Status of microwave process development for RH-TRU (remote-handled transuranic) wastes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Waste Handling and Packaging Plant is developing a microwave process to reduce and solidify remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) liquids and sludges presently stored in large tanks at ORNL. Testing has recently begun on an in-drum microwave process using nonradioactive RH-TRU surrogates. The microwave process development effort has focused on an in-drum process to dry the RH-TRU liquids and sludges in the final storage container and then melt the salt residues to form a solid monolith. A 1/3-scale proprietary microwave applicator was designed, fabricated, and tested to demonstrate the essential features of the microwave design and to provide input into the design of the full-scale applicator. The microwave fields are uniform in one dimension to reduce the formation of hot spots on the microwaved wasteform. The final wasteform meets the waste acceptance criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a federal repository for defense transuranic wastes near Carlsbad, New Mexico. 7 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/DP
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5135560
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-900229-1; ON: DE90006890
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
CONTACT HANDLING
CONTAINERS
DESIGN
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
HEATING
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE HEATING
MINIMIZATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORNL
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SLUDGES
STORAGE
TESTING
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE FORMS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES