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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Elution of cesium from zeolite IE-96 using oxalic acid

Conference ·
OSTI ID:520413
; ;  [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States); and others

The West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) is preparing to begin vitrification at the site in West Valley, NY. The wastes to be vitrified include high-level radioactive waste (HLW) generated as a result of the former reprocessing operations and cesium-loaded zeolite, a high-activity waste, generated from WVDP pretreatment operations. These pretreatment operations used zeolite in an ion-exchange process designed to remove radioactive cesium from liquid HLW. Zeolite transfer operations, in which the majority of the cesium-loaded zeolite is transferred to a tank containing HLW, are currently being performed in preparation for vitrification. Due to operating constraints and tank design, a portion of the zeolite will remain in the tank after the transfer occurs. The use of oxalic acid to elute the radioactive cesium from the zeolite to decrease the radioactivity remaining in the tank is being evaluated.

DOE Contract Number:
FG06-89ER75522; FG06-92RL12451
OSTI ID:
520413
Report Number(s):
CONF-9604124--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English