Incineration of contaminated organic solvents in a fluidized-bed calciner
The reprocessing of expended reactor fuels at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) generates contaminated organic solvents. An evaluation of potential management alternatives shows that several are suitable for management of contaminated solvents containing tri-butyl phosphate (TBP): the solvent could be burned in a commercially-available burner which absorbs the phosphorus on a fluidized-bed of limestone leaving a solid product for burial; the solvent could be burned in a small fluidized-bed calciner which solidifies non-radioactive feed by in-bed combustion of the contaminated solvent. The fluidized-bed absorbs the phosphate forming a solid product for burial; the solvents could be solidified with a gel or sorbant for burial if the reprocessing system were modified to reduce the solvent volume; and the contaminated solvent could be burned in an existing fluidized-bed calciner designed for solidifying high-level aqueous wastes. Burning the solvent in the existing calciner was selected for process verification because it provides an existing burner, off-gas system, and solids transfer and storage system. No additional wastes are generated. A set of four pilot-plant tests verified the absence of adverse effects from the phosphorus in the fuel when calcining simulated ICPP aqueous wastes. Essentially all of the phosphorus remained in the calcined solids with only a neglegible quantity remaining in the scrubbed off-gas. Combustion efficiency was high (93 to 96%). There were no observable adverse effects on solids in the scrubbing system, corrosion rates, or solids flowability (for retrieval). Conclusions of general applicability are: alternative technologies are available for disposal of contaminated solvents, and the use of an existing fuel-using facility, e.g., calciner or incinerator - designed for contaminated wastes will usually be cost effective.
- Research Organization:
- Exxon Nuclear Idaho Co., Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-79ID01675
- OSTI ID:
- 6993405
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-801038-6; TRN: 80-018527
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 16. DOE nuclear air cleaning conference, San Diego, CA, USA, 20 Oct 1980
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
CHEMICAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1961
CHEMICAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT, JANUARY-MARCH 1962
Related Subjects
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
FLUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTION
SOLIDIFICATION
TBP
CALCINATION
PILOT PLANTS
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DECOMPOSITION
ESTERS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS
PROCESSING
PYROLYSIS
SOLVENTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing