Characterization of radioactive-waste melter feed vitrified by microwave energy

Technical Report · Mon Apr 27 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:7005988

Jantzen, C M; Cadieux, J R

Liquid high-level nuclear waste will be immobilized at the Savannah River Site (SRS) by vitrification in borosilicate glass. The glass will be processed in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) and poured into stainless steel canisters for eventual disposal in a geologic repository. Vitrification of melter feed samples is necessary for DWPF process and product control. Microwave fusion of melter feed at approximately 12OO deg C for 10 minutes has been shown to yield homogeneous glasses comparable to those melted in a conventional furnace for 4 hours. Microwave fusion at lower temperatures for longer times was found to crystallize NiFe2O4 spinel. The use of higher temperatures was determined to cause significant volatilization and recrystallization of the glass. Redox measurements indicated that microwave vitrification of melter slurries may also yield more representative measures of glass Fe2+/Sigma Fe ratio of the glass which is important to melter processing of the glass.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7005988
• Report Number(s): AD-P-007757/8/XAB
• 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
BOROSILICATE GLASS
CONTROL
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
FURNACES
GLASS
HEATING
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
IRON
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
MICROWAVE HEATING
MIXTURES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PROCESS CONTROL
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RECRYSTALLIZATION
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VITRIFICATION
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES