Initial Demonstration of DWPF Process and Product Control Strategy Using Actual Radioactive Waste
Initial Demonstration of DWPF Process and Product Control Strategy Using Actual Radioactive Waste

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1991

Total Pages: 14

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Defense Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) will vitrify high-level nuclear waste into borosilicate glass. The waste will be mixed with properly formulated glass-making frit and fed to a melter at 1150°C. Process control and product quality are ensured by proper control of the melter feed composition. Algorithms have been developed to predict the processability of the melt and the durability of the final glass based on this feed composition. To test these algorithms, an actual radioactive waste contained in a shielded facility at SRS was analyzed and a frit composition formulated using a simple computer spreadsheet which contained the algorithms. This frit was then mixed with the waste and the resulting slurry fed to a research scale joule-heated melter operated remotely. Approximately 24 kg of glass were successfully prepared. This paper will describe the frit formulation, the vitrification process, and the glass durability.

Radioactive Demonstration of DWPF Product Control Strategy
Radioactive Demonstration of DWPF Product Control Strategy

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1992

Total Pages: 7

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The effectiveness of the product and process control strategies that will be utilized by the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) was demonstrated during a campaign in the Shielded Cells Facility (SCF) of the Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC). The remotely operated process included the preparation of the melter feed, vitrification in a slurry-fed 1/100th scale melter and analysis of the glass product both for its composition and durability. The campaign processed approximately 10 kg (on a dry basis) of radioactive sludge from Tank 51. This sludge is representative of the first batch of sludge that will be sent to the DWPF for immobilization into borosilicate glass. Additions to the sludge were made based on calculations using the Product Composition Control System (PCCS). Analysis of the glass produced during the campaign showed that a durable glass was produced with a composition similar to that predicted using the PCCS.

The DWPF Strategy for Producing an Acceptable Product
The DWPF Strategy for Producing an Acceptable Product

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1991

Total Pages: 10

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) will convert the 130 million liters of high-level nuclear waste at SRS into stable borosilicate glass. Production of canistered waste forms by the DWPF is scheduled to begin well before submission of the license application for the first repository. The Department of Energy has defined waste acceptance specifications to ensure that DWPF canistered waste forms will be acceptable for eventual disposal. To ensure that canistered waste forms meet those specifications, a program is being carried out to qualify the waste form and those aspects of the production process which affect product quality. This program includes: Pre-production qualification testing of simulated and actual waste forms; Disciplined demonstrations of the ability to produce an acceptable product during startup testing; and Application of a rigorous product control program during production.

Technical Bases for the DWPF Testing Program
Technical Bases for the DWPF Testing Program

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 10

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) will be the first production facility in the United States for the immobilization of high-level nuclear waste. Production of DWPF canistered wasteforms will begin prior to repository licensing, so decisions on facility startup will have to be made before the final decisions on repository design are made. The Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (RW) has addressed this discrepancy by defining a Waste Acceptance Process. This process provides assurance that the borosilicate-glass wasteform, in a stainless-steel canister, produced by the DWPF will be acceptable for permanent storage in a federal repository. As part of this process, detailed technical specifications have been developed for the DWPF product. SRS has developed detailed strategies for demonstrating compliance with each of the Waste Acceptance Process specifications. An important part of the compliance is the testing which will be carried out in the DWPF. In this paper, the bases for each of the tests to be performed in the DWPF to establish compliance with the specifications are described, and the tests are detailed. The results of initial tests relating to characterization of sealed canisters are reported.

A Pilot Scale Demonstration of the DWPF Process Control and Product Verification Strategy
A Pilot Scale Demonstration of the DWPF Process Control and Product Verification Strategy

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1992

Total Pages: 9

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) has been designed and constructed to immobilize Savannah River Site high level liquid waste within a durable borosilicate glass matrix for permanent storage. The DWPF will be operated to produce a glass product which must meet a number of product property constraints which are dependent upon the final product composition. During actual operations, the DWPF will control the properties of the glass product by the controlled blending of the waste streams with a glass-forming frit to produce the final melter feed slurry. The DWPF will verify control of the glass product through analysis of vitrified samples of slurry material. In order to demonstrate the DWPF process control and product verification strategy, a pilot-scale vitrification research facility was operated in three discrete batches using simulated DWPF waste streams. All of the DWPF process control methodologies were followed and the glass produce from each experiment was leached according to the Product Consistency Test. Results of the campaign are summarized.

Nuclear Waste Research
Nuclear Waste Research

Author: Arnold P. Lattefer

Publisher: Nova Publishers

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 9781604561845

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Radioactive wastes are waste types containing radioactive chemical elements that do not have a practical purpose. They are sometimes the products of a nuclear processes, such as nuclear fission. However, other industries not directly connected to the nuclear industry can produce large quantities of radioactive waste. For instance, over the past 20 years it is estimated that just the oil-producing endeavours of the US have accumulated 8 million tons of radioactive wastes. The majority of radioactive waste is "low-level waste", meaning it has low levels of radioactivity per mass or volume. This type of waste often consists of used protective clothing, which is only slightly contaminated but still dangerous in case of radioactive contamination of a human body through ingestion, inhalation, absorption, or injection. The issue of disposal methods for nuclear waste was one of the most pressing current problems the international nuclear industry faced when trying to establish a long term energy production plan, yet there was hope it could be safely solved. In the U.S., the DOE acknowledged much progress in addressing the waste problems of the industry, and successful remediation of some contaminated sites, yet also major uncertainties and sometimes complications and setbacks in handling the issue properly, cost effectively, and in the projected time frame. In other countries with lower ability or will to maintain environmental integrity the issue would be more problematic. This new book presents the latest research in the field.

Establishing the Acceptability of Savannah River Site Waste Glass
Establishing the Acceptability of Savannah River Site Waste Glass

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 5

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The United States' first facility to immobilize high-level nuclear waste, the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), will soon begin integrated nonradioactive testing. An important objective of that testing is to demonstrate that the DWPF product will comply with specifications established by the Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (RW). In this report, the DWPF process and product are described, and the approach being taken to establish the acceptability of the DWPF product is presented. 8 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.