An evaluation of supercompaction of drums containing solid low-level waste from Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Technical Report · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5325331· OSTI ID:5325331

Kennerly, J. M.; Rivera, A. L.; Morrow, R. W.; Williams, L. C.

Supercompaction and grouting technologies were demonstrated with solid LLW from Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the solid Waste Storage Area 5 (SWSA 5). The subcontractor used its mobile supercompaction system operating at 220 tons of compressive force to volume reduce 300 55-gal drums of solid LLW. The supercompaction of these drums resulted in a disposal capacity savings of about 85% of the original disposal capacity needs. The packaging of the compacted drums into 47 overpacks decreased the disposal capacity savings by about 19%. The net disposal capacity savings from the demonstration project is about 66% of the original, uncompacted waste volume. Based on the approximately $95K in direct costs, the supercompaction of the 2304 ft/sup 3/ of waste processed cost about $41ft/sup 3/ of uncompacted waste. Once the supercompaction unit was set up and operating, the incremental cost for the supercompaction services was only about $4ft/sup 3/. The economic assessment for this project revealed that the cost-effectiveness of on-site demonstrations is very sensitive to the on-site support (non-vendor-related) costs. The minimum disposal costs for cost-effectiveness in this demonstration project was calculated to be about $18ft/sup 3/ for no on-site support costs and about $180ft/sup 3/ when the on-site support costs represented about 90% of the total demonstration project cost. (2 refs., 14 figs., 9 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5325331
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-10652; ON: DE88007876
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
COMPACTING
CONTAINERS
COST
COST ESTIMATION
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
GROUND DISPOSAL
GROUTING
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OPERATING COST
ORNL
PACKAGING
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RECOMMENDATIONS
SOLID WASTES
TESTING
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VOLUME
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES