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

Candidate reagents and procedures for the dissolution of Hanford Site single-shell tank sludges

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6372864· OSTI ID:6372864
At least some of the waste in the 149 single-shell tanks (SST) at the US Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site will be retrieved, treated, and disposed of. Although the importance of devising efficient and cost-effective sludge dissolution procedures has long been recognized, a concerted bench-scale effort to devise and test such procedures with actual solids representative of those in Hanford Site SSTs has not been performed. Reagents that might be used, either individually or serially, to dissolve sludges include HNO{sub 3}, HNO{sub 3}-oxalic acid, and HNO{sub 3}-HF. This report consolidates and updates perspectives and recommendations concerning reagents and procedures for dissolving Hanford Site SST and selected double-shell tank (DST) sludges. The principal objectives of this report are as follows: (1) Compile and review existing experimental data on dissolution of actual Hanford Site SST and DST sludges. (2) Further inform Hanford Site engineers and scientists concerning the utility of combinations of thermally unstable complexants (TUCS) reagents and various reducing agents for dissolving SST and DST sludges. (This latter technology has recently been explored at the Argonne National Laboratory.) (3) Provide guidance in laying out a comprehensive experimental program to develop technology for dissolving all types of Hanford Site SST and DST sludges. 6 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.
Research Organization:
Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-87RL10930
OSTI ID:
6372864
Report Number(s):
WHC-EP-0451; ON: DE92002257
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English