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

Pelletized waste form demonstration program, April-September 1982

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6880895

Gas generation (radiolysis) testing of uncalcined soil pellets was performed. It was found that no gas was generated by nonradioactive pellets, but pellets containing approx. 0.5 wt % plutonium-238 produced four species of gases (CO, CO/sub 2/, H/sub 2/, and CH/sub 4/). Calculations showed that soil must contain > 330 ..mu..Ci /sup 238/Pu/g soil to exceed the WIPP gas generation acceptance value of 0.1 mole/ft/sup 3/y. Leachability testing of calcined soil/cement pellets spiked with plutonium-238 oxide was performed at ambient temperature in deionized water. The fractional leach rates of the 50 wt % calcined soil/50 wt % cement pellets were found to be approximately the same as those found previously for 50 wt % calcined sludge/50 wt % cement pellets (1 x 10/sup -9/ g/cm/sup 2//day after 14-1/2 days of leaching). The leachability testing of simulated ash/CsCl/adsorbent/cement pellets was performed and Zeolon was found to be the best adsorbent for cesium. The percentages of cesium leached from pellets after 21 days were 86.2 wt % for pellets containing no adsorbent and 3.73 wt % for pellets containing 2.5 wt % Zeolon. The demonstration of the production waste pelletization line (PWPL) was completed, and three types of calcined waste (soil, ash, and sludge) were successfully pelletized. The calcination retort required replacement as a result of excessive corrosion at 850/sup 0/C over a 2-y period. The pelletization press operated at 95% efficiency, and no mechanical problems occurred. The University of Dayton studied and evaluated the factors affecting the strength of immobilized waste pelletization products. It was confirmed that the main reason for the great difference in the compressive strength of cast and pressed pellets was the great difference in porosity. The report is included in the Appendix.

Research Organization:
Monsanto Research Corp., Miamisburg, OH (USA). Mound
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00053
OSTI ID:
6880895
Report Number(s):
MLM-3028; ON: DE83003803
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English