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Title: Properties of radioactive wastes and waste containers. Quarterly progress report, October-December 1979. [Solidification of boric acid waste; impact of urea-formaldehyde waste forms]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5602282

Experiments were conducted to establish appropriate waste/binder ratios within which boric acid (simulated reactor waste) may be incorporated into portland type III cement to produce acceptable waste form. Both pH-adjusted and pH-unadjusted boric acid solutions were used. NaOH was used to adjust the boric acid pH. Data are reported for 3, 6, and 12 wt % boric acid wastes, with pH-adjusted values of 7, 10, and 12. Range of waste/binder ratios investigated are from 0.3 to 1.5. Results show: (a) pH-unadjusted 12 wt % boric acid waste (typical reactor waste concentration) does not solidify without neutralization with NaOH at waste/binder ratios investigated, (b) boric acid waste neutralized with NaOH, before solidification, requires shorter cure time compared with pH-unadjusted waste, and (c) the amount of pH adjustment, of boric acid with NaOH, needed to assure satisfactory solidification is a variable related to boric acid concentration in the waste. Impact tests were performed on urea-formaldehyde waste forms containing simulated BWR precoat filter cake in diatomaceous earth. Impact energies of 7.85, 15.7, and 31.4 joules were used. Data are provided, in graphical form, for formulations with waste/binder ratios of 1.6, 2.0, and 2.4. Results show: (a) higher impact loadings generate greater number of particulates in all size ranges, and (b) waste forms with higher waste/binder ratio produce greater number of particulate for a given impact loading. 8 figures, 7 tables.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-02-0016
OSTI ID:
5602282
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-1326; BNL-NUREG-51148
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English