Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Waste Forms”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,153 records · Page 64

Fundamental Radiation Chemistry

An overview presentation for the Fundamental Radiation Chemistry component of the Material Recovery and Waste Form Development campaign to be delivered to the campaign team. The overview includes all major findings from FY19 research projects, current state of FY20 research projects, additional projects completed between FY19 and now, and finally our vision for the future direction of the Fundamental Radiation Chemistry component.

38 - RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCL↗

Chemical characterization of microplastic particles formed in airborne waste discharged from sewer pipe repairs

Microplastic particles are of increasing environmental concern due to the widespread uncontrolled degradation of various commercial products made of plastic and their associated waste disposal. Recently, common technology used to repair sewer pipes was reported as one of the emission sources of airborne microplastics in urban areas. This research presents results of the multi-modal comprehensive chemical characterization of the microplastic particles related to waste discharged in the pipe repair process and compares particle composition with the components of uncured resin and cured plastic composite used in the process. Analysis of these materials employs complementary use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, scanning transmission X-ray spectro-microscopy, single particle mass spectrometry, and direct analysis in real-time high-resolution mass spectrometry. Further, it is shown that the composition of the relatively large (100 μm) microplastic particles resembles components of plastic material used in the process. In contrast, the composition of the smaller (micrometer and sub-micrometer) particles is significantly different, suggesting their formation from unintended polymerization of water-soluble components occurring in drying droplets of the air-discharged waste. In addition, resin material type influences the composition of released microplastic particles. Results are further discussed to guide the detection and advanced characterization of airborne microplastics in future field and laboratory studies pertaining to sewer pipe repair technology.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Investigation of Americium-Containing Phosphates, Silicates, Borates, Molybdates, and Fluorides Synthesized via High-Temperature Flux Crystal Growth

The crystal chemistry of americium-containing extended structures was investigated, and several classes of americium-containing solid-state oxide materials were obtained in single-crystal form via high-temperature flux crystal growth. This enabled the structural characterization of rare examples of ternary, quaternary, and penternary americium-containing silicates K 3 Am (Si 2 O 7 ) and Cs 6 Am 2 Si 21 O 48 , phosphates Na 3 Am (PO 4 ) 2 and K 3 Am (PO 4 ) 2 , borates Ba 3 Am 2 (BO 3 ) 4 and AmBO 3 , borate halides Ca 5 Am(BO 3 ) 4 Cl, molybdates Li 0.5 Am 0.5 MoO 4 , and fluorides CsAm 2 F 7 . Using these crystallographic data, the ionic radii of Am 3+ with coordination numbers of six (0.975 Å), seven (1.052 Å), and nine (1.162 Å) were established. A maximum entropy method (MEM) analysis was performed on the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data that were collected for K 3 Nd(PO 4 ) 2 /K 3 Am(PO 4 ) 2 , K 3 NdSi 2 O 7 /K 3 AmSi 2 O 7 , and NdBO 3 /AmBO 3 , to qualitatively compare the ionicities of the Nd–O and Am–O bonds. In conclusion, Raman spectroscopy data were collected on single crystals of K 3 Am(PO 4 ) 2 and compared to the calculated Raman spectrum of K 3 Am(PO 4 ) 2 obtained from DFT calculations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Evaluation of the Generation-2 Dechlorination Apparatus for Treating Salt Wastes

This document satisfies the requirements for two milestones, i.e., M2FT-21PN030103021 and M3FT-21PN030103026, which are described in detail below. Also, details for the work package at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are provided below. The goal of this milestone was to demonstrate the generation-2 dechlorination apparatus (G2DA) for removing Cl from chloride-based electrochemical salt simulants. The two salts chosen for this initial study were KCl to simulate a component from the eutectic salt (LiCl is harder to detect with analytical instruments) and CsCl to simulate a fission product chloride that might be present in these types of waste streams. The overall scope of this work included receiving, installing, and testing the G2DA. This new system was designed to address several shortcomings identified with the generation-1 apparatus (G1DA), which are described in detail within this document. The G2DA was designed to address all of these shortcomings. The studies presented in here show that the G2DA worked as intended and will help provide scaled-up batches for additional testing at Argonne National Laboratory.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

An On-line Technology Information System (OTIS) for Advanced Life Support

OTIS is an on-line communication platform designed for smooth flow of technology information between advanced life support (ALS) technology developers, researchers, system analysts, and managers. With pathways for efficient transfer of information, several improvements in the ALS Program will result. With OTIS, it will be possible to provide programmatic information for technology developers and researchers, technical information for analysts, and managerial decision support. OTIS is a platform that enables the effective research, development, and delivery of complex systems for life support. An electronic data collection form has been developed for the solid waste element, drafted by the Solid Waste Working Group. Forms for other elements (air revitalization, water recovery, food processing, biomass production and thermal control) will also be developed, based on lessons learned from the development of the solid waste form. All forms will be developed by consultation with other working groups, comprised of experts in the area of interest. Forms will be converted to an on-line data collection interface that technology developers will use to transfer information into OTIS. Funded technology developers will log in to OTIS annually to complete the element- specific forms for their technology. The type and amount of information requested expands as the technology readiness level (TRL) increases. The completed forms will feed into a regularly updated and maintained database that will store technology information and allow for database searching. To ensure confidentiality of proprietary information, security permissions will be customized for each user. Principal investigators of a project will be able to designate certain data as proprietary and only technical monitors of a task, ALS Management, and the principal investigator will have the ability to view this information. The typical OTIS user will be able to read all non-proprietary information about all projects.Interaction with the database will occur over encrypted connections, and data will be stored on the server in an encrypted form. Implementation of OTIS will initiate a community-accessible repository of technology development information. With OTIS, ALS element leads and managers will be able to carry out informed technology selection for programmatic decisions. OTIS will also allow analysts to make accurate evaluations of technology options. Additionally, the range and specificity of information solicited will help educate technology developers of program needs. With augmentation, OTIS reporting is capable of replacing the current fiscal year-end reporting process. Overall, the system will enable more informed R&TD decisions and more rapid attainment of ALS Program goals.

Levri, Julie A.↗

Lessons Learned in the Development of Industry Guidance - 20279

The availability of industry guidance on different aspects of waste management forms a valuable reference for waste practitioners. The guidance typically details the principles, processes and practices that should be consulted during each stage of the relevant activities. It also includes relevant regulatory and international requirements, appropriate case studies and examples of best practices to illustrate technical concepts and make the information available to the reader in an accessible manner. Over recent years Wood have developed (or are developing) a number of industry guidance documents on a range of topics including Solid Waste Characterization, Routine Water Quality Monitoring on Nuclear Sites: Pipeline Characterization: Determining Background Radioactivity for Land Quality Assessment: Interim Storage and Aqueous Waste Management. This talk provides an overview of lessons learned along the way including: - the importance of stakeholder engagement through the process: - how to identify 'good practice'; - the importance of iterative development; and - the selection of illustrative and informative case studies. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Modeling delayed thermal runaway in nitric acid-soaked cat litter mixed with radioactive waste

Thermal ignition of radioactive waste within a 55-gallon drum was simulated by using a pressure-dependent waste decomposition model (Hobbs et al. in Process Saf Environ Prot https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2022.09.047, 2022) calibrated with data from full-scale drum experiments (Parker et al. in The thermolytic response of a surrogate RNS waste mixture at the drum scale. Los Alamos National Laboratory Report LA-UR-16-21760, 2016) and validated with experiments from multiple laboratories (Hobbs et al. in Thermal analysis of aged nitric acid-soaked kitty litter in TRU waste drums-23370.WM2023 Conference, Phoenix, AZ, 2023). The acceleration of nitric acid chemistry reacting with an organic cat litter leading to thermal ignition was likely triggered by a restricted vent in the drum. Here, we address whether the form of the rate equation in (Hobbs et al. in Process Saf Environ Prot https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2022.09.047, 2022) is sufficient to extrapolate thermal ignition within aged drums of similar content that have been stored in Texas for over nine years by investigating four different reaction rate forms for waste decomposition. A critical reaction rate reduction analysis is performed on each of these models to determine if delayed thermal runaway within vented aged waste is possible after nine years. We found that a pressure-dependent first-order rate expression not only predicted the accidental ignition of the waste drum, but the form also matches multiple experiments from different laboratories. Even though the waste composition decreases over time, the model predicts that acceleration leading to thermal runaway is possible if the waste is confined, even after 9 years. In conclusion, waste containing oxidizers such as nitric acid should not be mixed with organic adsorbents, especially if the waste is confined.

cookoff↗

A Python Package for Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Analysis - 19545

The future of nuclear power utilization in the United States may involve a transition from the once-through light water reactor fuel cycle to a so-called advanced fuel cycle. An advanced fuel cycle may offer improvements in natural resource utilization, reactor safety, and environmental impact. In addition, adoption of an advanced fuel cycle will result in changes in the amount, composition, and disposal of the nuclear wastes they produce. Characteristics intrinsic to the wastes themselves, such as mass and radioactivity at specific times, were used as waste management metrics in the Department of Energy 2014 Fuel Cycle Evaluation and Screening (FCES) study. Binning of these metrics informed fuel cycle according to relative potential benefit. However, waste properties alone cannot qualify management strategy. Therefore, comparing fuel cycles from the perspective of waste management can provide additional insights. To that end, an object-oriented Python package has been developed to perform fuel cycle waste management calculations. The package, named nwpy (short for Nuclear Waste analysis in Python), mimics the mass flow operations reported in the FCES study and interfaces with the ORIGEN-S code to assess metric data as reported in the FCES. In addition, this Python package determines the loading of waste streams into forms suitable for final disposal in a geological repository and uses such data for repository performance assessment. This work describes the Python package methodology, assumptions, and capabilities. As input data, the package requires information about the fuel cycle such as the mass of fuel discharged, the cooling time between reactor discharge and subsequent operations, and the separations process efficiencies and waste forms it produces. In addition, the isotopic composition of the reactor discharge stream, such as that available from the FCES database, is required. With that, it can perform prescribed mass flow and decay operations throughout the back end of the fuel cycle, the latter carried out by the ORIGEN-S code distributed with the SCALE6.2 software suite. The result is time-dependent data characterizing the waste on a per-package basis. Package loading for waste streams depends on the stream form (i.e. UNF vs. HLW, or glass HLW from aqueous reprocessing vs. ceramic HLW from electrochemical processing) and is based on literature review and engineering assumption. As an example of the application of the code, calculations for the areal footprint of direct-contact repositories for different fuel cycles is shown. Development is ongoing, and the package is expected to grow incorporating capabilities for waste management analyses such as waste transportation and radionuclide transport through the biosphere. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Closed Fuel Cycle Waste Treatment Strategy

This study is aimed at evaluating the existing waste management approaches for nuclear fuel cycle facilities in comparison to the objectives of implementing an advanced fuel cycle in the U.S. under current legal, regulatory, and logistical constructs. The study begins with the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) Integrated Waste Management Strategy (IWMS) as a general strategy and associated Waste Treatment Baseline Study (WTBS). The tenets of the IWMS are equally valid to the current waste management study. However, the flowsheet details have changed significantly from those considered under GNEP. In addition, significant additional waste management technology development has occurred since the GNEP waste management studies were performed. This study updates the information found in the WTBS, summarizes the results of more recent technology development efforts, and describes waste management approaches as they apply to both a nominal case study and near-term target reprocessing flowsheets. Many of the waste management technologies discussed also apply to other potential flowsheets that involve reprocessing. The report summarizes the waste arising from aqueous reprocessing of a typical light-water reactor (LWR) fuel to separate actinides for use in fabricating metal sodium fast reactor (SFR) fuel and from electrochemical reprocessing of the metal SFR fuel to separate actinides for recycle back into the SFR in the form of metal fuel. The primary streams considered and the recommended waste forms include: • Tritium separated from either a low volume gas stream or a high volume water stream. The recommended waste form is low-water cement in high integrity containers (HICs). • Iodine-129 separated from off-gas streams in aqueous processing. There are a range of potentially suitable waste forms. As a reference case, a glass composite material (GCM) formed by the encapsulation of the silver Mordenite (AgZ) getter material in a low-temperature glass is assumed. A number of alternatives with distinct advantages are also considered including a fused silica waste form with encapsulated nano-sized AgI crystals. • Carbon-14 separated from LWR fuel treatment off-gases and immobilized as a CaCO3 in a cement waste form. • Krypton-85 separated from LWR and SFR fuel treatment off-gases and stored as a compressed gas. • An aqueous reprocessing high-level waste (HLW) raffinate waste which is immobilized by the vitrification process in one of three forms: a single phase borosilicate glass, a borosilicate based glass ceramic, or a multi-phased crystalline synthetic rock (Synroc). • An undissolved solids (UDS) fraction from aqueous reprocessing of LWR fuel that is either included in the borosilicate HLW glass or is immobilized in the form of a metal alloy in the case of glass ceramics or Synroc. • Zirconium-based LWR fuel cladding hulls and stainless steel (SS) fuel assembly hardware that are washed and super-compacted for disposal or as an alternative with high promise the purification and reuse (or disposal as low-level waste, LLW) of Zr by reactive gas separations. • Electrochemical process salt HLW which is incorporated into a glass bonded Sodalite waste form known as the ceramic waste form (CWF). • Electrochemical process UDS and SS cladding hulls which are melted into an iron based alloy waste form. Mass and volume estimates for each of the recommended waste forms based on the source terms from the reference mass balances are reported. In addition to the above listed primary waste streams, a range of secondary process wastes are generated by aqueous reprocessing of LWR fuel, metal SFR fuel fabrication, and electrochemical reprocessing of SFR fuel. These secondary wastes have been summarized and volumes estimated by type and classification. The important waste management data gaps and research needs have been summarized for each primary waste stream and selected waste process.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Vitrification of Hanford Tank Waste 241-AP-107 in a Continuous Laboratory-Scale Melter

Low-activity waste (LAW) stored in underground tanks on the Hanford Site in Washington State is planned to be filtered for solids removal and processed through ion exchange columns for cesium removal. These pretreatment steps will allow the waste to be transferred to the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant’s LAW Facility for immobilization into glass. The liquid waste will be combined with glass-forming chemicals (GFCs) to form a waste feed slurry that can be fed to electric melters for vitrification. The process of continuously converting the aqueous feed slurry into a melt is dynamic and includes multiple reactions, degassing, and dissolution processes that depend on heat from the melt below. In this conversion process, waste components are partitioned into one of two streams: glass and off-gas. Washington River Protection Solutions has requested processing information and chemical information associated with these waste products for actual waste from Hanford tank 241-AP-107 (referred to herein as AP-107). To acquire this type of information, a small-scale melter system was designed that would not require high volumes of input waste or the large resource commitment of a full-scale melter system, while also providing dynamic information that would be difficult to determine from batch reactions in a crucible system. A continuous laboratory-scale melter (CLSM) has been designed to operate with a continuous feeding process while periodically pouring glass product and collecting off-gas. The CLSM vessel has been sized to collect the relevant process and chemical information from obtainable volumes of AP-107 waste samples. A total 8.6 L of actual AP-107 tank waste were received after filtering for solids removal and ion exchange for cesium removal. This volume of AP-107 waste was mixed with GFCs to form an estimated 11.8 L of melter feed slurry. A mass of 7.01 kg of glass product were poured from the CLSM vessel during 10.07 hours of charging the AP-107 melter feed, indicating that about 15.0 kg of melter feed was vitrified into glass. The CLSM system was also designed with the capability to fully divert the flow of off-gas produced in the CLSM vessel to a sampling line that could capture the volatile species of interest, such as technetium-99 ( 99 Tc). This novel sampling system avoided the difficulties of slipstream sampling and could be activated once the feeding reached a steady state within the CLSM vessel. Off-gas product samples captured via high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters using this method, as well as selected glass product samples were sent to an analytical lab for chemical analysis.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Challenges to Collection of High Quality Samples of Saltstone - 17468

The Savannah River Site (SRS) Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF) is used to dispose of low-level radioactive liquid waste in the form of grout. The SDF is comprised of a series of concrete saltstone disposal units (SDUs) that receive the grout. The grout solidifies into a cementitious waste form known as saltstone. Properties of saltstone that influence contaminant release have been measured on simulant material but not on samples of emplaced saltstone because samples of emplaced radioactive saltstone are difficult to obtain, transport, and store in a manner that protects the properties of interest. Savannah River Remediation (SRR) initiated a project to obtain samples of emplaced saltstone such that the two critical properties, hydraulic conductivity and reduction capacity, are negligibly impacted by the sample collection effort. The sample collection project was established to manage sample collection efforts beginning with sample collection mock-up activities through field execution. The project focused on three phases: mock-up in a clean environment, development of equipment needed to maintain an inert environment during sample transport and laboratory storage, and coordination of Facility operations and support resources and schedules to support sample collection. A mock-up facility was constructed at SRS to mimic the SDU. Core drill equipment was tested, procedures developed, and operator training conducted using the mockup facility. Concurrent with mock-up activities, inert transportation and storage equipment was designed, manufactured, tested, and specific operating instruction included in the sample collection procedure. Inerting equipment minimized oxidation from the atmosphere as the samples were removed from the disposal unit, transported, and stored in the laboratory awaiting analysis. Coordination with the Saltstone Facility began during construction of the mock-up platform to collect current as-built information for platform construction. Baseline data was collected from the disposal unit vapor space to assess the potential for personnel exposure from chemical hazards associated with trapped vapors. Based on this data, mitigating actions were incorporated into the project scope. Finally, project and facility schedules were integrated to assure that facility non-processing windows, support personnel, equipment fabrication, and field preparation activities were in alignment and supportive of the overall sample collection objectives. During May 2014, 485 linear cm of approximately 5 cm diameter radioactive core material was successfully collected from three access ports in SDU Cell 2A, inerted, transported to the laboratory, and stored in an inert environment for analysis. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Mercury in aqueous tank waste at the Savannah River Site: Facts, forms, and impacts

Over the past two years, there has been an intense effort to understand the chemistry of mercury across the Savannah River Site’s high-level liquid waste system to determine the impacts of various mercury species. This effort started after high concentrations of mercury were measured in the leachates from a toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) test on the low-level cementitious waste form produced in the Savannah River Saltstone facility. Speciation showed the dominant form of leached mercury to be the methylmercury cation. Neither the source of the methylmercury nor its concentration in the Saltstone feed was well established at the time of the testing. Finally, this assessment of mercury was necessary to inform points in the process operations that may be subject to new separation technologies for the removal of mercury.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Vitrification of Hanford Tank Waste 241-AP-105 in a Continuous Laboratory-Scale Melter

Low-activity waste (LAW) stored in underground tanks on the Hanford site in Washington State is planned to be filtered for solids removal and processed through ion exchange columns for cesium removal at the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System facility. These pretreatment steps will allow the waste to be transferred to the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant LAW facility for immobilization into glass. The liquid waste will be combined with glass-forming chemicals (GFCs) to form a waste feed slurry that can be fed to electric melters for vitrification. The process of continuously converting the aqueous feed slurry into a melt is dynamic and includes multiple reactions, degassing, and dissolution processes that depend on heat from the melt below. In this conversion process, waste components are partitioned into one of two streams: glass and off-gas. Processing information and chemical information associated with these waste product streams has been requested by Washington River Protection Solutions for actual tank waste from tank 241-AP-105 (referred to as AP-105). To acquire this type of information, a small-scale melter system was desired that would not require high volumes of input waste or the large resource commitment of a full-scale melter system, while also providing dynamic information that would be difficult to determine from batch reactions in a crucible system. A continuous laboratory-scale melter (CLSM), has been designed to operate with a continuous feeding process, while periodically pouring glass product and collecting off-gas. The CLSM vessel has been sized to collect the relevant process and chemical information from obtainable volumes of AP-105 waste samples. Two CLSMs were constructed: one in a non-radioactive environment for processing waste simulants and another in a fume hood capable of handling radioactive material for processing actual Hanford tank waste. This dual-system setup allowed for comparison between simulated and real tank waste with essentially identical test equipment. AP-105 waste simulant was first tested in the non-radioactive CLSM to determine the processability and desired operating window for the actual tank waste. Rhenium (Re) was added to the simulant to act as a surrogate for technetium-99 ( 99 Tc), a key waste component found in the actual tank waste. The partitioning of Re into the glass and off-gas products during the continuous feeding of simulant was determined, which allowed the Re retention, the mass flow rate of Re out of the CLSM via the glass product with respect to the mass flow rate of Re into the CLSM via the feed slurry, to be calculated. Key processing results and the average Re retention, from the CLSM test run with AP-105 simulant feed slurry are shown in Table ES.1.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

EPRI Research Results: International Nuclear Power Plant Waste Classification - 17444

Different countries around the globe use varying schemes for the classification of radioactive waste. Many countries develop country specific waste classification schemes based on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) waste classification framework. The United States of America use the Class A, B, and C waste classification. Additionally, some countries use concentration limits to classify wastes while others use dose rate limits or a combination of concentration and dose rate limits. General comparisons have been made between the IAEA and the United States classification schemes, but a clear and well researched comparison of the international schemes was not evident in the available research data sets. In 2013 Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) initiated the Comparison of Global Low and Intermediate Level Waste Management Methods project. The objective of the project was to understand how six countries managed their low and intermediate level wastes from generation to disposal. A major task of this project was to conduct a comparison of the international waste classification schemes. EPRI developed a set of reference waste volumes that are representative of nuclear power plant low-level radioactive waste in form and radioactivity concentrations (e.g. dry active waste, high activity resin, low activity resin, high activity filters and low activity filters). These waste volumes were then classified using the waste classification systems in place in several countries around the world. In 2016, EPRI presented a paper providing a status update on this research. This 2017 paper provides the final results of that research, show where comparisons and correlations can be made, and provide a discussion on how this information might inform international radioactive research and development and benchmarking of radioactive waste management strategies, operational experiences, best practices, and technology implementation. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

EPRI Project Update on International Nuclear Power Plant Waste Classification - 16224

Countries around the globe use varying schemes for the characterization of radioactive waste. Many countries use adaptations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) waste classification scheme. Other countries use the Class A, B, and C waste classification scheme that was developed in the United States. General comparisons have been made between the IAEA and the United States (U.S.) classification schemes, but a clear and well researched comparison of the two schemes was not evident in the available research data sets. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Radiation Safety (RS) Program has conducted a technical evaluation that compares these two waste characterization schemes. EPRI developed a set of reference wastes that are representative of nuclear power plant low-level radioactive waste in form and radioactivity concentrations (e.g. dry active waste, high activity resin, low activity resin, high activity filters and low activity filters). These reference wastes were then classified using the waste classification systems in place in several countries around the world. This paper and presentation will provide a summary of that research, show where strong comparisons and correlations can be made, and provide a discussion on how this information might inform the harmonization of global waste classification standards. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Impact of Crystalline Silicotitanate Particle Size on Cesium Removal Efficiency

Washington River Protection Solutions is working on a Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system to remove Cs from Hanford tank waste supernate. Removal of 137 Cs from tank waste supernate by TSCR results in a low-activity waste (LAW) form that can be fed directly to the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) LAW vitrification facility, where the supernate can be vitrified into a glass form. Crystalline silicotitanate (CST) ion exchange media, manufactured by Honeywell UOP, LLC (product IONSIV TM R9140-B), was selected for use as the ion exchange media to remove Cs at TSCR. The particle size used in testing is expected to impact the kinetic performance of the ion exchange media. Therefore, two single-column systems were tested with CST Lot 2002009604. One column contained <25 mesh sieve cut fraction and the other column contained <35 mesh sieve cut fraction. Flowrate through both test systems was adjusted to match the CST contact time expected for the full-scale operation, i.e., matched bed volumes per hour (BV/h) at 1.83 BV/h. The feed was processed downflow through the columns until ~1000 BVs of feed were processed. The waste acceptance criteria (WAC) limit for the WTP LAW vitrification facility is <3.18E-5 Ci 137 Cs per mole Na. For a tank waste containing 156 µCi/mL 137 Cs and 5.6 M Na, up to 0.114% of the influent 137 Cs concentration may be delivered to the WTP (based on 137 Cs content in AP-107 tank waste); this required a Cs decontamination factor of 876. The WAC limit was used as one of the relevant process parameters, along with the 50% breakthrough point, Cs loading per gram of CST, and the mass transfer zone.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗