However, we found that significant amounts of {sup 60}Co remained in the slag at up to 15%. However the removal of the cobalt from the ingot phase was improved by the addition of a CaF{sub 2} slag former at up to 20%. The {sup 137}Cs was partitioned between the slag and the dust phases in the offgas. In the pilot scale melting test, the cobalt mostly remained in the ingot phase and the cesium was mainly found in the quenching water and slag.
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, Illinois 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21144168
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: DD and R 2007: ANS Topical Meeting on Decommissioning, Decontamination, and Reutilization 2007, Chattanooga, TN (United States), 16-19 Sep 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; 3 refs; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2007 ANS Topical Meeting on Decommissioning, Decontamination, and Reutilization - DD and R 2007, 336 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALUMINIUM
CALCIUM FLUORIDES
CARBON STEELS
CESIUM
CESIUM 137
COBALT
COBALT 60
COPPER
DECOMMISSIONING
FURNACES
KAERI
MELTING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
STAINLESS STEELS
TRIGA-2-SEOUL REACTOR
TRIGA-3-SEOUL REACTOR