Research and development activities, waste fixation program. Quarterly progress report, October--December 1975. [Commerical waste fixation, waste from characterization, alternative waste fixation processes, and systems safety evaluation]

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7268049· OSTI ID:7268049

McElroy, J. L.

Engineering scale in-can melting tests were made to determine the melting capacity of a finned 12-in.-diam. canister and to demonstrate vitrification of Nuclear Fuel Services-type waste produced by the spray calciner. Tests of the fluidized-bed calciner have developed a promising new operating method. The approach uses a continuous inert bed replacement technique which resolves problems of too rapid attrition of the bed and calcine fission product inventory in the fluidizing section. Methods to reduce or eliminate the effects of molybdate and borate phase separation and to improve low acid durability have been identified. Data on density changes and stored energy build-up in glass samples doped with /sup 244/Cm were extended to a dose of 1.75 x 10/sup 18/ alpha disintegrations. Preliminary tests were conducted to evaluate the incorporation of cladding hulls in glass to increase thermal conductivity, dispose of hulls and use the reducing action of Zircaloy to prevent formation of molybdenum compounds. Soxhlet leach tests were made of glass samples in long-term storage at elevated temperature. The only time-dependent changes appear to be an increase in leach rate of samples stored at 700/sup 0/C and a decrease in those stored at 900/sup 0/C. Further tests of the plasma spray method of applying several encapsulating coatings to waste pellets demonstrated partially satisfactory bonding characteristics, but in every case coating porosity or cracking could not be avoided. The feasibility of coating ''stand-in'' waste particles by a chemical vapor-deposition/fluidized-bed process was demonstrated. (LK)

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, Wash. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: E(45-1)-1830
• OSTI ID: 7268049
• Report Number(s): BNWL-1994
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
052002 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CALCINATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
GLASS
MANAGEMENT
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PROCESSING
PYROLYSIS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOLIDIFICATION
VITRIFICATION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING