Engineering topics

Peterson, Reid A

Publications and source records attributed to Peterson, Reid A.

9 records

DOE OSTI2012

Development of an S-Saltcake Simulant Using Crossflow Filtration as a Validation Technique

In the past several years, cross-flow filtration has been studied extensively in a bench-scale system at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) using both actual tank waste from the Hanford site and waste simulants. One challenge when creating a waste simulant is duplicating the filtration behaviour of real waste, in particular when the waste composition is not known with certainty. Using a systematic approach to filtration testing, it has been found that the solid components that dominate the filtration behaviour can be identified. This approach was used to develop a waste simulant for S-Saltcake tank waste. The analysis of filtration data assists in screening solid components when the chemical composition and structure of a metal is not known. This is well-illustrated in this study during the search for the appropriate chromium phase. After the likely components were identified, the solids were combined with a supernate that is representative of the real waste and the filtration performance was verified against real waste data. A secondary benefit of this approach is the construction of a database of filtration performance for various solid species that can be used to quickly develop waste simulants in the future.

waste simulant, crossflow filtration, S-Saltcake↗

DOE OSTI2011

Integrated pore blockage-cake filtration model for crossflow filtration

Crossflow filtration is to be a key process in the treatment and disposal of approximately 60,000 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste stored at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is assessing filter performance with waste simulant materials that mimic the chemical and physical properties of Hanford tank waste. Prior simulant studies indicated that waste filtration performance may be limited by pore and cake fouling. To limit the shutdown of waste treatment operations, the pre-treatment facility plans to recover filter flux losses from cake formation and filter fouling by frequently backpulsing the filter elements. The objective of the current paper is to develop a simple model of flux decline resulting from cake and pore fouling and potential flux recovery through backpulsing of the filters for Hanford waste filtration operations. To this end, a model capable of characterizing the decline in waste-simulant filter flux as a function of both irreversible pore blockage and reversible cake formation is proposed. This model is used to characterize the filtration behavior of Hanford waste simulants in both continuous and backpulsed operations. The model is then used to infer the optimal backpulse frequency under specific operating conditions.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2011

Chemical cleaning of porous stainless steel cross-flow filter elements for nuclear waste applications

The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) currently under construction for treatment of High-Level Waste (HLW) at the Hanford Site will rely on cross-flow ultrafiltration to provide solids-liquid separation as a core part of the treatment process. To optimize process throughput, periodic chemical cleaning of the porous stainless steel filter elements has been incorporated into the design of the plant. It is currently specified that chemical cleaning with nitric acid will occur after significant irreversible membrane fouling is observed. Irreversible fouling is defined as fouling that cannot be removed by backpulsing the filter. PNNL has investigated chemical cleaning processes as part of integrated tests with HLW simulants and with actual Hanford tank wastes. To quantify the effectiveness of chemical cleaning, the residual membrane resistance after cleaning was compared against the initial membrane resistance for each test in a series of long-term fouling tests. The impact of the small amount of residual resistance in these tests could not be separated from other parameters and the historical benchmark of >1 GPM/ft2 for clean water flux was determined to be an adequate metric for chemical cleaning. Using the results from these tests, a process optimization strategy is presented suggesting that for the simulant material under test, the value of chemical cleaning may be suspect. The period of enhanced filtration may not be enough to offset the down time required for chemical cleaning, without respect to the other associated costs.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2011

Alternative Sodium Recovery Technology—High Hydroxide Leaching: FY10 Status Report

Boehmite leaching tests were carried out at NaOH concentrations of 10 M and 12 M, temperatures of 85°C and 60°C, and a range of initial aluminate concentrations. These data, and data obtained during earlier 100°C tests using 1 M and 5 M NaOH, were used to establish the dependence of the boehmite dissolution rate on hydroxide concentration, temperature, and initial aluminate concentration. A semi-empirical kinetic model for boehmite leaching was fitted to the data and used to calculate the NaOH additions required for leaching at different hydroxide concentrations. The optimal NaOH concentration for boehmite leaching at 85°C was estimated, based on minimizing the amount of Na that had to be added in NaOH to produce a given boehmite conversion.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2010

A Brief Review of Filtration Studies for Waste Treatment at the Hanford Site

This document completes the requirements of Milestone 1-2, PNNL Draft Literature Review, discussed in the scope of work outlined in the EM-31 Support Project task plan WP-2.3.6-2010-1. The focus of task WP 2.3.6 is to improve the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) understanding of filtration operations for high-level waste (HLW) to enhance filtration and cleaning efficiencies, thereby increasing process throughput and reducing the sodium demand (through acid neutralization). Developing the processes for fulfilling the cleaning/backpulsing requirements will result in more efficient operations for both the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) and the Savannah River Site (SRS), thereby increasing throughput by limiting cleaning cycles. The purpose of this document is to summarize Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) literature review of historical filtration testing at the laboratory and of testing found in peer-reviewed journals. Eventually, the contents of this document will be merged with a literature review by SRS to produce a summary report for DOE of the results of previous filtration testing at the laboratories and the types of testing that still need to be completed to address the questions about improved filtration performance at WTP and SRS. To this end, this report presents 1) a review of the current state of crossflow filtration knowledge available in the peer-reviewed literature, 2) a detailed review of PNNL-related filtration studies specific to the Hanford site, and 3) an overview of current waste filtration models developed by PNNL and suggested avenues for future model development.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2010

Hanford Tank Waste – What is in it? Where is it going?

The Waste Treatment Plant currently under construction for treatment of High Level Waste at the Hanford Site will process High Level Waste (HLW) to reduce the quantity of HLW material that must be immobilized. Recently, an extensive testing program was undertaken to characterize the composition of some of the major sources of HLW in the Hanford tank farm system. This effort has led to an increased understanding of the chemical form and the underlying dissolution chemistry for much of the waste.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2010

Methods to avoid post-filtration precipitation in treatment of high-level waste

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant currently under construction for treating high level waste at the Hanford Site will rely on ultrafiltration to provide solids liquid separation as a core part of the treatment process. A series of bench-scale simulant tests have been performed to evaluate the potential for post-filtration precipitation. These tests focused on identifying precipitation from a range of potential feed compositions and providing the data required to evaluate mitigation options. A series of tests were performed using a variety of simulant samples. These tests identified the expected extent of supersaturation that develops under normal operations and identified and characterized the solids phases that are expected to form when the filtrate solutions are stored. In addition, tests identified the potential to mitigate the formation of these solids through both dilution and the application of increased temperature.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2010

PEP Support: Laboratory Scale Leaching and Permeate Stability Tests

This report documents results from a variety of activities requested by the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The activities related to caustic leaching, oxidative leaching, permeate precipitation behavior of waste as well as chromium (Cr) leaching are: • Model Input Boehmite Leaching Tests • Pretreatment Engineering Platform (PEP) Support Leaching Tests • PEP Parallel Leaching Tests • Precipitation Study Results • Cr Caustic and Oxidative Leaching Tests. Leaching test activities using the PEP simulant provided input to a boehmite dissolution model and determined the effect of temperature on mass loss during caustic leaching, the reaction rate constant for the boehmite dissolution, and the effect of aeration in enhancing the chromium dissolution during caustic leaching. Other tests were performed in parallel with the PEP tests to support the development of scaling factors for caustic and oxidative leaching. Another study determined if precipitate formed in the wash solution after the caustic leach in the PEP. Finally, the leaching characteristics of different chromium compounds under different conditions were examined to determine the best one to use in further testing.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2010

Boehmite Dissolution Model Based on Simulant Data

Several of the Hanford waste tanks contain significant quantities of boehmite. This boehmite will be dissolved through caustic leaching as part of the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant currently under construction will. Therefore, it is important to fully understand the nature of this dissolution process so that caustic leaching can be effectively deployed on the Hanford tank wastes. This research determined the impact of primary control parameters such as temperature, hydroxide concentration, approach to solubility, and stirring rate on the boehmite dissolution rate.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗