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Title: Microwave-specific heating of crystalline species in nuclear waste glass

Abstract

Abstract The microwave heating of a crystal‐free and a partially trevorite‐crystallized nuclear waste glass simulant was evaluated. Our results show that a 500‐mg monolith of partially crystallized waste glass can be heated from room temperature to above 1600°C within 2 minutes using a single‐mode, highly focused, 2.45‐GHz microwave, operating at 300 W. Using X‐ray diffraction measurements, we show that trevorite is no longer detectable after irradiation and thermal quenching. When a crystal‐free analog of the same waste glass simulant composition was exposed to the same microwave radiation, it could not be heated above 450°C regardless of the heating time. The reduction in crystalline content achieved by selectively heating spinels in the presence of glass suggests that microwave‐specific heating should be further explored as a technique for remediating crystal accumulation in a glass melt.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken SC
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1352521
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1401458
Report Number(s):
SRNL-STI-2016-00364
Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1286
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC09-08SR22470; DE‐AC09‐08SR22470
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
International Journal of Applied Glass Science
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 8; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1286
Publisher:
American Ceramic Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; microwave; waste glass; spinel

Citation Formats

Christian, Jonathan H., Fox, Kevin M., and Washington, Aaron L. Microwave-specific heating of crystalline species in nuclear waste glass. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1111/ijag.12222.
Christian, Jonathan H., Fox, Kevin M., & Washington, Aaron L. Microwave-specific heating of crystalline species in nuclear waste glass. United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijag.12222
Christian, Jonathan H., Fox, Kevin M., and Washington, Aaron L. Wed . "Microwave-specific heating of crystalline species in nuclear waste glass". United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijag.12222. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1352521.
@article{osti_1352521,
title = {Microwave-specific heating of crystalline species in nuclear waste glass},
author = {Christian, Jonathan H. and Fox, Kevin M. and Washington, Aaron L.},
abstractNote = {Abstract The microwave heating of a crystal‐free and a partially trevorite‐crystallized nuclear waste glass simulant was evaluated. Our results show that a 500‐mg monolith of partially crystallized waste glass can be heated from room temperature to above 1600°C within 2 minutes using a single‐mode, highly focused, 2.45‐GHz microwave, operating at 300 W. Using X‐ray diffraction measurements, we show that trevorite is no longer detectable after irradiation and thermal quenching. When a crystal‐free analog of the same waste glass simulant composition was exposed to the same microwave radiation, it could not be heated above 450°C regardless of the heating time. The reduction in crystalline content achieved by selectively heating spinels in the presence of glass suggests that microwave‐specific heating should be further explored as a technique for remediating crystal accumulation in a glass melt.},
doi = {10.1111/ijag.12222},
journal = {International Journal of Applied Glass Science},
number = 2,
volume = 8,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Aug 03 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Wed Aug 03 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

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