Effect of Particle Size Distribution on Slurry Rheology: Nuclear Waste Simulant Slurries
Controlling the rheological properties of slurries has been of great interest in various industries such as cosmetics, ceramic processing, and nuclear waste treatment. Many physicochemical parameters, such as particle size, pH, ionic strength, and mass/volume fraction of particles, can influence the rheological properties of slurry. Among such parameters, the particle size distribution of slurry would be especially important for nuclear waste treatment because most nuclear waste slurries show a broad particle size distribution. We studied the rheological properties of several different low activity waste nuclear simulant slurries having different particle size distributions under high salt and high pH conditions. Using rheological and particle size analysis, it was found that the percentage of colloid-sized particles in slurry appears to be a key factor for rheological characteristics and the efficiency of rheological modifiers. This behavior was shown to be coupled with an existing electrostatic interaction between particles under a low salt concentration. Our study suggests that one may need to implement the particle size distribution as a critical factor to understand and control rheological properties in nuclear waste treatment plants, such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford and Savannah River sites, because the particle size distributions significantly vary over different types of nuclear waste slurries.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1023102
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-76785; EY4049110; TRN: US1104451
- Journal Information:
- Colloids and Surfaces. A, Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 384(1-3):304-310, Vol. 384, Issue 1-3; ISSN 0927-7757
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CERAMICS
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
DISTRIBUTION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROSTATICS
PARTICLE SIZE
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RHEOLOGY
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SLURRIES
WASTES
Particle size distribution
colloidal interactions
yield stress
nuclear waste simulant slurries
rheological modifiers