Remote viewing of melter interior: defense waste processing facility

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7000447

Heckendorn, F M

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is under construction at the Savannah River Plant. In DWPF, an immobilization process solidifies high-level radioactive waste material into a leach-resistant borosilicate glass. A molten mixture of waste and glass is produced in an electrically heated melter. The mixture is subsequently allowed to solidify in a stainless steel canister for eventual transportation to an offsite federal repository. An elaborate chemical process is used to remotely prepare the radioactive waste for conversion into the final glass matrix. A final mixture of concentrated radioactive waste and finely powdered glass frit is metered into the melter. Molten glass exits the melter into waiting canisters. The control and monitoring of the melter operation is crucial to the overall DWPF operation. A remote system has been developed and demonstrated for continuous viewing of the melter interior during all phases of its operation. Viewing of the interior is one of the best methods for confirming proper operation of the melter. It serves to confirm the sensor-based controls and provide sensing of unanticipated parameters.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Lab., Aiken, SC
• OSTI ID: 7000447
• Report Number(s): CONF-861102-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 53
• 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
42 ENGINEERING
420203 -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
ALLOYS
BOROSILICATE GLASS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CONTAINERS
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
DESIGN
EQUIPMENT
GLASS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OPERATION
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
REMOTE VIEWING EQUIPMENT
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
US DOD
US ORGANIZATIONS
VITRIFICATION
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES