Thermal stability testing of low-level waste forms

Technical Report · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5806723

Piciulo, P L; Chan, S F

The NRC Technical Position (TP) on Waste Form specifies that waste forms should be resistant to thermal degradation. The thermal cycle testing procedure outlined in the TP on Waste Form was carried out and is believed adequate for demonstrating the thermal stability of solidified waste forms. The inclusion of control samples and the monitoring of sample temperature are recommended additions to the test. An outline for reporting thermal cycling test results is given. To produce a data base on the applicability of the thermal cycling test, the following simulated laboratory-scale waste forms were prepared and tested: boric acid and sodium sulfate evaporator bottoms, mixed bed bead resins, and powdered resins each solidified in asphalt, cement and vinyl ester-styrene. Thermal cycling does not significantly affect the compressive strength of the solidified wastes, except powdered resins solidified in cement which disintegrated during the test and bead resins in cement which showed a loss of compressive strength. After temperature cycling, cement solidified bead resins showed areas of spalling and solidified sodium sulfate forms had surface deterioration. Asphalt solidified wastes, except powdered resins, deformed by slumping on temperature cycling. Free liquid was released from vinyl esterstyrene solidifed waste forms as a result of thermal cycling. Dewatered bead and powdered resins were also tested and no free liquid was released on temperature cycling. 11 refs., 12 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5806723
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-4201; BNL-NUREG-51869; ON: TI85012086
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360403 -- Materials-- Polymers & Plastics-- Mechanical Properties-- (-1987)
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AROMATICS
ASPHALTS
BITUMENS
BORIC ACID
BUILDING MATERIALS
CEMENTS
COMPRESSION STRENGTH
DATA
DEFORMATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MOISTURE
MONOMERS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLYMERS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RESINS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM SULFATES
SOLIDIFICATION
STYRENE
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TAR
THERMAL CYCLING
THERMAL DEGRADATION
VINYL MONOMERS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE FORMS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES