Treatment options for low-level radiologically contaminated ORNL filtercake
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc., TN (United States)
- Oak Ridge K-25 Site, TN (United States)
Water softening sludge (>4000 stored low level contaminated drums; 600 drums per year) generated by the ORNL Process Waste Treatment Plant must be treated, stabilized, and placed in safe storage/disposal. The sludge is primarily CaCO{sub 3} and is contaminated by low levels of {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs. In this study, microwave sintering and calcination were evaluated for treating the sludge. The microwave melting experiments showed promise: volume reductions were significant (3-5X), and the waste form was durable with glass additives (LiOH, fly ash). A commercial vendor using surrogate has demonstrated a melt mineralization process that yields a dense monolithic waste form with a volume reduction factor (VR) of 7.7. Calcination of the sludge at 850-900 C yielded a VR of 2.5. Compaction at 4500 psi increased the VR to 4.2, but the compressed form is not dimensionally stable. Addition of paraffin helped consolidate fines and yielded a VR of 3.5. In conclusion, microwave melting or another form of vitrification is likely to be the best method; however for immediate implementation, the calculation/compaction/waxing process is viable.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge K-25 Site, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OT21400
- OSTI ID:
- 220583
- Report Number(s):
- K/TSO-7; ON: DE96009970; TRN: 96:011426
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Apr 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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