Training West Valley operators to stabilize high-level waste
The West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) was formed to solidify 2271-m/sup 3/ (560,000 gal) of high-level waste (HLW) generated during commercial fuel reprocessing operations in the 1960s and early 1970s. The process selected involves vitrifying the waste with glass formers to produce borosilicate glass encapsulated in steel canisters 61 cm in diameter by 305 cm (2 ft in diameter by 10 ft long). The canisters will ultimately be sent to a federal HLW repository for disposal. The vitrification system is being installed and simultaneously undergoing extensive testing at West Valley using nonradioactive materials simulating the waste composition. Operating personnel are being trained to operate the glass melter concurrent with the installation and test program. Some operators have experience in chemical plants while others are inexperienced. The challenge accepted at West Valley is to provide a full scope of training and qualification to ensure that they can perform their duties safely, efficiently, and correctly to produce the required quality glass and to assure that when we initiate HLW processing in 1988 both operators and equipment will be ready.
- OSTI ID:
- 5197759
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-860610-Summs.
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 52; Conference: American Nuclear Society annual meeting, Reno, NV, USA, 15 Jun 1986
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
VITRIFICATION
WEST VALLEY PROCESSING PLANT
TRAINING
BOROSILICATE GLASS
REPROCESSING
SAFETY
STABILITY
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
GLASS
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
WASTES
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
052001 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing