Mediated electrochemical oxidation of Rocky Flats combustible low level mixed wastes

Conference · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6866246

Chiba, Z

Mediated Electrochemical Oxidation (MEO) was originally developed for dissolution of difficult to dissolve forms of plutonium oxide. It was also found to be effective for oxidizing non-polymerized organic materials. MEO is an inherently safe process since the hazardous and radioactive materials are completely contained in the aqueous phase, and operating temperatures and pressures of the system are low (well below 100 [degree]C and 30 psig). The most commonly used mediator-electrolyte combination is silver in nitric acid. The process produces divalent silver ion, a strong oxidizing agent, which dissolves the radioactive components of mixed wastes and destroys the organic components. In the past, work at LLNL has been focused on understanding the basic science and modeling the dissolution and destruction mechanisms. Reaction rates of water with Ag(H) were measured using spectrophotometric methods, and the diffusivity of silver ions in nitric acid was estimated using a rotating disk electrode.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6866246
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-112396; CONF-930160--11; ON: DE93009224
• 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
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201 -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
KINETICS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
MIXTURES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITRIC ACID
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTION KINETICS
ROCKY FLATS PLANT
SILVER
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES