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

Glass Furnace Project: October 1981-March 1982

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5362945· OSTI ID:5362945

The purpose of the Glass Furnace Project is to evaluate the use of a joule-heated glass furnace, fitted with a Mound-developed offgas system, to reduce the volume of contaminated waste typical of that from nuclear power plants. As part of the project, several different waste types, including dry solid waste, ion exchange resin, and sludge, will be burned in the glass furnace unit. Burned combustion characteristics and radionuclide behavior in the glass furnace and associated offgas system will be monitored to determine optimum operating conditions. The project will provide an evaluation of the glass furnace as a volume reduction technique for the nuclear power industry as well as design criteria that can be used in constructing such a system by the end of FY-1984. The first half of FY-1982 was devoted to completion of the installation, checkout, and startup of the furnace unit and control systems. Compatibility studies to determine the effects of refractory and simulated waste on the soda-lime glass matrix were also performed in conjunction with the Mound Glass Ceramics group. These studies include chemical durability testing to discern the optimum waste loading of the glass. Finally, an experimental procedure was designed to determine the combustion efficiency of the incinerator. The combustion offgas will be monitored during experimentation to determine such related parameters as optimum feedrate and total oxygen requirements.

Research Organization:
Mound Facility, Miamisburg, OH (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00053
OSTI ID:
5362945
Report Number(s):
MLM-2931; ON: DE82014902
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English