Acid digestion process for treatment of combustible wastes

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974

OSTI ID:4166833

Cooley, C R; Lerch, R E

Acid digestion is a process being developed at the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (HEDL) in Richland, Washington, to reduce the volume of alpha-contaminated combustible waste by converting it into a non-combustible residue. Typical waste materials such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene, paper and other cellulose materials, ion exchange resin, all types of rubber, etc., are digested in hot (230 to 270$sup 0$C) concentrated sulfuric acid containing nitric acid oxidant to form inert residues having less than 4 percent of their original volume. The process is currently being tested in a non- radioactive Acid Digestion Test Unit (ADTU) using all glass equipment. Engineering tests to date have shown acid digestion to be a potentially attractive method for treating combustible waste materials. (auth)

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA
• NSA Number: NSA-33-005086
• OSTI ID: 4166833
• Report Number(s): CONF-741026--
• Country of Publication: France
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING-- CHEMICAL REACTIONS
051101* --Nuclear Fuels--Waste Management--Waste Processing
ALPHA SOURCES
CELLULOSE
HAPO
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
N40430* --Chemistry--Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry-- Radioactive Waste Treatment
NITRIC ACID
PAPER
POLYETHYLENES
PVC
RESINS
SULFURIC ACID