Cost and effectiveness comparisons of various types of sludge irradiation and sludge pasteurization treatments

Conference · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7122786

Morris, M E

The radiation from /sup 137/Cs, a major constituent of nuclear fuel reprocessing waste, can be used to sterilize sewage sludge. This paper compares the effectiveness and cost of heat pasteurization, irradiation, and thermoradiation (simultaneous heating/irradiation), three competing methods of sludge disinfection. The cost of irradiation and thermoradiation is slightly higher than heat pasteurization costs for liquid sludges, although minor changes in oil availability or prices could change this. If the viral destruction could be done easily by other means, a 500-kilorad irradiation dose would be effective and less costly. For dry sewage sludges, irradiation is as effective and much less costly than any of the liquid sludge disinfection processes. Irradiation of compost appears to be cheaper and more practical than any heat pasteurization process for the dry sludge (the insulating property of the compost makes heating difficult). 6 tables, 2 fig. (DLC)

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: E(29-1)-789
• OSTI ID: 7122786
• Report Number(s): SAND-76-5780; CONF-761211-2; TRN: 77-007330
• Resource Relation: Conference: 3. annual conference on sludge management, Miami, FL, USA, 14 Dec 1976
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOSTERILIZATION
COST
SEWAGE SLUDGE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EFFICIENCY
HEATING
LIQUID WASTES
PASTEURIZATION
SLUDGES
SOLID WASTES
WASTE PROCESSING
MANAGEMENT
PROCESSING
SEWAGE
STERILIZATION
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
400600* - Radiation Chemistry
070204 - Radiation Sources- Industrial Uses
Radiometric