Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of a Pilot-Scale Waste Glass Melter

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:23042868

Abboud, Alexander; Guillen, Donna Post ^[1]

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1. Idaho National Laboratory, 995 University Boulevard, Idaho Falls, ID, 83401 (United States)

The INL has been developing a high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a Joule-heated ceramic-lined waste glass melter. The purpose is to better understand the dynamics of heat transfer within the system, in order to provide support for the optimization of the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) that will be used for vitrification of legacy tank waste. The simulation presented here is for the DM1200 pilot-scale system, which has been operated by the Vitreous State Laboratory (VSL) over the past several decades. This system is about one-third of the scale of the full size WTP melter. Experimental data from this system is being used to validate computational simulations. The examination of the melter with a fully coupled CFD model should give an accurate assessment of the heat transfer into the reactive cold cap region. Heat is provided to the cold cap region from conduction and convection from the molten glass pool as well as radiation from the hot plenum above the cold cap. The CFD model implements a mathematical model of the cold cap developed for the assessment of the melting rate during the vitrification of tank waste. This sub-model implemented directly into the CFD model combines the mass and enthalpy balance of the cold cap together with the conversion kinetics of the feed. (authors)

• OSTI ID: 23042868
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 115; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
42 ENGINEERING
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
CERAMIC MELTERS
CERAMICS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONVECTION
ENTHALPY
FLUID MECHANICS
GLASS
HEAT
KINETICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MELTING
OPTIMIZATION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
VITRIFICATION