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Title: Effect of Bubbles and Silica Dissolution on Melter Feed Rheology during Conversion to Glass

Journal Article · · Environmental Science & Technology, 48(20):12173-12180
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es5018625· OSTI ID:1194317

As the nuclear waste glass melter feed is converted to molten glass, the feed becomes a continuous glass-forming melt where dissolving refractory constituents are suspended together with numerous gas bubbles. Knowledge of mechanical properties of the reacting melter feed is crucial for understanding the feed-to-glass conversion as it occurs during melting. We studied the melter feed viscosity during heating and correlated it with volume fractions of dissolving quartz particles and gas phase. The measurements were performed with a rotating spindle rheometer on the melter feed heated at 5 K/min, starting at several different temperatures. The effects of undissolved quartz particles, gas bubbles, and compositional inhomogeneity on the melter feed viscosity were determined by fitting a linear relationship between log viscosity and volume fractions of suspended phases.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1194317
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-101140; 830403000
Journal Information:
Environmental Science & Technology, 48(20):12173-12180, Journal Name: Environmental Science & Technology, 48(20):12173-12180
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English