Low temperature hydrothermal processing of organic contaminants in Hanford tank waste

Conference · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6547456

Jones, E O; Pederson, L R; Freeman, H D; Schmidt, A J ^[1]; Babad, H ^[2]

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1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
2. Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)

Batch and continuous flow reactor tests at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) have shown that organics similar to those present in the single-shell and double-shell underground storage tanks at Hanford can be decomposed in the liquid phase at relatively mild temperatures of 150[degree]C to 350[degree]C in an aqueous process known as hydrothermal processing (HTP). The organics will react with the abundant oxidants such s nitrite already present in the Hanford tank waste to form hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia. No air or oxygen needs to be added to the system. Ferrocyanides and free cyanide will hydrolyze at similar temperatures to produce formate and ammonia and may also react with nitrates or other oxides. During testing, the organic carbon was transformed first to oxalate at[approximately]310[degree]C and completely oxidized to carbonate at [approximately]350[degree]C accompanied by hydroxide consumption. Solids were formed at higher temperatures, causing a small-diameter outlet tube to plug. The propensity for plugging was reduced by diluting the feed with concentrated hydroxide.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6547456
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-21893; CONF-930205--46; ON: DE93009815
• 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
ALKANES
ALLOYS
AMMONIA
AUSTENITIC STEELS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONATES
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM-NICKEL STEELS
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
COMPLEXES
CONTAINERS
CORROSION
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
CYANIDES
ELEMENTS
FERROCYANIDES
FLAMMABILITY
HANFORD RESERVATION
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
HIGH ALLOY STEELS
HYDRIDES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRON COMPLEXES
LOW CA
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METHANE
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NITRITES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXALATES
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXIDIZERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SAFETY
SIMULATION
STAINLESS STEEL-304L
STAINLESS STEELS
STEEL-CR19NI10-L
STEELS
STOICHIOMETRY
TANKS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES