TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION OF SLUDGE MASS REDUCTION VIA ALUMINUM DISSOLUTION: GLASS FORMULATION PROCESSING WINDOW PREDICTIONS FOR SB5
Composition projections for Sludge Batch 5 (SB5) were developed, based on a modeling approach at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), to evaluate possible impacts of the Al-dissolution process on the availability of viable frit compositions for vitrification at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). The study included two projected SB5 compositions that bound potential outcomes (or degrees of effectiveness) of the Al-dissolution process, as well as a nominal SB5 composition projection based on the results of the recent Al-dissolution demonstration at SRNL. The three SB5 projections were the focus of a two-stage paper study assessment. A Nominal Stage assessment combined each of the SB5 composition projections with an array of 19,305 frit compositions over a wide range of waste loading (WL) values and evaluated them against the DWPF process control models. The Nominal Stage results allowed for the down-selection of a small number of frits that provided reasonable projected operating windows (typically 27 to 42 wt% WL). The frit/sludge systems were mostly limited by process related constraints, with only one system being limited by predictions of nepheline crystallization, a waste form affecting constraint. The criteria applied in selecting the frit compositions somewhat restricted the compositional flexibility of the candidate frits for each individual SB5 composition projection, which may limit the ability to further tailor the frit for improved melt rate. Variation Stage assessments were then performed using the down-selected frits and the three SB5 composition projections with variation applied to each sludge component. The Variation Stage results showed that the operating windows were reduced in width, as expected when variation in the sludge composition is applied. However, several of the down-selected frits exhibited a relatively high degree of robustness to the applied sludge variation, providing WL windows of approximately 30 to 39 wt%. The maximum WLs were limited by processing constraints, liquidus temperature and low viscosity, rather than a waste form affecting constraint (e.g., nepheline crystallization) in the Variation Stage assessments. These paper study assessments have identified candidate frits which, when combined with the SRNL projected SB5 compositions after Al-dissolution, have projected operating windows that should be reasonable for DWPF processing. As more information is obtained on the SB5 composition to be processed in DWPF, including the actual Al removed and Tank 7 mass transferred, additional paper study assessments will be performed as well as experimental frit development studies. The frits identified in this study provide insight into potential processing windows but are not the recommended frits for SB5. No information regarding melt rate can be inferred from the paper study results. Experimental studies to evaluate this critical factor in DWPF processing must be performed on the best SB5 projection before a frit recommendation could be made for any projected sludge composition.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC09-96SR18500
- OSTI ID:
- 923829
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-STI-2007-00690; TRN: US0802230
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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