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U.S. Department of Energy
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Decontamination and decarburization of stainless and carbon steel by melt refining

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/371417· OSTI ID:371417
With many nuclear reactors and facilities being decommissioned in the next ten to twenty years the concern for handling and storing Radioactive Scrap Metal (RSM) is growing. Upon direction of the DOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Lockheed Idaho Technology Company (LITCO) is developing technologies for the conditioning of spent fuels and high-level wastes for interim storage and repository acceptance, including the recycling of Radioactive Scrap Metals (RSM) for beneficial reuse with the DOE complex. In February 1993, Montana Tech of the University of Montana was contracted to develop and demonstrate technologies for the decontamination of stainless steel RSM. The general objectives of the Montana Tech research program included conducting a literature survey, performing laboratory scale melt refining experiments to optimize decontaminating slag compositions, performing an analysis of preferred melting techniques, coordinating pilot scale and commercial scale demonstrations, and producing sufficient quantities of surrogate-containing material for all of the laboratory, pilot and commercial scale test programs. Later on, the program was expanded to include decontamination of carbon steel RSM. Each research program has been completed, and results are presented in this report.
Research Organization:
Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-94ID13223
OSTI ID:
371417
Report Number(s):
INEL--96/0146; ON: DE96014175
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English