skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Semivolatile fission product behavior in high-level waste vitrification

Abstract

The solidification of high-level wastes is being evaluated as a method for final control of high-level nuclear wastes. The high temperatures required in the solidification process cause the volatilization of small amounts of fission products, primarily ruthenium and cesium. In order to determine cleanup requirements, a good understanding must be gained as to the quantities of fission products volatilized and how these quantities relate to operating conditions. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory, operated by Battelle-Northwest for the U.S. Department of Energy, has been investigating ruthenium and cesium volatilization in various calciners. Studies have been made using both simulated (nonradioactive) and radioactive feedstock. The ongoing investigations have indicated that the semivolatile fission product losses are small enough to be controlled by off-gas cleanup treatment. During recent spray calcination of simulated high-level liquid waste, not more than 0.2 percent of the ruthenium and 0.1 percent of the cesium were lost to the off-gas system. Decontamination factors of about 600 for ruthenium and 1150 for cesium have been obtained across the spray calciner.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
6941890
Report Number(s):
BNWL-SA-6461; CONF-771139-3
TRN: 78-017081
DOE Contract Number:  
EY-76-C-06-1830
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Radioactive effluents from nuclear fuel reprocessing plants seminar, Karlsruhe, F.R. Germany, 22 Nov 1977
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; CESIUM; EVAPORATION; RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING; SOLIDIFICATION; RUTHENIUM; DECONTAMINATION; EFFICIENCY; HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES; OFF-GAS SYSTEMS; VITRIFICATION; ALKALI METALS; CLEANING; ELEMENTS; MANAGEMENT; METALS; PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS; PLATINUM METALS; PROCESSING; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; REFRACTORY METALS; TRANSITION ELEMENTS; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTE PROCESSING; WASTES; 052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing

Citation Formats

Hanson, M. S., and McElroy, J. L. Semivolatile fission product behavior in high-level waste vitrification. United States: N. p., 1977. Web.
Hanson, M. S., & McElroy, J. L. Semivolatile fission product behavior in high-level waste vitrification. United States.
Hanson, M. S., and McElroy, J. L. 1977. "Semivolatile fission product behavior in high-level waste vitrification". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6941890.
@article{osti_6941890,
title = {Semivolatile fission product behavior in high-level waste vitrification},
author = {Hanson, M. S. and McElroy, J. L.},
abstractNote = {The solidification of high-level wastes is being evaluated as a method for final control of high-level nuclear wastes. The high temperatures required in the solidification process cause the volatilization of small amounts of fission products, primarily ruthenium and cesium. In order to determine cleanup requirements, a good understanding must be gained as to the quantities of fission products volatilized and how these quantities relate to operating conditions. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory, operated by Battelle-Northwest for the U.S. Department of Energy, has been investigating ruthenium and cesium volatilization in various calciners. Studies have been made using both simulated (nonradioactive) and radioactive feedstock. The ongoing investigations have indicated that the semivolatile fission product losses are small enough to be controlled by off-gas cleanup treatment. During recent spray calcination of simulated high-level liquid waste, not more than 0.2 percent of the ruthenium and 0.1 percent of the cesium were lost to the off-gas system. Decontamination factors of about 600 for ruthenium and 1150 for cesium have been obtained across the spray calciner.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6941890}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1977},
month = {Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1977}
}

Conference:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

Save / Share: