skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: VARIABILITY STUDY WITH FRIT 510 TO SUPPORT A SECOND TANK 40 DECANT

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/936863· OSTI ID:936863

Sludge Batch 4 (SB4) is currently being processed in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) using Frit 510. The slurry pumps in Tank 40 are experiencing in-leakage of bearing water, which is causing the sludge slurry in Tank 40 to become dilute at a rapid rate. Currently, the DWPF is removing this dilution water by performing caustic boiling during the Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) cycle. In order to alleviate prolonged SRAT cycle times, which may eventually impact canister production rates, the Liquid Waste Organization (LWO) performed a 100K gallon supernate decant of Tank 40 in April 2008. SRNL performed a supplemental glass variability study to support the April 2008 100K gallon decant incorporating the impact of coupled operations (addition of the Actinide Removal Process (ARP) stream). Recently LWO requested that SRNL assess the impact of a second decant (up to 100K gallon) to the Frit 510-SB4 system. This second decant occurred in June 2008. LWO provided nominal compositions on May 6, 2008 representing Tank 40 prior to the second decant, following the second decant, and the SB4 Heel prior to blending with Tank 51 to constitute SB5. Paper study assessments were performed for these options based on sludge-only and coupled operations processing (ARP addition), as well as possible Na{sub 2}O additions (via NaOH additions) to both flowsheets. A review of the ComProTM database relative to the compositional region defined by the projections after the second decant coupled with Frit 510 identified only a few glasses with similar glass compositions. These glasses were acceptable from a durability perspective, but did not sufficiently cover the new glass compositional region. Therefore, SRNL recommended that a supplemental variability study be performed to support the June 2008 Tank 40 decant. Glasses were selected for the variability study based on three sludge compositional projections (sludge-only, coupled and coupled + 2 wt% Na{sub 2}O) at waste loadings (WLs) of interest to DWPF (32%, 35% and 38%). These nine glasses were fabricated and characterized using chemical composition analysis, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and the Product Consistency Test (PCT). All of the glasses that were selected for this study satisfy the Product Composition Control System (PCCS) criteria and are deemed processable and acceptable for the DWPF, except for the SB4VS2-03 (sludge-only at 38% WL) target composition. This glass fails the T{sub L} criterion and would not be considered processable based on Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) acceptability decisions. The durabilities of all of the study glasses (both quenched and ccc) are well below that of the normalized leachate for boron (NL [B]) of the reference EA glass (16.695 g/L) and are predictable using the current PCCS models. Very little variation exists between the NL [B] of the quenched and ccc versions of the glasses. There is some evidence of a trend toward a less durable glass as WL increases for some of the sludge projections. Frit 510 is a viable option for the processing of SB4 after a second Tank 40 decant with or without the addition of products from the ARP stream as well as the 2 wt% Na{sub 2}O addition. The addition of ARP had no negative impacts on the acceptability and predictability of the variability study glasses.

Research Organization:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC09-08SR22470
OSTI ID:
936863
Report Number(s):
WSRC-STI-2008-00315; TRN: US0805986
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English