Millimeter-Wave Measurements of High Level and Low Level Activity Glass Melts
The objective of this project is to develop on-line sensors for characterizing molten glass in high-level and low-activity waste glass melters using millimeter-wave technology. Existing and planned waste glass melters lack sophisticated diagnostics due to the hot, corrosive, and radioactive melter environments. Without process control diagnostics the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at Savannah River, the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) at Hanford, and planned melter upgrades operate by a feed forward process control scheme that relies on predictive models with large uncertainties. This scheme limits production throughput and waste loading. Also without on-line diagnostics melter operations are blind to anomalies such as foaming, combustion gas build up, noble metals accumulation, liquidus crystals, and salt layer formation, which can disrupt operations leading to costly down times. Using the unique capabilities of millimeter-waves on-line monitoring for important melt process parameters such as temperature profiles, emissivity, density, viscosity, and other characteristics will be developed. Once successfully developed and implemented significant cost savings would be realized in melter operations by faster production through put, reduced storage volumes (through higher waste loading), and reduced risks (prevention of anomalies).
- Research Organization:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA; Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA; Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Aiken, SC (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG07-98ER62707
- OSTI ID:
- 834817
- Report Number(s):
- EMSP-81897-2003; R&D Project: EMSP 81897; TRN: US200433%%387
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Jun 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Millimeter-Wave High Level and Low Activity Waste Glass Research
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