Development of a direct encapsulation technique for the treatment of a mixed sludge / solid waste
- British Nuclear Group Sellafield Limited, Risley, Warrington, Cheshire WA (United Kingdom)
- Nexia Solutions Limited, Havelock Road, Workington, Cumbria CA (United Kingdom)
This paper describes development studies being undertaken by British Nuclear Group Sellafield Limited (BNGSL) to develop a technique for the direct encapsulation of waste from the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo at Sellafield. The waste consists mainly of debris from the de-canning of Magnox fuel elements, miscellaneous beta gamma waste (MBGW), and graphite. All the waste is stored underwater to eliminate potential fire risks and under these conditions Magnox metal corrodes over time to yield a magnesium hydroxide sludge and hydrogen. The liquor covering the waste is highly radioactive and represents a considerable risk. The volume of waste in the Silo is considerable, and represents the largest individual packaged volume of the total UK Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) as well as being considered to be one of the most technically challenging wastes in the ILW inventory. In order to facilitate the prompt emptying of the Silo and processing of the waste into a passively safe form suitable for long-term storage and disposal, a method for the cementation of waste has been developed that does not require control of the water content in the waste or extensive size segregation. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9 - 332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21294659
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US--09-WM-07118
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Cleanup Progress on High Hazard Legacy Facilities at Sellafield: Pile Fuel Cladding Silo
Adaptation of Commercially Available Robots for Conditioning and Packaging ILW at Sellafield - 18282
Related Subjects
ENCAPSULATION
FIRE HAZARDS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDES
MAGNOX
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
SLUDGES
SOLID WASTES
UNITED KINGDOM