Engineering studies on pot calcination for ultimate disposal of nuclear waste from TBP-25, Darex, and Purex processes. Part II. Collection of performance data and analysis

Technical Report · Fri Sep 20 04:00:00 EDT 1963

OSTI ID:6620009

Hancher, C W; King, L J; Suddath, J C; Whatley, M E

Experience with the operation of an experimental engineering-development pot-calcination facility, including two types of evaporators with associated control systems and a calciner pot up to 8 in. in diameter and 90 in. high, formed the basis for the recommendation of equipment and operating procedures for the hot-pilot-plant phase of the waste-calcination program. The operating data and results from about 20 runs are shown in tables and graphs, and significant operating variables are discussed. A continuous waste evaporator with a 25-liter operating volume, a batch evaporator with a capacity of 500 liters, and waste calciner pot with a 60-liter operating capacity were operated to obtain the necessary data to facilitate the design of the pot-calcination pilot plant. The three types of feed used were Purex, TBP-25, and Darex. The average feed rates varied from a low of 7.0 liters/h to a maximum of 30.6. The total feed volume calcined varied from 325 to 641 liters. The reduction in volume for the Purex waste was about 10 to 1, and for TBP-25 and Darex the reduction was about 8 to 1. The volume ratio of water added to strip the nitric acid from the evaporator to feed volume varied from 2.0:1.0 to 4.1:1.0. The resulting calcined solids had bulk densities of about 0.6 g/cc for TBP-25 waste, about 1.2 g/cc for Darex, and about 1.25 g/cc for Purex. The pot-calcination process is a simple direct approach for preparing high-activity liquid wastes for ultimate disposal, as it requires a small number of processing steps. It is versatile enough to handle a variety of fuel processing wastes, for example, Purex, TBP-25, and Darex, and it produces a small volume of off-gas to be processed for recycle or disposal to the environment.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6620009
• Report Number(s): ORNL-TM-619
• 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
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CALCINATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DAREX PROCESS
DECOMPOSITION
DESIGN
ESTERS
EVAPORATORS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS
PILOT PLANTS
POLLUTANTS
PROCESSING
PUREX PROCESS
PYROLYSIS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLIDIFICATION
TBP
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES