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First results of in-can microwave processing experiments for radioactive liquid wastes at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6957438
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The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Waste Handling and Packaging Plant is developing a microwave process to reduce and solidify remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) liquids and sludges presently stored in large tanks at ORNL. Testing has recently begun on an in drum microwave process using nonradioactive RH-TRU surrogates. The microwave process development effort has focused on an in-drum process to dry the RH-TRU liquids and sludges in the final storage container and then melt the salt residues to form a solid monolith. A 1/3-scale proprietary microwave applicator was designed, fabricated, and tested to demonstrate the essential features of the microwave design and to provide input into the design of the full-scale applicator. Conductivity cell measurements suggest that the microwave energy heats near the surface of the surrogate over a wide range of temperatures. The final wasteform meets the waste acceptance criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a federal repository for defense transuranic wastes near Carlsbad, New Mexico. 7 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE/DP
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
6957438
Report Number(s):
CONF-900466-54; ON: DE90012168
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

052000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Management
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
42 ENGINEERING
420203 -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
DESIGN
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
EVAPORATION
LIQUID WASTES
MATERIALS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE RADIATION
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
RADIATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM NITRATES
SOLIDIFICATION
WASTE FORMS
WASTES