Evaluation of aqueous degreasers versus chlorinated solvents at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

Technical Report · Mon Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5067036· OSTI ID:5067036

Gunn, D

Spent chlorinated solvents are produced mainly as a result of degreasing operations at several Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) locations. This waste is a listed hazardous waste under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations (40 CFR 261). In addition, some of the solvents become contaminated with uranium which classifies the waste as a mixed waste for which no disposal method is currently available. Due to health and environmental concerns and the desire to minimize mixed and hazardous waste generation, degreasing operations in the plant were delineated and alternate nonhazardous solvents were evaluated for their suitability for replacing the chlorinated solvents. Metal cleanliness testing of eight aqueous degreasers using ultrasonic cleaning and immersion with agitation, and vapor degreasing with trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TC-ane) was performed. Soils such as dust, fingerprints, lube oil, water-soluble oil, silicone grease, and petroleum-based grease were removed from Monel, copper, mild steel, aluminum, and phosphor bronze. Cleanliness was determined by estimating the surface energy of metal coupons before and after cleaning. A Kepner-Tregoe (KT) decision analysis was utilized to determine the three best multipurpose degreasers for the plant. Additional testing was performed on the top three selected degreasers to evaluate corrosive effects of the cleaning solutions (general surface corrosion and pitting), and to determine the compatability of any residual contamination with process gases. Corrosion testing was performed in an electrochemical corrosion tester. Cleaned coupons were exposed to uranium hexafluoride, fluorine, and chlorine trifluoride. In addition, metal cleanliness testing was conducted to evaluate the cleaning efficiency of parts cleaned in the field.

• Research Organization: Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, KY (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/EH
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OU21400
• OSTI ID: 5067036
• Report Number(s): KY/L-1507-R1; ON: DE90005531
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACTINIDES
ALLOY-NI66CU32
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
BRONZE
CARBON STEELS
CLEANING
CONTAMINATION
COPPER
COPPER ALLOYS
COPPER BASE ALLOYS
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
ELEMENTS
GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
ISOTOPE SEPARATION PLANTS
MANGANESE ADDITIONS
MANGANESE ALLOYS
METALS
MONEL
MONEL 400
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NICKEL BASE ALLOYS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PADUCAH PLANT
REMOVAL
SOLVENTS
STEEL-ASTM-A285
STEELS
TIN ALLOYS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS