United States developments in the solidification of high-level radioactive waste

Conference · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6537340

Bonner, W. F.; McElroy, J. L.

In the spring of 1977, three high-28i.apacity processes for solidifying simulated high-level liquid waste became operational. The three processes are: the joule-heated, ceramic-lined continuous melter, the in-can melter, and the spray calciner. Recent operational experience with these and other processes are described in this report. Since the continuous ceramic melter began operation, both liquid and calcined simulated high-level waste have been fed to the melter. Melting rates of over 100 kg per hour have been demonstrated while calcine feeding an liquid feeding rates of 100 liters per hour have also been demonstrated. A wide range of waste composition has been converted to glass in the ceramic melter including compositions simulating defense wastes stored at Hanford and Savannah River in the United States. The in-can melting furnace is capable of producing canisters of glass up to 28 in. diameter by 8-1/2 ft tall, The maximum melting rate of the in-can melting process has been found to be roughly a linear function of the canister diameter. Melting rates in a 24 in. canister can be over 100 kg per hour. The full-scale heated wall spray calciner has been operated at liquid feed rates exceeding 300 liters per hour. All waste compositions tested are calcineable, even wastes containing over 95 percent sodium cations. Borosilicate glasses have been developed for most of the anticipated high-level radioactive waste compositions. Long-term thermal and radiation stability tests are underway. Glass devitrified during high-temperature storage has a modest factor of 2 to 10 increase in leach rate. Radiation doses equivalent to beyond 250,000 years have not shown any evidence of physical damage to the glass.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 6537340
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-6955; CONF-781004-6
• 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
BORON COMPOUNDS
BOROSILICATES
CALCINATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
EQUIPMENT
GLASS
MANAGEMENT
NOZZLES
PERFORMANCE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PROCESSING
PYROLYSIS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SOLIDIFICATION
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING