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Title: Hydrogen anode for nitrate waste destruction. Revision 2

Abstract

Large quantities of radioactive and hazardous wastes have been generated from nuclear materials production during the past fifty years. Processes are under evaluation to separate the high level radioactive species from the waste and store them permanently in the form of durable solids. The schemes proposed will separate the high level radioactive components, cesium-137 and strontium-90, into a small volume for incorporation into a glass wasteform. The remaining low-level radioactive waste contain species such as nitrites and nitrates that are capable of contaminating ground water. Electrochemical destruction of the nitrate and nitrite before permanent storage has been proposed. Not only will the electrochemical processing destroy these species, the volume of the waste could also be reduced. The use of a hydrogen gas-fed anode and an acid anolyte in an electrochemical cell used to destroy nitrate was demonstrated. A mixed Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4}/H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} anolyte was shown to favor the nitrate cell performance, and the generation of a higher hydroxide ion concentration in the catholyte. The suggested scheme is an apparent method of sodium sulfate disposal and a possible means through which ammonia (to ammonium sulfate, fertilizer) and hydrogen gas could be recycled through the anode side of the reactor.more » This could result in a substantial savings in the operation of a nitrate destruction cell.« less

Authors:
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
  2. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
392770
Report Number(s):
WSRC-MS-95-0193-Rev.2
ON: DE97000431; TRN: 96:029170
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-89SR18035
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 10 Feb 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
05 NUCLEAR FUELS; LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES; REDUCTION; ELECTROLYSIS; NITRATES; ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS; PERFORMANCE TESTING; RECYCLING; BY-PRODUCTS

Citation Formats

Hobbs, D T, Kalu, E E, and White, R E. Hydrogen anode for nitrate waste destruction. Revision 2. United States: N. p., 1996. Web. doi:10.2172/392770.
Hobbs, D T, Kalu, E E, & White, R E. Hydrogen anode for nitrate waste destruction. Revision 2. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/392770
Hobbs, D T, Kalu, E E, and White, R E. 1996. "Hydrogen anode for nitrate waste destruction. Revision 2". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/392770. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/392770.
@article{osti_392770,
title = {Hydrogen anode for nitrate waste destruction. Revision 2},
author = {Hobbs, D T and Kalu, E E and White, R E},
abstractNote = {Large quantities of radioactive and hazardous wastes have been generated from nuclear materials production during the past fifty years. Processes are under evaluation to separate the high level radioactive species from the waste and store them permanently in the form of durable solids. The schemes proposed will separate the high level radioactive components, cesium-137 and strontium-90, into a small volume for incorporation into a glass wasteform. The remaining low-level radioactive waste contain species such as nitrites and nitrates that are capable of contaminating ground water. Electrochemical destruction of the nitrate and nitrite before permanent storage has been proposed. Not only will the electrochemical processing destroy these species, the volume of the waste could also be reduced. The use of a hydrogen gas-fed anode and an acid anolyte in an electrochemical cell used to destroy nitrate was demonstrated. A mixed Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4}/H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} anolyte was shown to favor the nitrate cell performance, and the generation of a higher hydroxide ion concentration in the catholyte. The suggested scheme is an apparent method of sodium sulfate disposal and a possible means through which ammonia (to ammonium sulfate, fertilizer) and hydrogen gas could be recycled through the anode side of the reactor. This could result in a substantial savings in the operation of a nitrate destruction cell.},
doi = {10.2172/392770},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/392770}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Sat Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}