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Title: Process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification

Abstract

A process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification. The process involves acidifying the wastes with an oxidizing agent such as nitric acid, then adding formic acid as a reducing agent, and then mixing with glass formers to produce a melter feed. The nitric acid contributes nitrates that act as an oxidant to balance the redox of the melter feed, prevent reduction of certain species to produce conducting metals, and lower the pH of the wastes to a suitable level for melter operation. The formic acid reduces mercury compounds to elemental mercury for removal by steam stripping, and MnO.sub.2 to the Mn(II) ion to prevent foaming of the glass melt. The optimum amounts of nitric acid and formic acid are determined in relation to the composition of the wastes, including the concentrations of mercury (II) and MnO.sub.2, noble metal compounds, nitrates, formates and so forth. The process minimizes the amount of hydrogen generated during treatment, while producing a redox-balanced feed for effective melter operation and a quality glass product.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Augusta, GA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
869999
Patent Number(s):
5435942
Assignee:
United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21F - PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-89SR18035
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
process; treating; alkaline; wastes; vitrification; involves; acidifying; oxidizing; agent; nitric; acid; adding; formic; reducing; mixing; glass; formers; produce; melter; feed; contributes; nitrates; oxidant; balance; redox; prevent; reduction; species; conducting; metals; ph; suitable; level; operation; reduces; mercury; compounds; elemental; removal; steam; stripping; mno; mn; ii; foaming; melt; optimum; amounts; determined; relation; composition; including; concentrations; noble; metal; formates; forth; minimizes; amount; hydrogen; generated; treatment; producing; redox-balanced; effective; quality; product; glass former; alkaline waste; mercury compounds; metal compound; process involves; metal compounds; nitric acid; noble metal; reducing agent; oxidizing agent; glass melt; glass formers; formic acid; elemental mercury; melter operation; quality glass; glass product; steam stripping; treating alkaline; oxidizing agen; treating alkali; alkaline wastes; conducting metal; /252/210/588/

Citation Formats

Hsu, Chia-lin W. Process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Hsu, Chia-lin W. Process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification. United States.
Hsu, Chia-lin W. Sun . "Process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869999.
@article{osti_869999,
title = {Process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification},
author = {Hsu, Chia-lin W},
abstractNote = {A process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification. The process involves acidifying the wastes with an oxidizing agent such as nitric acid, then adding formic acid as a reducing agent, and then mixing with glass formers to produce a melter feed. The nitric acid contributes nitrates that act as an oxidant to balance the redox of the melter feed, prevent reduction of certain species to produce conducting metals, and lower the pH of the wastes to a suitable level for melter operation. The formic acid reduces mercury compounds to elemental mercury for removal by steam stripping, and MnO.sub.2 to the Mn(II) ion to prevent foaming of the glass melt. The optimum amounts of nitric acid and formic acid are determined in relation to the composition of the wastes, including the concentrations of mercury (II) and MnO.sub.2, noble metal compounds, nitrates, formates and so forth. The process minimizes the amount of hydrogen generated during treatment, while producing a redox-balanced feed for effective melter operation and a quality glass product.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}