Vitrification of ion-exchange (IEX) resins: Advantages and technical challenges

Technical Report · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:269332

Jantzen, C M; Peeler, D K; Cicero, C A ^[1]

---

1. Westinghouse Savannah, Aiken, SC (United States)

Technologies are being developed by the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) in conjunction with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the commercial sector to convert low-level radioactive ion exchange (IEX) resin wastes from the nuclear utilities to solid stabilized waste forms for permanent disposal. One of the alternative waste stabilization technologies is vitrification of the resin into glass. Wastes can be vitrified at elevated temperatures by thermal treatment. One alternative thermal treatment is conventional Joule heated melting. Vitrification of wastes into glass is an attractive option because it atomistically bonds both hazardous and radioactive species in the glass structure, and volume reduces the waste by 70-80%. The large volume reductions allow for large associated savings in disposal and/or long term storage costs.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); CENTEC-21, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 269332
• Report Number(s): EPRI-TR--106079; CONF-951244--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
EPRI
INTERAGENCY COOPERATION
ION EXCHANGE
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MINIMIZATION
RESINS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
VITRIFICATION