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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Biogeochemical Changes at Early Stage After the Closure of Radioactive Waste Geological Repository in South Korea

Permanent disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes in the subterranean environment has been the preferred method of many countries, including Korea. A safety issue after the closure of a geological repository is that biodegradation of organic materials due to microbial activities generates gases that lead to overpressure of the waste containers in the repository and its disintegration with the release of radionuclides. As part of an ongoing large-scale in situ experiment using organic wastes and groundwater to simulate geological radioactive waste repository conditions, we investigated the geochemical alteration and microbial activities at an early stage (~63 days) intended to be representative of the initial period after repository closure. The increased numbers of both aerobes and facultative anaerobes in waste effluents indicate that oxygen content could be the most significant parameter to control biogeochemical conditions at very early periods of reaction (<35 days). Accordingly, the values of dissolved oxygen and redox potential were decreased. The activation of anaerobes after 35 days was supported by the increased concentration to ~50 mg L-1 of ethanol. These results suggest that the biogeochemical conditions were rapidly altered to more reducing and anaerobic conditions within the initial 2 months after repository closure. Although no gases were detected during the study, activated anaerobic microbes will play more important role in gas generation over the long term.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Glass-bonded ceramic waste forms for immobilization of radioiodine from caustic scrubber wastes

Glass-bonded sodalite composite waste forms have been developed for the immobilization of liquid radioactive wastes resulting from off-gas treatment during aqueous reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, with a particular focus on 129I. The proposed composite waste form is comprised of aluminosilicate ceramic phases containing volatile radionuclides bonded with a glassy matrix. In this work, a suite of ten candidate low-temperature glass binders (ZnO-Bi2O3-based glasses and a Na2O-B2O3-SiO2 glass) were examined. Six glasses were mixed with caustic scrubber waste simulant previously converted into a sodalite-rich material (to provide glass fractions of 10 and 20 wt.%), uniaxially pressed into pellets, and sintered at 350 °C or 550 °C for 8 h in air. Iodine retention after heat treatment was assessed by neutron activation analysis, showing retention of 67-100 % of expected iodine. The aqueous durabilities of the resulting materials were then determined, following the ASTM C1308 standard test, showing iodine releases of 1 to 23 g m-2 after 4 d. The cumulative iodine release for the best performing system (a zinc-bismuth-borate glass binder) was <1 g m-2, and its iodine retention from processing was 67 %. The iodine releases compared favorably with other waste forms. In parallel, this best-performing composition was also consolidated via hot isostatic pressing (HIP) in a stainless-steel canister at 550 °C for 2 h under 100 MPa pressure. The HIPed sample was produced at the ~20 g scale and showed improved densification and minimal reaction with the canister.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Techno-economic Analysis and Life-Cycle Analysis of Renewable Diesel Fuels Produced with Waste Feedstocks

Wet waste feedstocks represent an important category of resources that could be utilized to produce biofuels. Diversion of the wet waste resources from going through conventional waste management practices to utilization as feedstocks for energy production also benefits from avoided cost and pollutant emissions of waste management and disposal. This study investigates the economic and environmental implications of producing bio-blendstocks for mixing controlled compression ignition (MCCI) engines from two waste-to-fuel pathways: hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) from yellow grease, and swine manure hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) followed by biocrude upgrading. Detailed process models were developed for both pathways, which informed the techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle analysis (LCA). Conventional swine manure management practice was also modeled in detail as the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario for the swine manure HTL pathway. The estimated minimum fuel selling prices (MFSP) were $4.47/gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) and $3.57/GGE for the yellow grease to HEFA and swine manure HTL pathways, respectively. The life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the two pathways were 11.2 and -33.3 g CO2e/MJ, respectively, for the yellow grease to HEFA and swine manure HTL pathways. The credits of avoided emissions from conventional swine manure management were the main reason for the negative GHG emissions of the swine manure HTL pathway. The marginal GHG emissions abatement costs were estimated to be $100 – $253/tonne CO2e and $5 – $103/tonne CO2e for the yellow grease HEFA and swine manure HTL pathways, respectively, for a diesel price ranging between $2.0/GGE and $3.5/GGE. Since the yellow grease HEFA pathway is already commercialized, it can benefit from the $200/tonne carbon credit in the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) market, which could help the yellow grease HEFA pathway to achieve near-zero marginal GHG emissions abatement cost.

renewable diesel, techno economic analysis, life c↗
DOE OSTI2025

Synergy in Materials: Leveraging Phosphosilicate Waste Forms for Electrochemical Salt Waste

Here, waste forms containing glassy and crystalline phosphate and silicate phases were produced to immobilize salt waste simulants from pyroprocessing and characterized by using Raman spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, heat capacity, and chemical durability measurements. In this work, a phosphosilicate waste form is presented to leverage the benefits of both borosilicate glasses and iron phosphate glasses. To improve waste loading, prior to immobilization, salt simulants were successfully dechlorinated using ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, mixed with a borosilicate frit (5–30 wt %) and Fe 2 O 3 , and vitrified. Additions of 2.5–15 wt % borosilicate glass (NBS3) improved normalized release rates for Cs relative to iron-phosphates without NBS3, resulting in chemical durabilities similar to high-level waste borosilicate glass reference materials. The release rates of the alkalis (i.e., Li, Na, K, Cs) were the lowest with the addition of 5 wt % NBS3. Although Sr was not specifically targeted in this study, evidence exists that it preferentially partitioned with Si to form an amorphous droplet phase within the iron phosphate glass matrix.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT (WIPP): THE NATIONS' SOLUTION TO NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL ISSUES

In the southeastern portion of my home state of New Mexico lies the Chihuahauan desert, where a transuranic (TRU), underground disposal site known as the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) occupies 16 square miles. Full operation status began in March 1999, the year I graduated from Los Alamos High School, in Los Alamos, NM, the birthplace of the atomic bomb and one of the nation’s main TRU waste generator sites. During the time of its development and until recently, I did not have a full grasp on the role Los Alamos was playing in regards to WIPP. WIPP is used to store and dispose of TRU waste that has been generated since the 1940s because of nuclear weapons research and testing operations that have occurred in Los Alamos, NM and at other sites throughout the United States (U.S.). TRU waste consists of items that are contaminated with artificial, man-made radioactive elements that have atomic numbers greater than uranium, or are trans-uranic, on the periodic table of elements and it has longevity characteristics that may be hazardous to human health and the environment. Therefore, WIPP has underground rooms that have been carved out of 2,000 square foot thick salt formations approximately 2,150 feet underground so that the TRU waste can be isolated and disposed of. WIPP has operated safely and successfully until this year, when two unrelated events occurred in February 2014. With these events, the safety precautions and measures that have been operating at WIPP for the last 15 years are being revised and improved to ensure that other such events do not occur again.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation: Disposal of the West Valley Demonstration Project Drum Cell Cement Solidified Waste at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation (UDQE) assesses whether the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Drum Cell Cement-Solidified Waste (WVDP000000018, Revision 4 [WVDP 2017]) is suitable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Disposal of the WVDP Drum Cell Cement-Solidified Waste meets all performance objectives in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Manual DOE M 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual , Chapter IV, Section P (DOE 1999). The WVDP Drum Cell Cement-Solidified Waste is recommended for acceptance without conditions.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation: Disposal of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Vault Clean-Out Waste at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation (UDQE) assesses whether the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Vault Clean-Out waste stream (LANL000000030, Revision 4 [LANL 2018]) is suitable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Disposal of the LANL Vault Clean-Out waste stream meets all U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Manual DOE M 435.1-1, “Radioactive Waste Management Manual,” Chapter IV, Section P performance objectives (DOE 2011). The LANL Vault Clean-Out waste stream is recommended for acceptance without conditions.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Portsmouth Uranium Fluoride Solids Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORT) Uranium (U) Fluoride Solids waste stream is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The PORT U Fluoride Solids waste stream consists of highly enriched uranium solids. The PORT U Fluoride Solids waste stream requires an SA to resolve whether it is acceptable to dispose of technetium-99 ( 99 Tc), uranium-234 ( 234 U), and thorium-230 ( 230 Th) with activity concentrations exceeding the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria Action Levels.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation: Disposal of the Materials & Energy Corporation Regulated Asbestos Mixed Low-Level Waste Macroencapsulated Debris at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation assesses whether the Materials and Energy Corporation (M&EC) Regulated Asbestos Mixed Low-Level Waste (MLLW) Macroencapsulated Debris waste stream is suitable for shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site on the Nevada National Security Site. Disposal of the M&EC Regulated Asbestos MLLW Macroencapsulated Debris Waste meets all DOE M 435.1-1 performance objectives. The M&EC Regulated Asbestos MLLW Macroencapsulated Debris waste stream is recommended for acceptance without conditions.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation: Disposal of the Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC Classified Mixed Waste Asbestos Neutron Generators at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation assesses whether the Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) Classified Mixed Waste (MW) Asbestos Neutron Generators is suitable for shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site on the Nevada National Security Site. Disposal of the waste stream meets all performance objectives in DOE M 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual, Chapter IV, Section P. The CNS Classified MW Asbestos Neutron Generators waste stream is recommended for acceptance without conditions.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation: Disposal of the Sandia National Laboratories Line Generated Waste at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation assesses whether the Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Line Generated Waste is suitable for shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site on the Nevada National Security Site. Disposal of the waste stream meets all performance objectives in DOE M 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual, Chapter IV, Section P. The SNL Line Generated Waste is recommended for acceptance with the following conditions: 1. Total 3H activity shall not exceed 5E14 Bq., 2. Total 226Ra activity shall not exceed 3E7 Bq., 3. Total 230Th activity shall not exceed 6E7 Bq., and 4. Total 234U activity shall not exceed 6E9 Bq.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Activated Metal Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Activated Metal waste stream is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The ORNL Activated Metal waste stream consists of metal irradiated in ORNL research reactors. The ORNL Activated Metal waste stream requires an SA to resolve two unreviewed disposal questions (UDQs). The first UDQ addresses whether it is acceptable to dispose 12 radionuclides with activity concentrations that exceed the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Action Level. The second UDQ evaluates the acceptability of disposing of 23 long-lived radionuclides without WAC action levels. Long-lived radionuclides without action levels are radionuclides not evaluated in the performance assessment.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Idaho National Laboratory Idaho Chemical Processing Plant Low-Level Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) Low-Level waste stream is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The INL ICPP Low-Level waste stream consists of debris and solidified liquids. The INL ICPP Low-Level waste stream requires an SA to resolve two unreviewed disposal questions (UDQs). The first UDQ addresses whether it is acceptable to dispose of radium-226 (226Ra) at an activity concentration that exceeds the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Action Level. The second UDQ evaluates the acceptability of disposing of five long-lived radionuclides without WAC action levels. Long-lived radionuclides without action levels are radionuclides not evaluated in the performance assessment.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Idaho National Laboratory Regulated Asbestos Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Regulated Asbestos waste stream is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The INL Regulated Asbestos waste stream consists of asbestos and asbestos-contaminated debris. The INL Regulated Asbestos waste stream requires an SA to resolve whether it is acceptable to dispose of tritium ( 3 H) at activity concentrations exceeding the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria Action Level.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Idaho National Laboratory Unirradiated Light Water Breeder Reactor UO 2 /ThO 2 and UO 2 /ZrO 2 Rods and Pellets Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Unirradiated Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) UO 2 /ThO 2 and UO 2 /ZrO 2 Rods and Pellets waste stream is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The INL Unirradiated LWBR Rods and Pellets waste stream consists of unirradiated uranium-233 ( 233 U) fuel rods. The INL Unirradiated LWBR Rods and Pellets waste stream requires an SA to resolve whether it is acceptable to dispose of 233 U, 232 U, 234 U, thorium-229 ( 229 Th), and 230 Th at activity concentrations exceeding their NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria Action Levels.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Idaho National Laboratory Contact Handled Sealed Sources Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Contact Handled Sealed Sources waste stream is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The INL Contact Handled Sealed Sources waste stream consists of sealed radioactive sources. The INL Contact Handled Sealed Sources waste stream requires an SA to determine whether the Area 5 RWMS can accept radium-226 ( 226 Ra), tritium ( 3 H), and europium-152 ( 152 Eu) at activity concentrations exceeding the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria Action Levels and whether to accept four long-lived radionuclides (curium-247 [ 247 Cm], 250 Cm, californium-249 [ 249 Cf], 251 Cf) without action levels.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Activated Metal Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis evaluates whether the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Activated Metal waste stream is suitable for shallow land burial at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site on the Nevada National Security Site. Disposal of the ORNL Activated Metal waste meets all U.S. Department of Energy Manual DOE M 435.1-1, “Radioactive Waste Management Manual,” Chapter IV, Section P performance objectives. The ORNL Activated Metal waste stream is recommended for acceptance with the condition that the total radium-226 ( 226 Ra) inventory be limited to 4.4E11 Bq (12 Ci).

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Robust and High-Waste Loaded Glass Formulations for Hanford Low-Activity Waste - 19050

The Hanford Low-Activity Waste (LAW) vitrification facility will receive LAW batches with abruptly changing compositions that span relatively broad ranges. In particular, the concentration ratios of sodium-to-sulfate, -chloride, -chromate, -phosphate, -potassium, and -aluminate create challenges in glass formulation. Glass compositions that simultaneously satisfy several processability, product quality, and composition constraints with sufficient confidence must be formulated for each LAW batch in near-realtime to enable desired throughput. A method for developing glass compositions while maximizing the waste loading and the process robustness was developed. This method compiled the glass composition-property data collected over nearly two decades, primarily by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, The Catholic University of America, and Savannah River National Laboratory, in support of both the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant project and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of River Protection Enhanced Waste Glass project. These data were used to develop models that link the melter feed composition to the resulting glass properties. Mathematical constructs were developed to optimize glass compositions for each waste batch in real-time that will simultaneously satisfy processability, product quality, and composition constraints with sufficient statistical confidence. Property prediction and various process uncertainties were reflected in the formulation. The formulation approach directly lends itself to adjustment of glass formulation to achieve program goals. This presentation will summarize the formulation approach and supporting data. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗