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

Development of an integrated facility for processing TRU solid wastes at the Savannah River Plant

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5323518

An integrated facility is being designed for processing solid wastes contaminated with long-lived alpha emitting (TRU) nuclides; this waste has been stored retrievably at the Savannah River Plant since 1965. The stored waste, having a volume of 10/sup 4/ m/sup 3/ and containing 3 x 10/sup 5/ Ci of transuranics, consists of both mixed combustible trash and failed and obsolete equipment primarily from transuranic production and associated laboratory operations. The facility for processing solid transuranic waste will consist of five processing modules: (1) unpackaging, sorting, and assaying; (2) treatment of combustibles by controlled air incineration; (3) size reduction of noncombustibles by plasma-arc cutting followed by decontamination by electropolishing; (4) fixation of the processed waste in cement; and (5) packaging for shipment to a federal repository. The facility is projected for construction in the mid-1980's. Pilot facilities, sized to manage currently generated wastes, will also demonstrate the key process steps of incineration of combustibles and size reduction/decontamination of noncombustibles; these facilities are projected for 1980-81. Development programs leading to these extensive new facilities are described.

Research Organization:
Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, S.C. (USA). Savannah River Lab.
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-09-0001
OSTI ID:
5323518
Report Number(s):
DP-MS-77-74; CONF-771208-2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English