Criteria and Processes for the Certification of Non-Radioactive Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominick, J.

2008-01-01

This document details Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) criteria and processes for determining if potentially volumetrically contaminated or potentially surface contaminated wastes are to be managed as material containing residual radioactivity or as non-radioactive. This document updates and replaces UCRL-AR-109662, Criteria and Procedures for the Certification of Nonradioactive Hazardous Waste (Reference 1), also known as 'The Moratorium', and follows the guidance found in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) document, Performance Objective for Certification of Non-Radioactive Hazardous Waste (Reference 2). The 1992 Moratorium document (UCRL-AR-109662) is three volumes and 703 pages. The first volume provides an overview of the certification process and lists the key radioanalytical methods and their associated Limits of Sensitivities. Volumes Two and Three contain supporting documents and include over 30 operating procedures, QA plans, training documents and organizational charts that describe the hazardous and radioactive waste management system in place in 1992. This current document is intended to update the previous Moratorium documents and to serve as the top-tier LLNL institutional Moratorium document. The 1992 Moratorium document was restricted to certification of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), State and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) hazardous waste from Radioactive Material Management Areas (RMMA). This still remains the primary focus of the Moratorium; however, this document increases the scope to allow use of this methodology to certify other LLNL wastes and materials destined for off-site disposal, transfer, and re-use including non-hazardous wastes and wastes generated outside of RMMAs with the potential for DOE added radioactivity. The LLNL organization that authorizes off-site transfer/disposal of a material or waste stream is responsible for implementing the requirements of this document. The LLNL Radioactive and

Recovery of nonradioactive palladium and rhodium from high-level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDuffie, H.F.

1979-01-01

A possible method for recovering significant quantities of nonradioactive palladium from fission-product wastes requires essentially complete separation of the fission-product (radioactive) palladium from fission-product ruthenium. After the decay of 106 Ru via 106 Rh to 106 Pd, this nonradioactive palladium is recovered for normal commercial use. The U.S. production of palladium has never been above 1000 kg per year vs consumption of about 46,000 kg per year. Most of the supply comes from Russia and South Africa. It has been estimated that a 400-GW(e) nuclear reactor economy will make available 2000 kg per year of 106 Ru at reactor fuel discharge. A substantial increase might be achieved if plutonium were recycled as fissionable material because of the higher yields of the 106 chain from plutonium. A literature search has uncovered support for three promising approaches to the required separation of palladium from ruthenium: (1) recrystallization from solution in bismuth or in zinc; (2) selective precipitation of a titanium--ruthenium intermetallic compound from bismuth, followed by precipitation of a zinc--palladium intermetallic compound; and (3) dissolution in molten magnesium followed by partitioning between molten magnesium and a molten uranium-5 wt % chromium eutectic at a temperature above 870 0 C. Liquid-liquid extraction appears to be the most promising method from a technological point of view, although intermetallic compound formation is much more interesting chemically. Recovery of some nonradioactive 103 Rh may be possible by liquid-liquid extraction of the fuel before the decay of the 39.8-d 103 Ru has gone substantially to completion. Demonstration of the practicality of these separations will contribute a positive factor to the evaluation of resumption in the United States of nuclear fuel reprocessing and plutonium recycle in light-water-moderated reactors

616 Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Storage Facility -- Essential/support drawing list. Revision 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busching, K.R.

1994-01-01

This document identifies the essential and supporting engineering drawings for the 616 Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Storage Facility. The purpose of the documents is to describe the criteria used to identify and the plan for updating and maintaining their accuracy. Drawings are designated as essential if they relate to safety systems, environmental monitoring systems, effluents, and facility HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. Support drawings are those which are frequently used or describe a greater level of detail for equipment, components, or systems shown on essential drawings. A listing of drawings identified as essential or support is provided in Table A

Nonradioactive Environmental Emissions Chemical Source Term for the Double-Shell Tank (DST) Vapor Space During Waste Retrieval Operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MAY, T.H.

2000-01-01

A nonradioactive chemical vapor space source term for tanks on the Phase 1 and the extended Phase 1 delivery, storage, and disposal mission was determined. Operations modeled included mixer pump operation and DST waste transfers. Concentrations of ammonia, specific volatile organic compounds, and quantitative volumes of aerosols were estimated

Letter report: Pre-conceptual design study for a pilot-scale Non-Radioactive Low-Level Waste Vitrification Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, R.A.; Morrissey, M.F.

1996-03-01

This report presents a pre-conceptual design study for a Non-Radioactive Low-Level Waste, Pilot-Scale Vitrification System. This pilot plant would support the development of a full-scale LLW Vitrification Facility and would ensure that the full-scale facility can meet its programmatic objectives. Use of the pilot facility will allow verification of process flowsheets, provide data for ensuring product quality, assist in scaling to full scale, and support full-scale start-up. The facility will vitrify simulated non-radioactive LLW in a manner functionally prototypic to the full-scale facility. This pre-conceptual design study does not fully define the LLW Pilot-Scale Vitrification System; rather, it estimates the funding required to build such a facility. This study includes identifying all equipment necessary. to prepare feed, deliver it into the melter, convert the feed to glass, prepare emissions for atmospheric release, and discharge and handle the glass. The conceived pilot facility includes support services and a structure to contain process equipment

Nonradioactive demonstration of the Alpha D and D Pilot Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wobser, J.K.

1983-01-01

The Alpha-Contained Decontamination and Disassembly (AD and D) pilot facility was designed to demonstrate the process flowsheet under conditions typical to those expected in a production facility. To achieve this, nonradioactive waste items similar to those in retrievable storage at the Savannah River Plant burial ground (e.g. gloveboxes), were chemically sprayed and size reduced. During process runs, parameters such as feed rate, oxide removal, etching rate, and secondary waste generation were determined. The exhaust system was monitored during operation to ensure that exhaust from the facility was sufficiently filtered before release to the atmosphere. The strategy for decontamination techniques required development during the nonradioactive testing period. Under investigation during process runs were both once-through and recirculating washes, and their correlation to oxide removal and etching rates on the stainless steel feed items. Wash products of the decontamination process were analyzed for concentration of Ni, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Si, major components of stainless steel. Size reduction techniques were also developed during the nonradioactive testing period. An array of conventional power and pneumatic tools were tested and evaluated. Plasma arc torch operating parameters; standoff distance, ampere setting, and cutting angle were determined

Radiant-heat spray-calcination process for the solid fixation of radioactive waste. Part 1, Non-radioactive pilot unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allemann, R.T.; Johnson, B.M. Jr.

1960-11-14

The fixation of radioactive waste in a stable solid media by means of calcination of these aqueous solutions has been the subject of considerable-effort throughout the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission and by atomic energy organizations in other countries. Several methods of doing this on a continuous or semi-continuous basis have been devised, and a fev have been demonstrated to be feasible for the handling of non-radioactive, or low-activity, simulated wastes. Notable among methods currently under development are: (a) batch-operated pot calcination of waste generated from reprocessing stainless steel clad fuel elements (Darex process) and Purex waste, (b) combination rotary kiln and ball mill calcination of aluminum nitrate (TBP-25 and Redox process), and (c) fluidized bed calcination of TBP-25 and Purex wastes. Although a considerable amount of engineering experience has been obtained on the calcination of dissolved salts in a fluidized bed, and the other methods have been the subjects of a great deal of study, none of them have been developed to-the extent which would rule out the desirability of further investigation of other possible methods of calcination.

Radioactive acid digestion test unit nonradioactive startup operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, C.R.; Cowan, R.G.; Crippen, M.D.; Divine, J.R.

1978-05-01

The Radioactive Acid Digestion Test Unit (RADTU) will process 5 kg/hour of combustible solid waste and is designed to handle almost all solid combustible waste found in plutonium processing with plutonium contamination levels up to scrap. The RADTU is designed with special safety features to safely contain high masses of fissile materials and to safely handle unusual materials and reactive chemicals which may find their way into the waste. Nonradioactive operating experience to date has been very satisfactory. RADTU has been operated for extended runs on both a 24-hour per day basis as well as on a one shift per day basis. Some minor operating problems have been encountered as expected in a shakedown operation. In general, solutions to these have been readily found. 12 figures

Separation of non-hazardous, non-radioactive components from ICPP calcine via chlorination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, L.O.

1995-05-01

A pyrochemical treatment method for separating non-radioactive from radioactive components in solid granular waste accumulated at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant was investigated. The goal of this study was to obtain kinetic and chemical separation data on the reaction products of the chlorination of the solid waste, known as calcine. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations were completed to verify that a separation of radioactive and non-radioactive calcine components was possible. Bench-scale chlorination experiments were completed subsequently in a variety of reactor configurations including: a fixed-bed reactor (reactive gases flowed around and not through the particle bed), a packed/fluidized-bed reactor, and a packed-bed reactor (reactive gases flowed through the particle bed). Chemical analysis of the reaction products generated during the chlorination experiments verified the predictions made by the equilibrium calculations. An empirical first-order kinetic rate expression was developed for each of the reactor configurations. 20 refs., 16 figs., 21 tabs

Development of an immobilisation technique by cementation for non-radioactive simulated liquid waste, from Mo-99 production process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arva, E A; Marabini, S G; Varani, J L

2012-01-01

The Argentine Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) is the responsible for developing a management nuclear waste disposal programme. This programme contemplates the strictly environmental safe and efficient management of the radioactive waste from different sources. Since 1985, CNEA has been producing commercially Mo-99 for medical use. In this process two types of liquid waste are produced. One of them has high alkaline (NaOH 3,5M) and aluminate contents. Since Mo-99 production started, such liquid waste was stored in specially designed containers during production, and after a decay period in smaller containers in interim storage conditions. As this waste is still a liquid, development of an immobilisation technique is required. Immobilisation of radioactive liquid waste by cementation is a frequently used technique, and will be studied in the present work using Mo-99 non-radioactive simulated liquid waste. In this second stage, a full scale (200 liters drum) cementation test using simulated non radioactive waste was carried out. Such test included: using the BEBA 201 mixing machine - the same that will be used with real waste in the future for 'tuning up' the process, construction of a specially designed temperature sensor for measuring the maximum temperature value (five different positions, four inside the drum and one outside) and the time elapsed after all components mixing. Finally, standard specimens (IRAM 1622) were made for mechanical resistance tests after cement setting at 28 days. The results show values of temperature not above 40 o C with the maximum at 12 hours before component mixing and compression strength of 14 MPa. Such values are compatible for a waste immobilisation process by cementation (author)

Influence of non-radioactive payload parameters on radioactive shipping packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drez, P.E.; Murthy, D.V.S.; Temus, C.J.; Quinn, G.J.; Ozaki, C.

1989-01-01

The transport of radioactive waste materials in radioactive material (RAM) packages involves two components: the packaging used for transportation, and the waste which forms the payload. The payload is usually comprised of non-radioactive materials contaminated with radionuclides. The non-radionuclide payload characteristics can often be a controlling factor in determining the restrictions imposed on the certification of the package. This paper describes these package/payload interactions and the limiting parameters for the Transuranic Package Transporter-II (TRUPACT-II), designed for the transportation of Contact Handled Transuranic (CH-TRU) waste. The parameters discussed include the physical and chemical form of the payload, the configuration of the waste, and resulting gas generation and gas release phenomena. Brief descriptions of the TRUPACT-II package and its payload are presented initially

Waste management and chemical inventories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gleckler, B.P.

1995-06-01

This section of the 1994 Hanford Site Environmental Report summarizes the classification and handling of waste at the Hanford Site. Waste produced at the Hanford Site is classified as either radioactive, nonradioactive, or mixed waste. Radioactive wastes are further categorized as transuranic, high-level, and low-level. Mixed waste may contain both radioactive and hazardous nonradioactive substances. This section describes waste management practices and chemical inventories at the site.

Waste management and chemical inventories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gleckler, B.P.

1995-01-01

This section of the 1994 Hanford Site Environmental Report summarizes the classification and handling of waste at the Hanford Site. Waste produced at the Hanford Site is classified as either radioactive, nonradioactive, or mixed waste. Radioactive wastes are further categorized as transuranic, high-level, and low-level. Mixed waste may contain both radioactive and hazardous nonradioactive substances. This section describes waste management practices and chemical inventories at the site

Radioactive Demonstration Of Mineralized Waste Forms Made From Hanford Low Activity Waste (Tank Farm Blend) By Fluidized Bed Steam Reformation (FBSR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jantzen, C. M.; Crawford, C. L.; Bannochie, C. J.; Burket, P. R.; Cozzi, A. D.; Daniel, W. E.; Hall, H. K.; Miller, D. H.; Missimer, D. M.; Nash, C. A.; Williams, M. F.

2013-01-01

Standards (UTS). Two identical Benchscale Steam Reformers (BSR) were designed and constructed at SRNL, one to treat non-radioactive simulants and the other to treat actual radioactive wastes. The results from the non-radioactive BSR were used to determine the parameters needed to operate the radioactive BSR in order to confirm the findings of non-radioactive FBSR pilot scale and engineering scale tests and to qualify an FBSR LAW waste form for applications at Hanford. Radioactive testing commenced using SRS LAW from Tank 50 chemically trimmed to look like Hanford's blended LAW known as the Rassat simulant as this simulant composition had been tested in the non-radioactive BSR, the non-radioactive pilot scale FBSR at the Science Applications International Corporation-Science and Technology Applications Research (SAIC-STAR) facility in Idaho Falls, ID and in the TTT Engineering Scale Technology Demonstration (ESTD) at Hazen Research Inc. (HRI) in Denver, CO. This provided a ''tie back'' between radioactive BSR testing and non-radioactive BSR, pilot scale, and engineering scale testing. Approximately six hundred grams of non-radioactive and radioactive BSR product were made for extensive testing and comparison to the non-radioactive pilot scale tests performed in 2004 at SAIC-STAR and the engineering scale test performed in 2008 at HRI with the Rassat simulant. The same mineral phases and off-gas species were found in the radioactive and non-radioactive testing. The granular ESTD and BSR products (radioactive and non-radioactive) were analyzed for total constituents and durability tested as a granular waste form. A subset of the granular material was stabilized in a clay based geopolymer matrix at 42% and 65% FBSR loadings and durability tested as a monolith waste form. The 65 wt% FBSR loaded monolith made with clay (radioactive) was more durable than the 67-68 wt% FBSR loaded monoliths made from fly ash (non-radioactive) based on short term PCT testing. Long term, 90 to 107

Non-radioactive stand-in for radioactive contamination. I. Non-radioactive tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rohe, M.J.; Rankin, W.N.; Postles, R.L.

1985-01-01

Candidate non-radioactive materials for use as a stand-in for radioactive contamination during application of a high-pressure, hot water decontamination were identified and evaluated. A stand-in for radioactive contamination is needed to evaluate the decontaminability of replacement canyon cranes at the manufacturers location where actual radioactive contamination cannot be used. This evaluation was conducted using high-pressure, hot-water at 420 psi, 190 0 F, and 20 gal/min through a 1/8-in.-diam nozzle, the decontamination technique preferred by SRP Separations Department for this application. A non-radioactive stand-in for radioactive contamination was desired that would be removed by direct blast stream contact but would remain intact on surfaces where direct contact does not occur. This memorandum describes identification of candidate non-radioactive stand-in materials and evaluation of these materials in screening tests and tests with high-pressure, hot-water blasting. The following non-radioactive materials were tested: carpenter's line chalk; typing correction fluid; dye penetrant developer; latex paint with attapulyite added; unaltered latex paint; gold enamel; layout fluid; and black enamel. Results show that blue layout fluid and gold enamel have similar adherence that is within the range expected for actual radioactive contamination. White latex paint has less adherence than expected for actual radioactive contamination. The film was removed at a rate of 2 . Black enamel has more adherence than expected from actual radioactive contamination. In these tests ASTM No. 2B surfaces were harder to clean than either ASTM No. 1 or electropolished surfaces which had similar cleaning properties. A 90 0 blast angle was more effective than a 45 0 blast angle. In these tests there was no discernible effect of blast distance between 1 and 3 ft

Status of the WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) project as of July 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnone, G.J.; Foster, L.A.; Foxx, C.L.; Hagan, R.C.; Martin, E.R.; Myers, S.C.; Parker, J.L.

1998-03-01

The WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) system can scan thought-to-be-clean, low-density waste (mostly paper and plastics) to determine whether the levels of any contaminant radioactivity are low enough to justify their disposal in normal public landfills or similar facilities. Such a screening would allow probably at least half of the large volume of low-density waste now buried at high cost in LANL's Rad Waste Landfill (Area G at Technical Area 54) to be disposed of elsewhere at a much lower cost. The WAND System consists of a well-shielded bank of six 5-in.-diam. phoswich scintillation detectors; a mechanical conveyor system that carries a 12-in.-wide layer of either shredded material or packets of paper sheets beneath the bank of detectors; the electronics needed to process the outputs of the detectors; and a small computer to control the whole system and to perform the data analysis. WAND system minimum detectable activities (MDAs) for point sources range from ∼20 dps for 241 Am to approximately 10 times that value for 239 Pu, with most other nuclides of interest being between those values, depending upon the emission probabilities of the radiations emitted (usually gamma rays and/or x-rays). The system can also detect beta particles that have energies ≥100 keV, but it is not easy to define an MDA based on beta radiation detection because of the greater absorption of beta particles relative to photons in low Z-materials. The only radioactive nuclides not detectable by the WAND system are pure alpha emitters and very-low-energy beta emitters. At this time, operating procedures and quality assurance procedures are in place and training materials are available to operators. The system is ready to perform useful work; however, it would be both possible and desirable to upgrade the electronic components and the analysis algorithms

Nevada National Security Site Waste Acceptance Criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

This document establishes the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO), Nevada National Security Site Waste Acceptance Criteria (NNSSWAC). The NNSSWAC provides the requirements, terms, and conditions under which the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) will accept DOE non-radioactive classified waste, DOE non-radioactive hazardous classified waste, DOE low-level radioactive waste (LLW), DOE mixed low-level waste (MLLW), and U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) classified waste for permanent disposal. Classified waste is the only waste accepted for disposal that may be non-radioactive and will be required to meet the waste acceptance criteria for radioactive waste as specified in this document. The NNSA/NSO and support contractors are available to assist you in understanding or interpreting this document. For assistance, please call the NNSA/NSO Waste Management Project (WMP) at (702) 295-7063, and your call will be directed to the appropriate contact.

Nevada National Security Site Waste Acceptance Criteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NSTec Environmental Management

2012-02-28

This document establishes the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO), Nevada National Security Site Waste Acceptance Criteria (NNSSWAC). The NNSSWAC provides the requirements, terms, and conditions under which the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) will accept DOE non-radioactive classified waste, DOE non-radioactive hazardous classified waste, DOE low-level radioactive waste (LLW), DOE mixed low-level waste (MLLW), and U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) classified waste for permanent disposal. Classified waste is the only waste accepted for disposal that may be non-radioactive and will be required to meet the waste acceptance criteria for radioactive waste as specified in this document. The NNSA/NSO and support contractors are available to assist you in understanding or interpreting this document. For assistance, please call the NNSA/NSO Waste Management Project (WMP) at (702) 295-7063, and your call will be directed to the appropriate contact.

Disposal of toxic waste to Kualiti Alam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilfred Paulus; Nik Marzukee; Syed Abd Malik

2005-01-01

The mandate to manage radioactive waste in this country was given to the Radioactive Waste Management Centre, MINT as the only agency allowed to handle the waste. However, wastes which are produced at MINT also include the non-radioactive toxic waste. The service to dispose off this non-radioactive toxic waste has been given to Kualiti Alam, the only company licensed to carry out such activity. Up to now, MINT's Radioactive Waste Management Centre has delivered 3 consignments of such waste to the company. This paper will detail out several aspects of managing the waste from the aspects of contract, delivering procedure, legislation, cost and austerity steps which should be taken by MINT's staff. (Author)

Waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chmielewska, E.

2010-01-01

In this chapter formation of wastes and basic concepts of non-radioactive waste management are explained. This chapter consists of the following parts: People in Peril; Self-regulation of nature as a guide for minimizing and recycling waste; The current waste management situation in the Slovak Republic; Categorization and determination of the type of waste in legislative of Slovakia; Strategic directions waste management in the Slovak Republic.

Incineration of Non-radioactive Simulated Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, A.Z.; Abdelrazek, I.D.

1999-01-01

An advanced controlled air incinerator has been investigated, developed and put into successful operation for both non radioactive simulated and other combustible solid wastes. Engineering efforts concentrated on providing an incinerator which emitted a clean, easily treatable off-gas and which produced minimum amounts of secondary waste. Feed material is fed by gravity into the gas reactor without shredding or other pretreatment. The temperature of the waste is gradually increased in a reduced oxygen atmosphere as the resulting products are introduced into the combustion chamber. Steady burning is thus accomplished under easily controlled excess air conditions with the off-gas then passing through a simple dry cleaning-up system. Experimental studies showed that, at lower temperature, CO 2 , and CH 4 contents in gas reactor effluent increase by the increase of glowing bed temperature, while H 2 O, H 2 and CO decrease . It was proved that, a burn-out efficiency (for ash residues) and a volume reduction factor appeared to be better than 95.5% and 98% respectively. Moreover, high temperature permits increased volumes of incinerated material and results in increased gasification products. It was also found that 8% by weight of ashes are separated by flue gas cleaning system as it has chemical and size uniformity. This high incineration efficiency has been obtained through automated control and optimization of process variables like temperature of the glowing bed and the oxygen feed rate to the gas reactor

Zeolite Vitrification Demonstration Program nonradioactive-process operations summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bryan, G.H.; Knox, C.A.; Goles, R.G.; Ethridge, L.J.; Siemens, D.H.

1982-09-01

The Submerged Demineralizer System is a process developed to decontaminate high-activity level water at Three Mile Island by sorbing the activity (primarily Cs and Sr) onto beds of zeolite. Pacific Northwest Laboratory's Zeolite Vitrification Demonstration Program has the responsibility of demonstrating the full-scale vitrification of this zeolite material. The first phase of this program has been to develop a glass formulation and demonstrate the vitrification process with the use of nonradioactive materials. During this phase, four full-scale nonradioactive demonstration runs were completed. The same zeolite mixture being used in the SDS system was loaded with nonradioactive isotopes of Cs and Sr, dried, blended with glass-forming chemicals and fed to a canister in an in-can melter furnace. During each run, the gaseous effluents were sampled. After each run, glass samples were removed and analyzed

Hanford facility dangerous waste permit application, 616 Nonradioactive dangerous waste storage facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, S.M.

1997-01-01

This chapter provides information on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the waste stored at the 616 NRDWSF. A waste analysis plan is included that describes the methodology used for determining waste types

Hanford facility dangerous waste permit application, 616 Nonradioactive dangerous waste storage facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Price, S.M.

1997-04-30

This chapter provides information on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the waste stored at the 616 NRDWSF. A waste analysis plan is included that describes the methodology used for determining waste types.

The Japan Power Demonstration Reactor (JPDR) dismantling activities. Management of JPDR dismantling waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Masayoshi; Nakata, Susumu; Ito, Shinichi

1996-01-01

The management of wastes, both radioactive and non-radioactive, is one of the most important issues for a safe and reasonable dismantling operation of nuclear power plants. A large amount of radioactive wastes is arising from a reactor dismantling operation in a relatively short period time, ranging in a wide variety from very low level to relatively high level. Moreover non-radioactive waste is also in a huge amount. The dismantling operation of Japan Power Demonstration Reactor (JPDR) resulted in 24,440 tons of dismantling wastes, of which about 15% was radioactive and 85% non-radioactive. These wastes were managed successfully implementing a well developed management plan for JPDR dismantling waste. Research and development works for handling of JPDR dismantling wastes were performed, including fixation of loose contamination on surface, volume reduction and waste containers for on-site transportation and interim storage. The JPDR dismantling wastes generated were classified and categorized depending on their materials, characteristics and activity level. Approximately 2,100 tons of radioactive wastes were stored in the interim storage facilities on site using developed containers, and 1,670 tons of radioactive concrete waste were used for a safe demonstration test of a simple near-surface disposal for very low level waste. Other dismantling wastes such as steel and concrete which were categorized as non-radioactive were recycled and reused as useful resources. This paper describes the management of the JPDR dismantling wastes. (author)

Hazardous waste treatment facility and skid-mounted treatment systems at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lussiez, G.W.; Zygmunt, S.J.

1993-01-01

To centralize treatment, storage, and staging areas for hazardous wastes, Los Alamos National Laboratory has designed a 12,000-ft 2 hazardous waste treatment facility. The facility will house a treatment room for each of four kinds of wastes: nonradioactive characteristic wastes, nonradioactive listed wastes radioactive characteristic wastes, and radioactive listed wastes. The facility will be used for repacking labpacks, bulking small organic waste volumes, processing scintillation vials, treating reactives such as lithium hydride and pyrophoric uranium, treating contaminated solids such as barium sand, and treating plating wastes. The treated wastes will then be appropriately disposed of. This report describes the integral features of the hazardous waste treatment facility

Sensitive non-radioactive detection of HIV-1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teglbjærg, Lars Stubbe; Nielsen, C; Hansen, J E

1992-01-01

This report describes the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the non-radioactive detection of HIV-1 proviral genomic sequences in HIV-1 infected cells. We have developed a sensitive assay, using three different sets of nested primers and our results show that this method is superior...... to standard PCR for the detection of HIV-1 DNA. The assay described features the use of a simple and inexpensive sample preparation technique and a non-radioactive hybridization procedure for confirmation of results. To test the suitability of the assay for clinical purposes, we tested cell samples from 76...

Solid Waste Program Fiscal Year 1996 Multi-Year Program Plan WBS 1.2.1, Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

This document contains the Fiscal Year 1996 Multi-Year Program Plan for the Solid Waste Program at the Hanford Reservation in Richland, Washington. The Solid Waste Program treats, stores, and disposes of a wide variety of solid wastes consisting of radioactive, nonradioactive and hazardous material types. Solid waste types are typically classified as transuranic waste, low-level radioactive waste, low-level mixed waste, and non-radioactive hazardous waste. This report describes the mission, goals and program strategies for the Solid Waste Program for fiscal year 1996 and beyond

Solid Waste Program Fiscal Year 1996 Multi-Year Program Plan WBS 1.2.1, Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-01

This document contains the Fiscal Year 1996 Multi-Year Program Plan for the Solid Waste Program at the Hanford Reservation in Richland, Washington. The Solid Waste Program treats, stores, and disposes of a wide variety of solid wastes consisting of radioactive, nonradioactive and hazardous material types. Solid waste types are typically classified as transuranic waste, low-level radioactive waste, low-level mixed waste, and non-radioactive hazardous waste. This report describes the mission, goals and program strategies for the Solid Waste Program for fiscal year 1996 and beyond.

Hybrid Microwave Treatment of SRS TRU and Mixed Wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wicks, G.G.

1999-01-01

A new process, using hybrid microwave energy, has been developed as part of the Strategic Research and Development program and successfully applied to treatment of a wide variety of non-radioactive materials, representative of SRS transuranic (TRU) and mixed wastes. Over 35 simulated (non-radioactive) TRU and mixed waste materials were processed individually, as well as in mixed batches, using hybrid microwave energy, a new technology now being patented by Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC)

Hanford Site Solid Waste Landfill permit application. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

Both nonhazardous and nonradioactive sanitary solid waste are generated at the Hanford Site. This permit application describes the manner in which the Solid Waste Landfill will be operated. A description is provided of the landfill, including applicable locational, general facility, and landfilling standards. The characteristics and quantity of the waste disposed of are discussed. The regional and site geology and hydrology and the groundwater and vadose zone quality beneath the landfill are reviewed. A plan is included of operation, closure, and postclosure. This report addresses the operational cover, environmental controls, personnel requirements, inspections, recordkeeping, reporting, and site security. The integration of closure and postclosure activities between the Solid Waste Landfill and adjacent Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill is discussed

Cultural Resources Review for Closure of the nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill and Solid Waste Landfill in the 600 Area, Hanford Site, Benton County, Washington, HCRC# 2010-600-018R

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gutzeit, Jennifer L.; Kennedy, Ellen P.; Bjornstad, Bruce N.; Sackschewsky, Michael R.; Sharpe, James J.; DeMaris, Ranae; Venno, M.; Christensen, James R.

2011-02-02

The U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office is proposing to close the Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill (NRDWL) and Solid Waste Landfill (SWL) located in the 600 Area of the Hanford Site. The closure of the NRDWL/SWL entails the construction of an evapotranspiration cover over the landfill. This cover would consist of a 3-foot (1-meter) engineered layer of fine-grained soil, modified with 15 percent by weight pea gravel to form an erosion-resistant topsoil that will sustain native vegetation. The area targeted for silt-loam borrow soil sits in Area C, located in the northern central portion of the Fitzner/Eberhardt Arid Lands Ecology (ALE) Reserve Unit. The pea gravel used for the mixture will be obtained from both off-site commercial sources and an active gravel pit (Pit #6) located just west of the 300 Area of the Hanford Site. Materials for the cover will be transported along Army Loop Road, which runs from Beloit Avenue (near the Rattlesnake Barricade) east-northeast to the NRDWL/SWL, ending at State Route 4. Upgrades to Army Loop Road are necessary to facilitate safe bidirectional hauling traffic. This report documents a cultural resources review of the proposed activity, conducted according to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

Testing and development strategy for the tank waste remediation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddick, G.W.

1994-12-01

This document provides a strategy for performing radioactive (hot) and nonradioactive testing to support processing tank waste. It evaluates the need for hot pilot plant(s) to support pretreatment and other processing functions and presents a strategy for performing hot test work. A strategy also is provided for nonradioactive process and equipment testing. The testing strategy supports design, construction, startup, and operation of Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) facilities

Testing and development strategy for the tank waste remediation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddick, G.W.

1995-01-01

This document provides a strategy for performing radioactive (hot) and nonradioactive testing to support processing tank waste. It evaluates the need for hot pilot plant(s) to support pretreatment and other processing functions and presents a strategy for performing hot test work. A strategy also is provided for nonradioactive process and equipment testing. The testing strategy supports design, construction, startup, and operation of Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) facilities

Radioactive Demonstration Of Mineralized Waste Forms Made From Hanford Low Activity Waste (Tank Farm Blend) By Fluidized Bed Steam Reformation (FBSR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jantzen, C. M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Crawford, C. L. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Bannochie, C. J. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Burket, P. R. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Cozzi, A. D. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Daniel, W. E. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Hall, H. K. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Miller, D. H. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Missimer, D. M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Nash, C. A. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Williams, M. F. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2013-08-01

amorphous, macro-encapsulates the granules, and the monoliths pass ANSI/ANS 16.1 and ASTM C1308 durability testing with Re achieving a Leach Index (LI) of 9 (the Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility, IDF, criteria for Tc-99) after a few days and Na achieving an LI of >6 (the Hanford IDF criteria for Na) in the first few hours. The granular and monolithic waste forms also pass the EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) for all Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) components at the Universal Treatment Standards (UTS). Two identical Benchscale Steam Reformers (BSR) were designed and constructed at SRNL, one to treat non-radioactive simulants and the other to treat actual radioactive wastes. The results from the non-radioactive BSR were used to determine the parameters needed to operate the radioactive BSR in order to confirm the findings of non-radioactive FBSR pilot scale and engineering scale tests and to qualify an FBSR LAW waste form for applications at Hanford. Radioactive testing commenced using SRS LAW from Tank 50 chemically trimmed to look like Hanford’s blended LAW known as the Rassat simulant as this simulant composition had been tested in the non-radioactive BSR, the non-radioactive pilot scale FBSR at the Science Applications International Corporation-Science and Technology Applications Research (SAIC-STAR) facility in Idaho Falls, ID and in the TTT Engineering Scale Technology Demonstration (ESTD) at Hazen Research Inc. (HRI) in Denver, CO. This provided a “tie back” between radioactive BSR testing and non-radioactive BSR, pilot scale, and engineering scale testing. Approximately six hundred grams of non-radioactive and radioactive BSR product were made for extensive testing and comparison to the non-radioactive pilot scale tests performed in 2004 at SAIC-STAR and the engineering scale test performed in 2008 at HRI with the Rassat simulant. The same mineral phases and off-gas species were found in the radioactive and non-radioactive

Special waste disposal in Austria - cost benefit analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuntscher, H.

1983-01-01

The present situation of special waste disposal in Austria is summarized for radioactive and nonradioactive wastes. A cost benefit analysis for regulary collection, transport and disposal of industrial wastes, especially chemical wastes is given and the cost burden for the industry is calculated. (A.N.)

Disposal of radioactive and other hazardous wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boge, R.; Bergman, C.; Bergvall, S.; Gyllander, C.

1989-01-01

The purpose of the workshop was discuss legal, scientific and practical aspects of disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste and other types of hazardous waste. During the workshop the non-radioactive wastes discussed were mainly wastes from energy production, but also industrial, chemical and household wastes. The workshop gave the participants the opportunity to exchange information on policies, national strategies and other important matters. A number of invited papers were presented and the participants brought background papers, describing the national situation, that were used in the working groups. One of the main aims of the workshop was to discuss if the same basic philosophy as that used in radiation protection could be used in the assessment of disposal of non-radioactive waste, as well as to come up with identifications of areas for future work and to propose fields for research and international cooperation. The main text of the report consists of a summary of the discussions and the conclusions reached by the workshop

Waste analysis plan for 222-S dangerous and mixed waste storage area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warwick, G.J.

1994-01-01

The 222-S Laboratory Complex, in the southeast corner of the 200 West Area, consists of the 222-S Laboratory, the 222-SA Standards Laboratory, and several ancillary facilities. Currently, 222-S Laboratory activities are in supporting efforts to characterize the waste stored in the 200 Areas single shell and double shell tanks. Besides this work, the laboratory also provides analytical services for waste-management processing plants, Tank Farms, B Plant, 242-A Evaporator Facility, Plutonium-Uranium Extraction Plant, Plutonium Finishing Plant, Uranium-Oxide Plant, Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility, environmental monitoring and surveillance programs, and activities involving essential materials and research and development. One part of the 222-SA Laboratory prepares nonradioactive standards for the 200 Area laboratories. The other section of the laboratory is used for cold (nonradioactive) process development work and standards preparation. The 219-S Waste Handling Facility has three storage tanks in which liquid acid waste from 222-S can be received, stored temporarily, and neutralized. From this facility, neutralized waste, containing radionuclides, is transferred to the Tank Farms. A 700-gallon sodium-hydroxide supply tank is also located in this facility. This plan provides the methods used to meet the acceptance criteria required by the 204-AR Waste Receiving Facility

Nevada National Security Site Waste Acceptance Criteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2013-06-01

This document establishes the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO), Nevada National Security Site Waste Acceptance Criteria (NNSSWAC). The NNSSWAC provides the requirements, terms, and conditions under which the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) will accept the following: • DOE hazardous and non-hazardous non-radioactive classified waste • DOE low-level radioactive waste (LLW) • DOE mixed low-level waste (MLLW) • U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) classified waste The LLW and MLLW listed above may also be classified waste. Classified waste is the only waste accepted for disposal that may be non-radioactive and shall be required to meet the waste acceptance criteria for radioactive waste as specified in this document. Classified waste may be sent to the NNSS as classified matter. Section 3.1.18 provides the requirements that must be met for permanent burial of classified matter. The NNSA/NFO and support contractors are available to assist the generator in understanding or interpreting this document. For assistance, please call the NNSA/NFO Environmental Management Operations (EMO) at (702) 295-7063, and the call will be directed to the appropriate contact.

Nevada National Security Site Waste Acceptance Criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

This document establishes the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO), Nevada National Security Site Waste Acceptance Criteria (NNSSWAC). The NNSSWAC provides the requirements, terms, and conditions under which the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) will accept the following: DOE hazardous and non-hazardous non-radioactive classified waste; DOE low-level radioactive waste (LLW); DOE mixed low-level waste (MLLW); and, U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) classified waste. The LLW and MLLW listed above may also be classified waste. Classified waste is the only waste accepted for disposal that may be non-radioactive and shall be required to meet the waste acceptance criteria for radioactive waste as specified in this document. Classified waste may be sent to the NNSS as classified matter. Section 3.1.18 provides the requirements that must be met for permanent burial of classified matter. The NNSA/NFO and support contractors are available to assist the generator in understanding or interpreting this document. For assistance, please call the NNSA/NFO Environmental Management Operations (EMO) at (702) 295-7063, and the call will be directed to the appropriate contact.

Talc-silicon glass-ceramic waste forms for immobilization of high- level calcined waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinjamuri, K.

1993-06-01

Talc-silicon glass-ceramic waste forms are being evaluated as candidates for immobilization of the high level calcined waste stored onsite at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant. These glass-ceramic waste forms were prepared by hot isostatically pressing a mixture of simulated nonradioactive high level calcined waste, talc, silicon and aluminum metal additives. The waste forms were characterized for density, chemical durability, and glass and crystalline phase compositions. The results indicate improved density and chemical durability as the silicon content is increased

Characterization of Class A low-level radioactive waste 1986--1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehmel, J.C.; Loomis, D.; Mauro, J.; Kaplan, M.

1994-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, the firms of S. Cohen ampersand Associates, Inc. (SC ampersand A) and Eastern Research Group (ERG) have compiled a report that describes the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of Class-A low-level radioactive waste. The report also presents information characterizing various methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste. A database management program was developed for use in accessing, sorting, analyzing, and displaying the electronic data provided by EG ampersand G. The program was used to present and aggregate data characterizing the radiological, physical, and chemical properties of the waste from descriptions contained in shipping manifests. The data thus retrieved are summarized in tables, histograms, and cumulative distribution curves presenting radionuclide concentration distributions in Class-A waste as a function of waste streams, by category of waste generators, and regions of the United States. The report also provides information characterizing methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste, including industrial, municipal, and hazardous waste regulated under Subparts C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The information includes a list of disposal options, the geographical locations of the processing and disposal facilities, and a description of the characteristics of such processing and disposal facilities. Volume 1 contains the Executive Summary, Volume 2 presents the Class-A waste database, Volume 3 presents the information characterizing non-radioactive waste management practices and facilities, and Volumes 4 through 7 contain Appendices A through P with supporting information

Characterization of Class A low-level radioactive waste 1986--1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehmel, J.C.; Loomis, D.; Mauro, J.; Kaplan, M.

1994-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, the firms of S. Cohen ampersand Associates, Inc. (SC ampersand A) and Eastern Research Group (ERG) have compiled a report that describes the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of Class-A low-level radioactive waste. The report also presents information characterizing various methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste. A database management program was developed for use in accessing, sorting, analyzing, and displaying the electronic data provided by EG ampersand G. The program was used to present and aggregate data characterizing the radiological, physical, and chemical properties of the waste from descriptions contained in shipping manifests. The data thus retrieved are summarized in tables, histograms, and cumulative distribution curves presenting radionuclide concentration distributions in Class-A waste as a function of waste streams, by category of waste generators, and regions of the United States. The report also provides information characterizing methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste, including industrial, municipal, and hazardous waste regulated under Subparts C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The information includes a list of disposal options, the geographical locations of the processing and disposal facilities, and a description of the characteristics of such processing and disposal facilities. Volume 1 contains the Executive Summary, Volume 2 presents the Class-A waste database, Volume 3 presents the information characterizing non-radioactive waste management practices and facilities, and Volumes 4 to 7 contain Appendices A to P with supporting information

Characterization of Class A low-level radioactive waste 1986--1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehmel, J.C.; Loomis, D.; Mauro, J.; Kaplan, M.

1994-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, the firms of S. Cohen ampersand Associates, Inc. (SC ampersand A) and Eastern Research Group (ERG) have compiled a report that describes the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of Class-A low-level radioactive waste. The report also presents information characterizing various methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste. A database management program was developed for use in accessing, sorting, analyzing, and displaying the electronic data provided by EG ampersand G. The program was used to present and aggregate data characterizing the radiological, physical, and chemical properties of the waste from descriptions contained in shipping manifests. The data thus retrieved are summarized in tables, histograms, and cumulative distribution curves presenting radionuclide concentration distributions in Class-A waste as a function of waste streams, by category of waste generators, and regions of the United States. The report also provides information characterizing methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste, including industrial, municipal, and hazardous waste regulated under Subparts C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The information includes a list of disposal options, the geographical locations of the processing and disposal facilities, and a description of the characteristics of such processing and disposal facilities. Volume 1 contains the Executive Summary, Volume 2 presents the Class-A waste database, Volume 3 presents the information characterizing non-radioactive waste management practices and facilities, and Volumes 4 through 7 contain Appendices A through P with supporting information

Coal combustion ashes: A radioactive Waste?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michetti, F.P.; Tocci, M.

1992-01-01

The radioactive substances naturally hold in fossil fuels, such as Uranium and Thorium, after the combustion, are subjected to an increase of concentration in the residual combustion products as flying ashes or as firebox ashes. A significant percentage of the waste should be classified as radioactive waste, while the political strategies seems to be setted to declassify it as non-radioactive waste. (Author)

Hanford Waste Simulants Created to Support the Research and Development on the River Protection Project - Waste Treatment Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eibling, R.E.

2001-07-26

The development of nonradioactive waste simulants to support the River Protection Project - Waste Treatment Plant bench and pilot-scale testing is crucial to the design of the facility. The report documents the simulants development to support the SRTC programs and the strategies used to produce the simulants.

Defense waste processing facility startup progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iverson, D.C.; Elder, H.H.

1992-01-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) has been operating a nuclear fuel cycle since the 1950's to produce nuclear materials in support of the national defense effort. About 83 million gallons of high level waste produced since operation began have been consolidated into 33 million gallons by evaporation at the waste tank farm. The Department of Energy has authorized the construction of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) to immobilize the waste as a durable borosilicate glass contained in stainless steel canisters, prior to emplacement in a federal repository. The DWPF is now mechanically complete and undergoing commissioning and run-in activities. Cold startup testing using simulated non-radioactive feeds is scheduled to begin in November 1992 with radioactive operation scheduled to begin in May 1994. While technical issues have been identified which can potentially affect DWPF operation, they are not expected to negatively impact the start of non-radioactive startup testing

Regulatory inspection practices for radioactive and non-radioactive waste management facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Amitava

2017-01-01

Management of nuclear waste plays an important role in the nuclear energy programme of the country. India has adopted the Closed Fuel Cycle option, where the spent nuclear fuel is treated as a material of resource and the nuclear waste is wealth. Closed fuel cycle aims at recovery and recycle of valuable nuclear materials in to reactors as fuel and also separation of useful radio isotopes for the use in health care, agriculture and industry. India has taken a lead role in the waste management activities and has reached a level of maturity over a period of more than forty decades. The nuclear waste management primarily comprises of waste characterization, segregation, conditioning, treatment, immobilization of radionuclides in stable and solid matrices and interim retrievable storage of conditioned solid waste under surveillance. The waste generated in a nuclear facility is in the form of liquid and solid, and it's classification depends on the content of radioactivity. The liquid waste is characterized as Low level (LLW), Intermediate level (ILW) and High Level (HLW). The LLW is relatively large in volume and much lesser radioactive. The LLW is subjected to chemical precipitation using various chemicals based on the radionuclides present, followed by filtration, settling, ion exchange and cement fixation. The conditioning and treatment processes of ILW uses ion exchange, alkali hydrolysis for spent solvent, phase separation and immobilization in cement matrix. The High Level Waste (HLW), generated during spent fuel reprocessing and containing more than 99 percent of the total radioactivity is first subjected to volume reduction/concentration by evaporation and then vitrified in a meIter using borosilicate glass. Presently, Joule Heated Ceramic Meter is used in India for Vitrification process. Vitrified waste products (VWP) are stored for interim period in a multibarrier, air cooled facility under surveillance

Radioactive Demonstration Of Final Mineralized Waste Forms For Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Secondary Waste By Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Using The Bench Scale Reformer Platform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crawford, C.; Burket, P.; Cozzi, A.; Daniel, W.; Jantzen, C.; Missimer, D.

2012-01-01

. The mineral waste form that is produced by co-processing waste with kaolin clay in an FBSR process has been shown to be as durable as LAW glass. Monolithing of the granular FBSR product is being investigated to prevent dispersion during transport or burial/storage, but is not necessary for performance. A Benchscale Steam Reformer (BSR) was designed and constructed at the SRNL to treat actual radioactive wastes to confirm the findings of the non-radioactive FBSR pilot scale tests and to qualify the waste form for applications at Hanford. BSR testing with WTP SW waste surrogates and associated analytical analyses and tests of granular products (GP) and monoliths began in the Fall of 2009, and then was continued from the Fall of 2010 through the Spring of 2011. Radioactive testing commenced in 2010 with a demonstration of Hanford's WTP-SW where Savannah River Site (SRS) High Level Waste (HLW) secondary waste from the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) was shimmed with a mixture of 125/129 I and 99 Tc to chemically resemble WTP-SW. Prior to these radioactive feed tests, non-radioactive simulants were also processed. Ninety six grams of radioactive granular product were made for testing and comparison to the non-radioactive pilot scale tests. The same mineral phases were found in the radioactive and non-radioactive testing.

The calculation and estimation of wastes generated by decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Tokai works and Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayame, Y.; Tanabe, T.; Takahashi, K.; Takeda, S.

2001-07-01

This investigation was conducted as a part of planning the low-level radioactive waste management program (LLW management program). The aim of this investigation was contributed to compile the radioactive waste database of JNC's LLW management program. All nuclear facilities of the Tokai works and Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center were investigated in this work. The wastes generated by the decommissioning of each nuclear facility were classified into radioactive waste and others (exempt waste and non-radioactive waste), and the amount of the wastes was estimated. The estimated amounts of radioactive wastes generated by decommissioning of the nuclear facilities are as follows. (1) Tokai works: The amount of waste generated by decommissioning of nuclear facilities of the Tokai works is about 1,079,100 ton. The amount of radioactive waste is about 15,400 ton. The amount of exempt waste and non-radioactive waste is about 1,063,700 ton. (2) Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center: The amount of waste generated by decommissioning of nuclear facilities of Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center is about 112,500 ton. The amount of radioactive waste is about 7,800 ton. The amount of exempt waste and non-radioactive waste is about 104,700 ton. (author)

Assessment for the management of NORM wastes in conventional hazardous and nonhazardous waste landfills

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mora, Juan C., E-mail: jc.mora@ciemat.es [Unit for Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment (PRPYMA), CIEMAT, Avda. Complutense, 40, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Energy Engineering Department, Power Engineering, Nuclear Area, ETSII, UNED (Spain); Baeza, Antonio [LARUEX, Dpt. Applied Physics, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Extremadura, Avda. Universidad, s/n, 10071 Cáceres (Spain); Robles, Beatriz [Unit for Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment (PRPYMA), CIEMAT, Avda. Complutense, 40, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Sanz, Javier [Energy Engineering Department, Power Engineering, Nuclear Area, ETSII, UNED (Spain)

2016-06-05

Highlights: • Before 2010 NORM waste is managed as non-radioactive, disposed in landfills. • After 2010 radiological impact of the management of NORM wastes must be assessed. • Quantities that can be disposed in hazardous or non-hazardous landfills are given. • Uncertainty analysis is included to provide consistency to the calculations. - Abstract: Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) wastes are generated in huge quantities in several industries and their management has been carried out under considerations of industrial non-radioactive wastes, before the concern on the radioactivity content was included in the legislation. Therefore these wastes were conditioned using conventional methods and the waste disposals were designed to isolate toxic elements from the environment for long periods of time. Spanish regulation for these conventional toxic waste disposals includes conditions that assure adequate isolation to minimize the impact of the wastes to the environment in present and future conditions. After 1996 the radiological impact of the management of NORM wastes is considered and all the aspects related with natural radiations and the radiological control regarding the management of residues from NORM industries were developed in the new regulation. One option to be assessed is the disposal of NORM wastes in hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposals, as was done before this new regulation. This work analyses the management of NORM wastes in these landfills to derive the masses that can be disposed without considerable radiological impact. Generic dose assessments were carried out under highly conservative hypothesis and a discussion on the uncertainty and variability sources was included to provide consistency to the calculations.

Assessment for the management of NORM wastes in conventional hazardous and nonhazardous waste landfills

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, Juan C.; Baeza, Antonio; Robles, Beatriz; Sanz, Javier

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Before 2010 NORM waste is managed as non-radioactive, disposed in landfills. • After 2010 radiological impact of the management of NORM wastes must be assessed. • Quantities that can be disposed in hazardous or non-hazardous landfills are given. • Uncertainty analysis is included to provide consistency to the calculations. - Abstract: Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) wastes are generated in huge quantities in several industries and their management has been carried out under considerations of industrial non-radioactive wastes, before the concern on the radioactivity content was included in the legislation. Therefore these wastes were conditioned using conventional methods and the waste disposals were designed to isolate toxic elements from the environment for long periods of time. Spanish regulation for these conventional toxic waste disposals includes conditions that assure adequate isolation to minimize the impact of the wastes to the environment in present and future conditions. After 1996 the radiological impact of the management of NORM wastes is considered and all the aspects related with natural radiations and the radiological control regarding the management of residues from NORM industries were developed in the new regulation. One option to be assessed is the disposal of NORM wastes in hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposals, as was done before this new regulation. This work analyses the management of NORM wastes in these landfills to derive the masses that can be disposed without considerable radiological impact. Generic dose assessments were carried out under highly conservative hypothesis and a discussion on the uncertainty and variability sources was included to provide consistency to the calculations.

Characterization and vitrification of Hanford radioactive high level wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tingey, J.M.; Elliott, M.L.; Larson, D.E.; Morrey, E.V.

1991-01-01

Radioactive Neutralized Current Acid Waste (NCAW) samples from the Hanford waste tanks have been chemically, radiochemically and physically characterized. The wastes were processed according to the Hanford Waste vitrification Plant (HWVP) flowsheet, and characterized after each process step. The waste glasses were sectioned and leach tested. Chemical, radiochemical and physical properties of the waste will be presented and compared to nonradioactive simulant data and the HWVP reference composition and properties

Lessons to be learned from radioactive waste disposal practices for non-radioactive hazardous waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merz, E.R.

1991-01-01

The criteria to be set up for any kind of hazardous waste disposal must always be put in perspective: 1. what are the waste characteristics? 2. what time period for safe isolation is of interest? 3. which geological disposal alternatives exist? Different approaches may be used in the short- and long-term perspective. In either case, a general procedure is recommended which involves concentrating, containing and isolating the source of toxicity, both radioactive and chemotoxic substances, as far as practicable. Waste characterization of either chemotoxic or radioactive wastes should be performed applying comparable scientifically based principles. The important question which arises is whether their hazard potential can be quantified on the basis of dose comparison regarding the morbidity effects of radiation and of chemical pollutants. Good control over the consequences of hazardous waste disposal requires threat detailed criteria for tolerable contamination of radioactive as well as chemical pollutants should be established, and that compliance with these criteria can be demonstrated. As yet, there are no well developed principles for assessing the detriment from most types of genotoxic waste other than radioactive material. The time horizon discussed for both categories of waste for their proof of safe isolation differs by a factor of about one hundred. (au)

The Belgian approach and status on the radiological surveillance of radioactive substances in metal scrap and non-radioactive waste and the financing of orphan sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braeckeveldt, Marnix; Preter, Peter De; Michiels, Jan; Pepin, Stephane; Schrauben, Manfred; Wertelaers, An

2007-01-01

Numerous facilities in the non-nuclear sector in Belgium (e.g. in the non-radioactive waste processing and management sector and in the metal recycling sector) have been equipped with measuring ports for detecting radioactive substances. These measuring ports prevent radioactive sources or radioactive contamination from ending up in the material fluxes treated by the sectors concerned. They thus play an important part in the protection of the workers and the people living in the neighbourhood of the facilities, as well as in the protection of the population and the environment in general. In 2006, Belgium's federal nuclear control agency (FANC/AFCN) drew up guidelines for the operators of non-nuclear facilities with a measuring port for detecting radioactive substances. These guidelines describe the steps to be followed by the operators when the port's alarm goes off. Following the publication of the European guideline 2003/122/EURATOM of 22 December 2003 on the control of high-activity sealed radioactive sources and orphan sources, a procedure has been drawn up by FANC/AFCN and ONDRAF/NIRAS, the Belgian National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials, to identify the responsible to cover the costs relating to the further management of detected sealed sources and if not found to declare the sealed source as an orphan source. In this latter case and from mid-2006 the insolvency fund managed by ONDRAF/NIRAS covers the cost of radioactive waste management. At the request of the Belgian government, a financing proposal for the management of unsealed orphan sources as radioactive waste was also established by FANC/AFCN and ONDRAF/NIRAS. This proposal applies the same approach as for sealed sources and thus the financing of unsealed orphan sources will also be covered by the insolvency fund. (authors)

Post-test evaluations of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant - Savannah River simulated defense HLW canisters and waste form

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molecke, M.A.; Sorensen, N.R.; Harbour, J.R.; Ferrara, D.M.

1993-01-01

Eighteen nonradioactive defense high-level waste (DHLW) canisters were emplaced in and subjected to accelerated overtest thermal conditions for about three years at the bedded salt Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility. Post-test laboratory corrosion results of several stainless steel 304L waste canisters, cast steel overpacks, and associated instruments ranged from negligible to moderate. We found appreciable surface corrosion and corrosion products on the cast steel overpacks. Pieces of both 304L and 316 stainless steel test apparatus underwent extensive stress-corrosion cracking failure and nonuniform attack. One of the retrieved test packages contained nonradioactive glass waste form from the Savannah River Site. We conducted post-test analyses of this glass to determine the degree of resultant glass fracturing, and whether any respirable fines were present. Linear glass fracture density ranged from about 1 to 8 fractures intersecting every 5 cm (2 inch) segment along a diameter line of the canister cross-section. Glass fines between 1 and 10 microns in diameter were detected, but were not quantified

Operation of a pilot incinerator for solid waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hootman, H.E.; Trapp, D.J.; Warren, J.H.

1979-01-01

A laboratory-scale incinerator (0.5 kg waste/hr) was built and operated for more than 18 months as part of a program to adapt and confirm technology for incineration of Savannah River Plant solid wastes, which are contaminated with about 0.3 Ci/kg of alpha-emitting transuranium (TRU) nuclides (Slide 1). About 4000 packages of simulated nonradioactive wastes were burned, including HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters, resins, and other types of solid combustible waste from plutonium finishing operations. Throughputs of more than 3 kg/hr for periods up to 4 hours were demonstrated. The incinerator was oerated at temperatures above 750 0 C for more than 7700 hours during a period of 12 months, for an overall availability of 88%. The incinerator was shut down three times during the year: once to replace the primary combustion chamber electrical heater, and twice to replace oxidized electrical connectors to the secondary chamber heaters. Practical experience with this pilot facility provided the design basis for the full-size (5 kg waste/hr) nonradioactive test incinerator, which began operation in March 1979

RADIOACTIVE DEMONSTRATION OF FINAL MINERALIZED WASTE FORMS FOR HANFORD WASTE TREATMENT PLANT SECONDARY WASTE BY FLUIDIZED BED STEAM REFORMING USING THE BENCH SCALE REFORMER PLATFORM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crawford, C.; Burket, P.; Cozzi, A.; Daniel, W.; Jantzen, C.; Missimer, D.

2012-02-02

ceramic (mineral) waste form. The mineral waste form that is produced by co-processing waste with kaolin clay in an FBSR process has been shown to be as durable as LAW glass. Monolithing of the granular FBSR product is being investigated to prevent dispersion during transport or burial/storage, but is not necessary for performance. A Benchscale Steam Reformer (BSR) was designed and constructed at the SRNL to treat actual radioactive wastes to confirm the findings of the non-radioactive FBSR pilot scale tests and to qualify the waste form for applications at Hanford. BSR testing with WTP SW waste surrogates and associated analytical analyses and tests of granular products (GP) and monoliths began in the Fall of 2009, and then was continued from the Fall of 2010 through the Spring of 2011. Radioactive testing commenced in 2010 with a demonstration of Hanford's WTP-SW where Savannah River Site (SRS) High Level Waste (HLW) secondary waste from the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) was shimmed with a mixture of {sup 125/129}I and {sup 99}Tc to chemically resemble WTP-SW. Prior to these radioactive feed tests, non-radioactive simulants were also processed. Ninety six grams of radioactive granular product were made for testing and comparison to the non-radioactive pilot scale tests. The same mineral phases were found in the radioactive and non-radioactive testing.

Radioactive mixed waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jasen, W.G.; Erpenbeck, E.G.

1993-02-01

Various types of waste have been generated during the 50-year history of the Hanford Site. Regulatory changes in the last 20 years have provided the emphasis for better management of these wastes. Interpretations of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) have led to the definition of radioactive mixed wastes (RMW). The radioactive and hazardous properties of these wastes have resulted in the initiation of special projects for the management of these wastes. Other solid wastes at the Hanford Site include low-level wastes, transuranic (TRU), and nonradioactive hazardous wastes. This paper describes a system for the treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) of solid radioactive waste

Evaluation of nonradioactive, colored microspheres for measurement of regional myocardial blood flow in dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hale, S.L.; Alker, K.J.; Kloner, R.A.

1988-01-01

Measurement of regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF) is crucial in experimental studies of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion in dogs. The standard measurement technique uses radioactive microspheres; however, not all institutions are able to dispose of radioactive waste and therefore cannot make use of this method. We tested a new, nonradioactive microsphere, labeled with colors instead of nuclides. Simultaneous blood flow measurements with two nuclide-labeled and two colored microspheres were performed after coronary occlusion in dogs. Both techniques show a within-method correlation of r greater than 0.98. Duplicate variability for paired RMBF values in 80 samples was 8.7 +/- 0.1% when computed with radioactive microspheres and 13.2 +/- 1.8% when computed with colored microspheres. There was a good correlation in the measurement of RMBF between the radioactive- and colored-microsphere methods (r = 0.98). The best-fitting linear regression line was expressed by the formula: Colored-microsphere RMBF = 1.11 (radioactive-microsphere RMBF)-0.02. When measured by colored microspheres, RMBF was approximately 8% higher than when computed with radioactive microspheres for blood flow values of 0-2 ml/min/g. When blood flow was increased pharmacologically to levels of 2-7.5 ml/min/g, colored microspheres yielded blood flow values 39% higher than the values computed by radioactive microspheres. We conclude that the nonradioactive, colored-microsphere method correlates with the radioactive technique, but at high flows, it yields values greater than those obtained with radioactive microspheres

Low-level waste (LLW) reclamation program for the Point Lepreau Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility (SRWMF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mersereau, M.; McIntyre, K.

2006-01-01

Low level radioactive waste retrieved from intermediate storage vaults at Point Lepreau Generating Station has been sorted to remove the non-radioactive portion. The program began with trials to validate procedures and equipment, followed by a production run that is on-going. Waste boxes are opened and sorted at a ventilated sorting table. The sorted waste is directed to the station's free-release ('Likely Clean') waste stream or to the radioactive waste stream, depending on activity measurements. The radioactive waste content of the sorted materials has been reduced by 96% (by mass) using this process. (author)

Low-level waste (LLW) reclamation program for the Point Lepreau Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility (SRWMF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mersereau, M.; McIntyre, K. [Point Lepreau Generating Station, Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada)]. E-mail: MMersereau@nbpower.com; KMcIntyre@nbpower.com

2006-07-01

Low level radioactive waste retrieved from intermediate storage vaults at Point Lepreau Generating Station has been sorted to remove the non-radioactive portion. The program began with trials to validate procedures and equipment, followed by a production run that is on-going. Waste boxes are opened and sorted at a ventilated sorting table. The sorted waste is directed to the station's free-release ('Likely Clean') waste stream or to the radioactive waste stream, depending on activity measurements. The radioactive waste content of the sorted materials has been reduced by 96% (by mass) using this process. (author)

Task 3 - Pyrolysis of plastic waste. Semi-annual report, April 1- September 30, 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ness, R.O.; Aulich, T.R.

1997-09-01

The Energy and Environmental Research Center is developing a technology for the thermal decomposition of high-organic-content, radionuclide-contaminated mixed wastes and spent (radioactive) ion-exchange resins from the nuclear power industry that will enable the separation and concentration of radionuclides as dry particulate solids and the generation of nonradioactive condensable and noncondensable gas products. Successful application of the technology will enable a significant volume reduction of radioactive waste and the production of an inexpensively disposable nonradioactive organic product. The project objective is to develop and demonstrate the commercial viability of a continuous thermal decomposition process that can fulfill the following requirements: separate radionuclides from radioactive waste streams containing a variety of types and levels of polymers, chlorinated species, and other organics, including rubber, oils, resins, and cellulosic-based materials; concentrate radionuclides in a homogeneous, dry particulate product that can be recovered, handled, and disposed of efficiently and safely; separate and recover any chlorine present (as PVC, chlorinated solvents, or inorganic chlorine) in the contaminated mixed-waste stream; and yield a nonradioactive, low-chlorine-content, condensable organic product that can be economically disposed. Progress is described

Hanford Site solid waste acceptance criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellefson, M.D.

1998-01-01

Order 5820.2A requires that each treatment, storage, and/or disposal facility (referred to in this document as TSD unit) that manages low-level or transuranic waste (including mixed waste and TSCA PCB waste) maintain waste acceptance criteria. These criteria must address the various requirements to operate the TSD unit in compliance with applicable safety and environmental requirements. This document sets forth the baseline criteria for acceptance of radioactive waste at TSD units operated by WMH. The criteria for each TSD unit have been established to ensure that waste accepted can be managed in a manner that is within the operating requirements of the unit, including environmental regulations, DOE Orders, permits, technical safety requirements, waste analysis plans, performance assessments, and other applicable requirements. Acceptance criteria apply to the following TSD units: the Low-Level Burial Grounds (LLBG) including both the nonregulated portions of the LLBG and trenches 31 and 34 of the 218-W-5 Burial Ground for mixed waste disposal; Central Waste Complex (CWC); Waste Receiving and Processing Facility (WRAP); and T Plant Complex. Waste from all generators, both from the Hanford Site and from offsite facilities, must comply with these criteria. Exceptions can be granted as provided in Section 1.6. Specific waste streams could have additional requirements based on the 1901 identified TSD pathway. These requirements are communicated in the Waste Specification Records (WSRds). The Hanford Site manages nonradioactive waste through direct shipments to offsite contractors. The waste acceptance requirements of the offsite TSD facility must be met for these nonradioactive wastes. This document does not address the acceptance requirements of these offsite facilities

Pilot solid-waste incinerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farber, M.G.; Hootman, H.E.; Trapp, D.J.

1982-01-01

An experimental program to develop and confirm technology for incinerating solid radioactive waste is in progress at the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) in support of the short-term and long-term waste management objectives of the Savannah River Plant (SRP). This report reviews the experience of a pilot incinerator with a capacity of 1.0 lb/hr. The facility was tested with nonradioactive materials similar to the radioactive waste generated at the Savannah River site. The experimental program included determining operating parameters, testing wet and dry off-gas treatment systems, and evaluating materials of construction

Salt splitting of sodium-dominated radioactive waste using ceramic membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollenberg, G.W.; Carlson, C.D.; Virkar, A.; Joshi, A.

1994-08-01

The potential for salt splitting of sodium dominated radioactive wastes by use of a ceramic membrane is reviewed. The technical basis for considering this processing technology is derived from the technology developed for battery and chlor-alkali chemical industry. Specific comparisons are made with the commercial organic membranes which are the standard in nonradioactive salt splitting. Two features of ceramic membranes are expected to be especially attractive: high tolerance to gamma irradiation and high selectivity between sodium and other ions. The objective of the salt splitting process is to separate nonradioactive sodium from contaminated sodium salts prior to other pretreatment processes in order to: (1) concentrate the waste in order to reduce the volume of subsequent additives and capacity of equipment, (2) decrease the pH of the waste in preparation for further processing, and (3) provide sodium with very low radioactivity levels for caustic washing of sludge or low level and mixed waste vitrification

Characterization of Class A low-level radioactive waste 1986--1990. Volume 7: Appendices K--P

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dehmel, J.C.; Loomis, D.; Mauro, J. [S. Cohen & Associates, Inc., McLean, VA (United States); Kaplan, M. [Eastern Research Group, Inc., Lexington, MA (United States)

1994-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, the firms of S. Cohen & Associates, Inc. (SC&A) and Eastern Research Group (ERG) have compiled a report that describes the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of Class-A low-level radioactive waste. The report also presents information characterizing various methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste. A database management program was developed for use in accessing, sorting, analyzing, and displaying the electronic data provided by EG&G. The program was used to present and aggregate data characterizing the radiological, physical, and chemical properties of the waste from descriptions contained in shipping manifests. The data thus retrieved are summarized in tables, histograms, and cumulative distribution curves presenting radionuclide concentration distributions in Class-A waste as a function of waste streams, by category of waste generators, and regions of the United States. The report also provides information characterizing methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste, including industrial, municipal, and hazardous waste regulated under Subparts C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The information includes a list of disposal options, the geographical locations of the processing and disposal facilities, and a description of the characteristics of such processing and disposal facilities. Volume 1 contains the Executive Summary, Volume 2 presents the Class-A waste database, Volume 3 presents the information characterizing non-radioactive waste management practices and facilities, and Volumes 4 through 7 contain Appendices A through P with supporting information.

Volume reduction of reactor wastes by spray drying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gay, R.L.; Grantham, L.F.; McKenzie, D.E.

1983-01-01

Three simulated low-level reactor wastes were dried using a spray dryer-baghouse system. The three aqueous feedstocks were sodium sulfate waste characteristic of a BWR, boric acid waste characteristic of a PWR, and a waste mixture of ion exchange resins and filter aid. These slurries were spiked with nonradioactive iron, cobalt, and manganese (representing corrosion products) and nonradioactive cesium and iodine (representing fission products). The throughput for the 2.1-m-diameter spray dryer and baghouse system was 160-180 kg/h, which is comparable to the requirements for a full-scale commercial installation. A free-flowing, dry product was produced in all of the tests. The volume reduction factor ranged from 2.5 to 5.8; the baghouse decontamination factor was typically in the range of 10 3 to 10 4 . Using an overall system decontamination factor of 10 6 , the activity of the off-gas was calculated to be one to two orders of magnitude less than the nuclide release limit of the major active species, Cs-137

1st Quarter Transportation Report FY 2015: Radioactive Waste Shipments to and from the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregory, Louis [National Security Technologies, LLC, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

2015-02-20

This report satisfies the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) commitment to prepare a quarterly summary report of radioactive waste shipments to and from the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at Area 5. There were no shipments sent for offsite treatment and returned to the NNSS this quarter. This report summarizes the 1st quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and mixed low-level radioactive waste (MLLW) shipments. Tabular summaries are provided which include the following: Sources of and carriers for LLW and MLLW shipments to and from the NNSS; Number and external volume of LLW and MLLW shipments; Highway routes used by carriers; and Incident/accident data applicable to LLW and MLLW shipments. In this report shipments are accounted for upon arrival at the NNSS, while disposal volumes are accounted for upon waste burial. The disposal volumes presented in this report include minor volumes of non-radioactive classified waste/material that were approved for disposal (non-radioactive classified or nonradioactive classified hazardous). Volume reports showing cubic feet generated using the Low-Level Waste Information System may vary slightly due to rounding conventions for volumetric conversions from cubic meters to cubic feet.

Nonradioactive air emissions notice of construction for the Waste Receiving And Processing facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

The mission of the Waste Receiving And Processing (WRAP) Module 1 facility (also referred to as WRAP 1) is to examine assay, characterize, treat, and repackage solid radioactive and mixed waste to enable permanent disposal of the wastes in accordance with all applicable regulations. WRAP 1 will contain equipment and facilities necessary for non-destructive examination (NDE) of wastes and to perform a non-destructive examination assay (NDA) of the total radionuclide content of the wastes, without opening the outer container (e.g., 55-gal drum). WRAP 1 will also be equipped to open drums which do not meet waste acceptance and shipping criteria, and to perform limited physical treatment of the wastes to ensure that storage, shipping, and disposal criteria are met. The solid wastes to be handled in the WRAP 1 facility include low level waste (LLW), transuranic (TRU) waste, and transuranic and low level mixed wastes (LLMW). The WRAP 1 facility will only accept contact handler (CH) waste containers. A Best Available Control Technology for Toxics (TBACT) assessment has been completed for the WRAP 1 facility (WHC 1993). Because toxic emissions from the WRAP 1 facility are sufficiently low and do not pose any health or safety concerns to the public, no controls for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and installation of HEPA filters for particulates satisfy TBACT for the facility

Waste treatment activities incineration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, D.A.

1985-01-01

The waste management policy at SRP is to minimize waste generation as much as possible and detoxify and/or volume reduce waste materials prior to disposal. Incineration is a process being proposed for detoxification and volume reduction of combustion nonradioactive hazardous, low-level mixed and low-level beta-gamma waste. Present operation of the Solvent Burner Demonstration reduces the amount of solid combustible low-level beta-gamma boxed waste disposed of by shallow land burial by approximately 99,000 ft 3 per year producing 1000 ft 3 per year of ash and, by 1988, will detoxify and volume reduce 150,000 gallons or organic Purex solvent producing approximately 250 ft 3 of ash per year

Results from simulated contact-handled transuranic waste experiments at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molecke, M.A.; Sorensen, N.R.; Krumhansl, J.L.

1993-01-01

We conducted in situ experiments with nonradioactive, contact-handled transuranic (CH TRU) waste drums at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility for about four years. We performed these tests in two rooms in rock salt, at WIPP, with drums surrounded by crushed salt or 70 wt % salt/30 wt % bentonite clay backfills, or partially submerged in a NaCl brine pool. Air and brine temperatures were maintained at ∼40C. These full-scale (210-L drum) experiments provided in situ data on: backfill material moisture-sorption and physical properties in the presence of brine; waste container corrosion adequacy; and, migration of chemical tracers (nonradioactive actinide and fission product simulants) in the near-field vicinity, all as a function of time. Individual drums, backfill, and brine samples were removed periodically for laboratory evaluations. Waste container testing in the presence of brine and brine-moistened backfill materials served as a severe overtest of long-term conditions that could be anticipated in an actual salt waste repository. We also obtained relevant operational-test emplacement and retrieval experience. All test results are intended to support both the acceptance of actual TRU wastes at the WIPP and performance assessment data needs. We provide an overview and technical data summary focusing on the WIPP CH TRU envirorunental overtests involving 174 waste drums in the presence of backfill materials and the brine pool, with posttest laboratory materials analyses of backfill sorbed-moisture content, CH TRU drum corrosion, tracer migration, and associated test observations

Characterization of Class A low-level radioactive waste 1986--1990. Volume 3: Main report -- Part B

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dehmel, J.C.; Loomis, D.; Mauro, J. [S. Cohen & Associates, Inc., McLean, VA (United States); Kaplan, M. [Eastern Research Group, Inc., Lexington, MA (United States)

1994-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, the firms of S. Cohen & Associates, Inc. (SC&A) and Eastern Research Group (ERG) have compiled a report that describes the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of Class-A low-level radioactive waste. The report also presents information characterizing various methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste. A database management program was developed for use in accessing, sorting, analyzing, and displaying the electronic data provided by EG&G. The program was used to present and aggregate data characterizing the radiological, physical, and chemical properties of the waste from descriptions contained in shipping manifests. The data thus retrieved are summarized in tables, histograms, and cumulative distribution curves presenting radionuclide concentration distributions in Class-A waste as a function of waste streams, by category of waste generators, and regions of the United States. The report also provides information characterizing methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste, including industrial, municipal, and hazardous waste regulated under Subparts C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The information includes a list of disposal options, the geographical locations of the processing and disposal facilities, and a description of the characteristics of such processing and disposal facilities. Volume 1 contains the Executive Summary, Volume 2 presents the Class-A waste database, Volume 3 presents the information characterizing non-radioactive waste management practices and facilities, and Volumes 4 to 7 contain Appendices A to P with supporting information.

Electrically fired incineration of combustible radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charlesworth, D.; Hill, M.

1985-01-01

Du Pont Company and Shirco, Inc. are developing a process to incinerate plutonium-contaminated combustible waste in an electrically fired incineration system. Preliminary development was completed at Shirco, Inc. prior to installing an incineration system at the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL), which is operated by Du Pont for the US Department of Energy (DOE). The waste consists of disposable protective clothing, cleaning materials, used filter elements, and miscellaneous materials exposed to plutonium contamination. Incinerator performance testing, using physically representative nonradioactive materials, was completed in March 1983 at Shirco's Pilot Test Facility in Dallas, TX. Based on the test results, equipment sizing and mechanical begin of a full-scale process were completed by June 1983. The full-scale unit is being installed at SRL to confirm the initial performance testing and is scheduled to begin in June 1985. Remote operation and maintenance of the system is required, since the system will eventually be installed in an isolated process cell. Initial operation of the process will use nonradioactive simulated waste. 2 figs., 2 tabs

Waste minimization/pollution prevention study of high-priority waste streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogle, R.B.

1994-03-01

Although waste minimization has been practiced by the Metals and Ceramics (M ampersand C) Division in the past, the effort has not been uniform or formalized. To establish the groundwork for continuous improvement, the Division Director initiated a more formalized waste minimization and pollution prevention program. Formalization of the division's pollution prevention efforts in fiscal year (FY) 1993 was initiated by a more concerted effort to determine the status of waste generation from division activities. The goal for this effort was to reduce or minimize the wastes identified as having the greatest impact on human health, the environment, and costs. Two broad categories of division wastes were identified as solid/liquid wastes and those relating to energy use (primarily electricity and steam). This report presents information on the nonradioactive solid and liquid wastes generated by division activities. More specifically, the information presented was generated by teams of M ampersand C staff members empowered by the Division Director to study specific waste streams

Improvement of the IRIS Process for Incineration of Various Radioactive Waste Compositions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemort, F.; Charvillat, J. P.

2003-01-01

Incineration represents a promising weight and volume reduction technique for alpha-contaminated organic waste. Following several years of laboratory research initiated in 1983 on a nonradioactive prototype unit at the CEA's Rhone Valley (Marcoule) Research Center, an innovative process, IRIS, has been developed to meet the need for processing nuclear glove box waste containing large amounts of chlorine. In March 1999, the first highly chlorinated alpha-contaminated waste was incinerated in the industrial facility based on the IRIS process at the CEA's Valduc Center. The nonradioactive prototype at Marcoule and the radioactive facility at Valduc demonstrated that the process is highly effective with a continuously fed rotating tubular kiln and with a very effective control of corrosion by pyrolytic decomposition of the waste initially at 550 C. The ash quality meets specification requirements (< 1% carbon, < 1% chlorine) and the volume and weight reduction factors are sufficient (around 30). The offgas treatment system exhibits very high operating efficiency complying with gaseous emission standards

Foaming and Antifoaming in Radioactive Waste Pretreatment and Immobilization Processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasan, Darsh T.; Nikolov, Alex D.; Lamber, D.P.; Calloway, T. Bond; Stone, M.E.

2005-01-01

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has reported severe foaminess in the bench scale evaporation of the Hanford River Protection - Waste Treatment Plant (RPP-WPT) envelope C waste. Excessive foaming in waste evaporators can cause carryover of radionuclides and non-radioactive waste to the condensate system. The antifoams used at Hanford and tested by SRNL are believed to degrade and become inactive in high pH solutions. Hanford wastes have been known to foam during evaporation causing excessive down time and processing delays

On policies to regulate long-term risks from hazardous waste disposal sites under both intergenerational equity and intragenerational equity

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Zhongbin

In recent years, it has been recognized that there is a need for a general philosophic policy to guide the regulation of societal activities that involve long-term and very long-term risks. Theses societal activities not only include the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes and global warming, but also include the disposal of non-radioactive carcinogens that never decay, such as arsenic, nickel, etc. In the past, attention has been focused on nuclear wastes. However, there has been international recognition that large quantities of non-radioactive wastes are being disposed of with little consideration of their long-term risks. The objectives of this dissertation are to present the significant long-term risks posed by non-radioactive carcinogens through case studies; develop the conceptual decision framework for setting the long-term risk policy; and illustrate that certain factors, such as discount rate, can significantly influence the results of long-term risk analysis. Therefore, the proposed decision-making framework can be used to systematically study the important policy questions on long-term risk regulations, and then subsequently help the decision-maker to make informed decisions. Regulatory disparities between high-level radioactive wastes and non-radioactive wastes are summarized. Long-term risk is rarely a consideration in the regulation of disposal of non-radioactive hazardous chemicals; and when it is, the matter has been handled in a somewhat perfunctory manner. Case studies of long-term risks are conducted for five Superfund sites that are contaminated with one or more non-radioactive carcinogens. Under the same assumptions used for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes, future subsistence farmers would be exposed to significant individual risks, in some cases with lifetime fatality risk equal to unity. The important policy questions on long-term risk regulation are identified, and the conceptual decision-making framework to regulate

Viscosity and electrical conductivity of glass melts as a function of waste composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plodinec, M.J.; Wiley, J.R.

1979-01-01

Radioactive waste at the Savannah River Plant contains high concentrations of nonradioactive compounds of iron and aluminum. Simulated waste compositions containing varying ratios of iron to aluminum were added to glass melts to determine the effect on the melt properties. Waste containing high-aluminum increased the melt viscosity, but waste containing high-iron reduced the melt viscosity. Aluminum and iron both reduced the melt conductivity

Characterization of low level mixed waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hepworth, E.; Montoya, A.; Holizer, B.

1995-01-01

The characterization program was conducted to maintain regulatory compliance and support ongoing waste treatment and disposal activities. The characterization team conducted a characterization review of wastes stored at the Laboratory that contain both a low-level radioactive and a hazardous component. The team addressed only those wastes generated before January 1993. The wastes reviewed, referred to as legacy wastes, had been generated before the implementation of comprehensive waste acceptance documentation procedures. The review was performed to verify existing RCRA code assignments and was required as part of the Federal Facility Compliance Agreement (FFCA). The review entailed identifying all legacy LLMW items in storage, collecting existing documentation, contacting and interviewing generators, and reviewing code assignments based upon information from knowledge of process (KOP) as allowed by RCRA. The team identified 7,546 legacy waste items in the current inventory, and determined that 4,200 required further RCRA characterization and documentation. KOP characterization was successful for accurately assigning RCRA codes for all but 117 of the 4,200 items within the scope of work. As a result of KOP interviews, 714 waste items were determined to be non-hazardous, while 276 were determined to be non-radioactive. Other wastes were stored as suspect radioactive. Many of the suspect radioactive wastes were certified by the generators as non-radioactive and will eventually be removed

Nuclear waste - a fresh perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tammemagi, H.Y.

1996-01-01

Rather than looking at the nuclear waste problem in isolation, it should be viewed in the broader context of how society disposes of all of its wastes. A comparison of radioactive and non-radioactive wastes shows, contrary to popular perception, that the properties of these two waste types are actually very similar. However, the methods of regulation and management of the two waste types are very different. It is time that these differences were reconciled - both the nuclear and the non-nuclear waste industries have a lot to gain. There are three main categories of (non-nuclear) waste: municipal wastes, hazardous wastes, and industrial wastes. Rather than treating each of these waste types in separate, isolated compartments, there should be an integration of the principles and regulations involved in their management. The non-nuclear waste industry has much to learn from the nuclear approach

Hanford Site Solid Waste Landfill permit application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

Daily activities at the Hanford Site generate sanitary solid waste (nonhazardous and nonradioactive) that is transported to and permanently disposed of at the Hanford Site Solid Waste Landfill. This permit application describes the manner in which the solid Waste Landfill will be operated under Washington State Department of Ecology Minimum Functional Standards for Solid Waste Handling, Washington Administrative Code 173-304. The solid Waste Landfill is owned by the US Department of Energy -- Richland Operations Office and is used for disposal of solid waste generated at the US Department of Energy Hanford Site. The jurisdictional health department's permit application form for the Solid Waste Landfill is provided in Chapter 1.0. Chapter 2.0 provides a description of the Hanford Site and the Solid Waste Landfill and reviews applicable locational, general facility, and landfilling standards. Chapter 3.0 discusses the characteristics and quantity of the waste disposed of in the Solid Waste Landfill. Chapter 4.0 reviews the regional and site geology and hydrology and the groundwater and vadose zone quality beneath the landfill. Chapters 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0 contain the plan of operation, closure plan, and postclosure plan, respectively. The plan of operation describes the routine operation and maintenance of the Solid Waste Landfill, the environmental monitoring program, and the safety and emergency plans. Chapter 5.0 also addresses the operational cover, environmental controls, personnel requirements, inspections, recordkeeping, reporting, and site security. The postclosure plan describes requirements for final cover maintenance and environmental monitoring equipment following final closure. Chapter 8.0 discusses the integration of closure and postclosure activities between the Solid Waste Landfill and adjacent Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill. 76 refs., 48 figs, 15 tabs

Vitrification process testing for reference HWVP waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, J.M. Jr.; Goles, R.W.; Nakaoka, R.K.; Kruger, O.L.

1991-01-01

The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) is being designed to vitrify high-level radioactive wastes stored on the Hanford site. The vitrification flow-sheet is being developed to assure the plant will achieve plant production requirements and the glass product will meet all waste form requirements for final geologic disposal. The first Hanford waste to be processed by the HWVP will be a neutralized waste resulting from PUREX fuel reprocessing operations. Testing is being conducted using representative nonradioactive simulants to obtain process and product data required to support design, environmental, and qualification activities. Plant/process criteria, testing requirements and approach, and results to date will be presented

Incorporation of Savannah River Plant radioactive waste into concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stone, J.A.

1975-01-01

Results are reported of a laboratory-scale experimental program at the Savannah River Laboratory to gain information on the fixation of high-level radioactive wastes in concrete. Two concrete formulations, a High-Alumina Cement and a Portland Pozzalanic cement, were selected on the bases of leachability and compressive strength for the fixation of non-radioactive simulated wastes. Therefore, these two cements were selected for current studies for the fixation of actual Savannah River Plant high-level wastes. (U.S.)

WIPP waste package testing on simulated DHLW: emplacement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molecke, M.A.

1984-01-01

Several series of simulated (nonradioactive) defense high-level waste (DHLW) package tests have been emplaced in the WIPP, a research and development facility authorized to demonstrate the safe disposal of defense-related wastes. The primary purpose of these 3-to-7 year duration tests is to evaluate the in situ materials performance of waste package barriers (canisters, overpacks, backfills, and nonradioactive DHLW glass waste form) for possible future application to a licensed waste repository in salt. This paper describes all test materials, instrumentation, and emplacement and testing techniques, and discusses progress of the various tests. These tests are intended to provide information on materials behavior (i.e., corrosion, metallurgical and geochemical alterations, waste form durability, surface interactions, etc.), as well as comparison between several waste package designs, fabrications details, and actual costs. These experiments involve 18 full-size simulated DHLW packages (approximately 3.0 m x 0.6 m diameter) emplaced in vertical boreholes in the salt drift floor. Six of the test packages contain internal electrical heaters (470 W/canister), and were emplace under approximately reference DHLW repository conditions. Twelve other simulated DHLW packages were emplaced under accelerated-aging or overtest conditions, including the artificial introduction of brine, and a thermal loading approximately three to four times higher than reference. Eight of these 12 test packages contain 1500 W/canister electrical heaters; the other four are filled with DHLW glass. 9 refs., 1 fig

Startup of the remote laboratory-scale waste-treatment facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knox, C.A.; Siemens, D.H.; Berger, D.N.

1981-01-01

The Remote Laboratory-Scale Waste-Treatment Facility was designed as a system to solidify small volumes of radioactive liquid wastes. The objectives in operating this facility are to evaluate solidification processes, determine the effluents generated, test methods for decontaminating the effluents, and provide radioactive solidified waste products for evaluation. The facility consists of a feed-preparation module, a waste-solidification module and an effluent-treatment module. The system was designed for remote installation and operation. Several special features for remotely handling radioactive materials were incorporated into the design. The equipment was initially assembled outside of a radiochemical cell to size and fabricate the connecting jumpers between the modules and to complete some preliminary design-verification tests. The equipment was then disassembled and installed in the radiochemical cell. When installation was completed the entire system was checked out with water and then with a nonradioactive simulated waste solution. The purpose of these operations was to start up the facility, find and solve operational problems, verify operating procedures and train personnel. The major problems experienced during these nonradioactive runs were plugging of the spray calciner nozzle and feed tank pumping failures. When these problems were solved, radioactive operations were started. This report describes the installation of this facility, its special remote design feature and the startup operations

Waste management bibliography 1979-1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oakley, D.T.

1981-10-01

The Los Alamos National Laboratory is conducting a variety of research and development to ensure the safety of storing and treating all types of radioactive wastes. These activities include the assay and sorting of waste, the interaction of waste with the earth, and the treatment of waste to reduce the volume and mobility of radionuclides in waste. The practical lessons learned from safely storing waste at Los Alamos since the mid-1940s are an ingredient in determining the direction of our research. National waste management programs are structured according to categories of waste, for example, high level, low level, mill tailings, and transuranic. In this bibliography publications are listed since 1979 according to the following disciplines to show the relevance of work to more than one category of waste: summary and overview; material science; environmental studies; geochemistry and geology; waste assay; soil/waste interactions shallow land burial; volume reduction and technology development; and nonradioactive wastes

Requirements on radioactive waste for disposal (waste acceptance requirements as of February 2017). Konrad repository; Anforderungen an endzulagernde radioaktive Abfaelle (Endlagerungsbedingungen, Stand: Februar 2017). Endlager Konrad

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kugel, Karin; Moeller, Kai (eds.)

2017-02-10

The Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz (BfS - Federal Office for Radiation Protection) has established waste acceptance requirements for the Konrad repository. These requirements were developed on the basis of the results of a site-specific safety assessment. They include general requirements on waste packages and specific requirements on waste forms and packagings as well as limitations for activities of individual radionuclides and limitations to masses of non-radioactive harmful substances. Requirements on documentation and delivery of waste packages were additionally included.

Nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

This paper reviews the Department of Energy's management of underground single-shell waste storage tanks at its Hanford, Washington, site. The tanks contain highly radioactive and nonradioactive hazardous liquid and solid wastes from nuclear materials production. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of these wastes have leaked, contaminating the soil, and a small amount of leaked waste has reached the groundwater. DOE does not collect sufficient data to adequately trace the migration of the leaks through the soil, and studies predicting the eventual environmental impact of tank leaks do not provide convincing support for DOE's conclusion that the impact will be low or nonexistent. DOE can do more to minimize the environmental risks associated with leaks. To reduce the environmental impact of past leaks, DOE may be able to install better ground covering over the tanks to reduce the volume of precipitation that drains through the soil and carries contaminants toward groundwater

Waste management as provided for by the atomic energy law and the waste legislation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muehlenweg, U.; Brasser, T.

1991-01-01

Radioactive waste management is subject to the Atomic Energy Act, whereas non-radioactive waste management is provided for by the waste legislation. This two-partite applicability of laws in the field of waste management originates from the treaties establishing the European Communities. The founder members of the European Community in 1957 concluded the Euratom Treaty for the purpose of creating a European framework for the peaceful uses of atomic energy. Based on this treaty, the European Community has been passing a number of directives and regulations aimed at providing protection of workers from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. EC law does not define any implementing provisions relating to the management of radioactive waste for instance, which is a task remaining within the competence of the national governments. (orig.) [de

Hanford Central Waste Complex: Radioactive mixed waste storage facility dangerous waste permit application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-10-01

The Hanford Site is owned by the US Government and operated by the US Department of Energy Field Office, Richland. The Hanford Site manages and produces dangerous waste and mixed waste (containing both radioactive and dangerous components). The dangerous waste is regulated in accordance with the Resource Conversation and Recovery Act of 1976 and the State of Washington Hazardous Waste Management Act of 1976. The radioactive component of mixed waste is interpreted by the US Department of Energy to be regulated under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954; the nonradioactive dangerous component of mixed waste is interpreted to be regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 and Washington Administrative Code 173--303. Westinghouse Hanford Company is a major contractor to the US Department of Energy Field Office, Richland and serves as co-operator of the Hanford Central Waste Complex. The Hanford Central Waste Complex is an existing and planned series of treatment, storage, and/or disposal units that will centralize the management of solid waste operations at a single location on the Hanford facility. The Hanford Central Waste Complex units include the Radioactive Mixed Waste Storage Facility, the unit addressed by this permit application, and the Waste Receiving and Processing Facility. The Waste Receiving and Processing Facility is covered in a separate permit application submittal

Non-radioactive verification test of ZRF25 radioactive combustible solid waste incinerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Peiyi; Li Xiaohai; Yang Liguo

2013-01-01

This paper mainly introduces the construction and test run of ZRF25 radioactive combustible solid waste incinerator, by a series of simulating waste tests, such as 24 h test, 72 h test, 168 h test, making a conclusion that the incinerator runs reliably. In addition, all of the indexes (such as treatment capacity, volume reduction coefficient, clinker ignition loss of incineration ash) meet the requirements of contract and pollution discharging standards. (authors)

Defense Waste Processing Facility radioactive operations -- Part 2, Glass making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, J.T.; Rueter, K.J.; Ray, J.W.; Hodoh, O.

1996-01-01

The Savannah River Site's Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) near Aiken, SC is the nation's first and world's largest vitrification facility. Following a ten year construction period and nearly 3 year non-radioactive test program, the DWPF began radioactive operations in March, 1996. The results of the first 8 months of radioactive operations are presented. Topics include facility production from waste preparation batching to canister filling

Waste Management Project fiscal year 1998 multi-year work plan, WBS 1.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobsen, P.H.

1997-01-01

The Waste Management Project manages and integrates (non-TWRS) waste management activities at the site. Activities include management of Hanford wastes as well as waste transferred to Hanford from other DOE, Department of Defense, or other facilities. This work includes handling, treatment, storage, and disposal of radioactive, nonradioactive, hazardous, and mixed solid and liquid wastes. Major Waste Management Projects are the Solid Waste Project, Liquid Effluents Project, and Analytical Services. Existing facilities (e.g., grout vaults and canyons) shall be evaluated for reuse for these purposes to the maximum extent possible

Processing and solidification of Savannah River Plant high-level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelley, J.A.

1981-01-01

The entire flowsheet for processing and solidification of Savannah River Plant (SRP) high-level wastes has been demonstrated. A new small-scale integrated pilot plant is operating with actual radioactive wastes, and large-scale equipment is being demonstrated with nonradioactive simulated wastes. Design of a full-scale waste solidification plant is in progress. Plant construction is expected to begin in 1983, and startup is anticipated in 1988. The plant will poduce about 500 cans of glass per year with each can containing about 1.5 tons of glass

Defense Waste Processing Facility prototypic analytical laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Policke, T.A.; Bryant, M.F.; Spencer, R.B.

1991-01-01

The Defense Waste Processing Technology (DWPT) Analytical Laboratory is a relatively new laboratory facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS). It is a non-regulated, non-radioactive laboratory whose mission is to support research and development (R ampersand D) and waste treatment operations by providing analytical and experimental services in a way that is safe, efficient, and produces quality results in a timely manner so that R ampersand D personnel can provide quality technical data and operations personnel can efficiently operate waste treatment facilities. The modules are sample receiving, chromatography I, chromatography II, wet chemistry and carbon, sample preparation, and spectroscopy

Mixed incineration of RAIW and liquid scintillator waste after storage for decay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naba, K.; Nakazato, K.; Kataoka, K.

1993-01-01

Most medical radioactive waste is combustible after radioactive decay. Moreover mixed incineration of LLW with biomedical radioactive waste will lessen radiation exposure to the public. This paper describes the total system flowsheet for the processing of liquid scintillator wastes and radioimmunoassay tube wastes containing iodine 125 (after a two-year storage for decay). The process was tested with a 60 kg/hr capacity incinerator from 1987 to 1991; this has been upgraded to a 150 kg/hr incinerator which is used for nonradioactive biomedical waste incineration as well

Sodium waste technology: A summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrams, C.S.; Witbeck, L.C.

1987-01-01

The Sodium Waste Technology (SWT) Program was established to resolve long-standing issues regarding disposal of sodium-bearing waste and equipment. Comprehensive SWT research programs investigated a variety of approaches for either removing sodium from sodium-bearing items, or disposal of items containing sodium residuals. The most successful of these programs was the design, test, and the production operation of the Sodium Process Demonstration Facility at ANL-W. The technology used was a series of melt-drain-evaporate operations to remove nonradioactive sodium from sodium-bearing items and then converting the sodium to storable compounds

Joule-heated glass-furnace system for the incineration of low-level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, K.M.; Klingler, L.M.; Doty, J.W.; Kramer, D.P.

1982-01-01

For the past 1-1/2 years, Mound has been preparing and evaluating a commercially available joule-heated glass furnace unit, coupled with a wet scrubbing system. The purpose of the glass furnace evaluation is to advance and document incinerator technology for such combustibles as solids, resins, and sludges, and to develop a stable waste form for subsequent disposal. Four (4) waste nonradioactive types were selected to determine the combustion efficiency of the furnace unit: (1) dry solid waste composed of paper, plastics, rubber, and cloth, (2) ion exchange resin of both the anionic and cationic type, (3) filter sludge composed of diatomaceous earth, organic cellulosic filter aid, and powdered ion exchange resin, and (4) cartridge filters having glass and plastic filter surfaces and nonmetallic cores. When completed, the combustion efficiency experiments for the proposed nonradioactive waste-types revealed the ability of the furnace to easily incinerate waste at feedrates of up to 150 lb/hr. During the course of the experiments, combustibles in the offgas remained consistently low, suggesting excellent combustion efficiency. Furthermore, ash produced by the combustion process was effectively incorporated into the melt by convective currents in the glass. Future work on the glass furnace incinerator will include spiking the waste to determine radioisotope behavior in the furnace

Bibliography of PNL publications in management of radioactive wastes, subject-indexed (alphabetically) and listed chronologically (latest issues first)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, J.A.

1976-07-01

The citations are arranged under: actinides, alpha particles, americium, beta particles, calcination, cements, ceramics, cesium, containers, decontamination, evaporation, fluidized bed, glass, ground release, high-level wastes, incinerators, liquid wastes, marine disposal, melting, nonradioactive waste disposal, Pu, radiation doses, radiation protection, disposal, processing, radionuclide migration, Ru, safety, separation processes, soils, solidification, solid wastes, stack disposal, temperature, thermal conductivity, transmutation, tritium, underground disposal, U, volatility, and waste disposal/management/processing/storage/transportation

Radioactive and non-radioactive polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) management at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonard, W.W.; Gretzinger, R.F.; Cox, G.R.

1986-01-01

Conformance to all state and federal regulations is the goal of Rockwell in the management of both radioactive and non-radioactive PCB's at Hanford. A continuing effort is being made to locate, remove, and properly dispose of all PCB's. As improved methods of management are developed, consideration will be given to them for their adaptation into the Hanford Site PCB Management Plan

Hydrothermal processing of transuranic contaminated combustible waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buelow, S.J.; Worl, L.; Harradine, D.; Padilla, D.; McInroy, R.

2001-01-01

Experiments at Los Alamos National Laboratory have demonstrated the usefulness of hydrothermal processing for the disposal of a wide variety of transuranic contaminated combustible wastes. This paper provides an overview of the implementation and performance of hydrothermal treatment for concentrated salt solutions, explosives, propellants, organic solvents, halogenated solvents, and laboratory trash, such as paper and plastics. Reaction conditions vary from near ambient temperatures and pressure to over 1000degC and 100 MPa pressure. Studies involving both radioactive and non-radioactive waste simulants are discussed. (author)

Large-scale continuous process to vitrify nuclear defense waste: operating experience with nonradioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cosper, M.B.; Randall, C.T.; Traverso, G.M.

1982-01-01

The developmental program underway at SRL has demonstrated the vitrification process proposed for the sludge processing facility of the DWPF on a large scale. DWPF design criteria for production rate, equipment lifetime, and operability have all been met. The expected authorization and construction of the DWPF will result in the safe and permanent immobilization of a major quantity of existing high level waste. 11 figures, 4 tables

Design features of a full-scale high-level waste vitrification system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siemens, D.H.; Bonner, W.F.

1976-08-01

A system has been designed and is currently under construction for vitrification of commercial high-level waste. The process consists of a spray calciner coupled to an in-can melter. Due to the high radiation levels expected, this equipment is designed for totally remote operation and maintenance. The in-cell arrangement of this equipment has been developed cooperatively with a nuclear fuel reprocessor. The system will be demonstrated both full scale with nonradioactive simulated waste and pilot scale with actual high-level waste

Quality checking of radioactive and hazardous waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billington, D.M.; Burgoyne, S.M.J.; Dale, C.J.

1992-01-01

This report describes the work of the HMIP Waste Quality Checking Laboratory (WQCL) for the period September 1989 -August 1991. The WQCL has conducted research and development of procedures for the receipt, sampling and analysis of low level solid radioactive waste (LLW), intermediate level radioactive waste (ILW) and hazardous chemical waste (HW). Operational facilities have been commissioned for quality checking both LLW and HW. Waste quality checking has been completed on LLW packages seized from the UK waste disposal route by HMIP Inspectors. Packages have ranged in size from the 200 litre steel drum to half-height ISO freight container. Development work was continued on methods of sample extraction and radio-chemical analysis for cement encapsulated ILW in the form of magnox, graphite and stainless steel. This work was undertaken on non-radioactive simulants. (author)

Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project melter system preliminary design technical review meeting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eddy, T.L.; Raivo, B.D.; Soelberg, N.R.; Wiersholm, O.

1995-02-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project sponsored a plasma are melter technical design review meeting to evaluate high-temperature melter system configurations for processing heterogeneous alpha-contaminated low-level radioactive waste (ALLW). Thermal processing experts representing Department of Energy contractors, the Environmental Protection Agency, and private sector companies participated in the review. The participants discussed issues and evaluated alternative configurations for three areas of the melter system design: plasma torch melters and graphite arc melters, offgas treatment options, and overall system configuration considerations. The Technical Advisory Committee for the review concluded that graphite arc melters are preferred over plasma torch melters for processing ALLW. Initiating involvement of stakeholders was considered essential at this stage of the design. For the offgas treatment system, the advisory committee raised the question whether to a use wet-dry or a dry-wet system. The committee recommended that the waste stream characterization, feed preparation, and the control system are essential design tasks for the high-temperature melter treatment system. The participants strongly recommended that a complete melter treatment system be assembled to conduct tests with nonradioactive surrogate waste material. A nonradioactive test bed would allow for inexpensive design and operational changes prior to assembling a system for radioactive waste treatment operations.

Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project melter system preliminary design technical review meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eddy, T.L.; Raivo, B.D.; Soelberg, N.R.; Wiersholm, O.

1995-02-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project sponsored a plasma are melter technical design review meeting to evaluate high-temperature melter system configurations for processing heterogeneous alpha-contaminated low-level radioactive waste (ALLW). Thermal processing experts representing Department of Energy contractors, the Environmental Protection Agency, and private sector companies participated in the review. The participants discussed issues and evaluated alternative configurations for three areas of the melter system design: plasma torch melters and graphite arc melters, offgas treatment options, and overall system configuration considerations. The Technical Advisory Committee for the review concluded that graphite arc melters are preferred over plasma torch melters for processing ALLW. Initiating involvement of stakeholders was considered essential at this stage of the design. For the offgas treatment system, the advisory committee raised the question whether to a use wet-dry or a dry-wet system. The committee recommended that the waste stream characterization, feed preparation, and the control system are essential design tasks for the high-temperature melter treatment system. The participants strongly recommended that a complete melter treatment system be assembled to conduct tests with nonradioactive surrogate waste material. A nonradioactive test bed would allow for inexpensive design and operational changes prior to assembling a system for radioactive waste treatment operations

Experimentation with a prototype incinerator for beta-gamma waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farber, M.G.; Lewandowski, K.E.; Becker, G.W.

1982-01-01

A test facility for the incineration of suspect and low-level beta-gamma waste has been built and operated at the Savannah River Laboratory. The processing steps include waste feeding, incineration, ash residue packaging, and off-gas cleanup. Demonstration of the full-scale (180 kg/hr) facility with nonradioactive, simulated waste is currently in progress. At the present time, over nine metric tons of material including rubber, polyethylene, and cellulose have been incinerated during three burning campaigns. A comprehensive test program of solid and liquid waste incineration is being implemented. The data from the research program is providing the technical basis for a phase of testing with low-level beta-gamma waste generated at the Savannah River Plant

Overview of Savannah River Plant waste management operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haywood, J.E.; Killian, T.H.

1987-01-01

The Du Pont Savannah River Plant (SRP) Waste Management Program is committed to the safe handling, storage, and disposal of wastes that result from the production of special nuclear materials for the US Department of Energy (US DOE). High-level radioactive liquid waste is stored in underground carbon steel tanks with double containment, and the volume is reduced by evaporation. An effluent treatment facility is being constructed to treat low-level liquid hazardous and radioactive waste. Solid low-level waste operations have been improved through the use of engineered low-level trenches, and transuranic waste handling procedures were modified in 1974 to meet new DOE criteria requiring 20-year retrievable storage. An improved disposal technique, Greater Confinement Disposal, is being demonstrated for intermediate-level waste. Nonradioactive hazardous waste is stored on site in RCRA interim status storage buildings. 5 figs

Societal response to wastes in the 20. century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petts, J.; Gerrard, S.

1996-01-01

The generation and management of wastes has become one of the most pressing problems facing modern society. Though often depicted as a problem of a technical and environmental management nature, many aspects of the issue can be framed is sociological terms. This paper attempts to track the path of social perceptions of, and response to, wastes in western democracies from the turn of the century until the present day, and concludes by offering some ideas as to how perceptions and the consequent demands for information and involvement in decision-making on waste management may develop as we move into the 21. century. The focus of the paper is non-radioactive wastes, however, there is considerable overlap and commonalty with social responses to nuclear wastes. (authors)

Remediation of Hanford tank waste using magnetic separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worl, L.A.; Avens, L.R.; de Aguero, K.J.; Coyne Prenger, F.; Stewart, W.F.; Hill, D.D.

1992-01-01

Large volumes of high-level radioactive waste are stored at the Department of Energy's Hanford site. Magnetic separation, a physical separation, process, can be used to segregate actinides and certain fission products from the waste. High gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) tests have been performed successfully using a simulated, nonradioactive underground storage tank (UST) waste. Variations in HGMS test parameters included separator matrix material, magnetic field strength, slurry surfactant, and slurry solids loading. Cerium was added to the simulated tank waste to act as a uranium surrogate. Results show that over 77% of the uranium surrogate can be captured and concentrated from the original bulk with a simple procedure. The results of these tests and the feasibility of magnetic separation for pretreatment of UST waste are discussed

Engineering-scale vitrification of commercial high-level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonner, W.F.; Bjorklund, W.J.; Hanson, M.S.; Knowlton, D.E.

1980-04-01

To date, technology for immobilizing commercial high-level waste (HLW) has been extensively developed, and two major demonstration projects have been completed, the Waste Solidification Engineering Prototypes (WSEP) Program and the Nuclear Waste Vitrification Project (NWVP). The feasibility of radioactive waste solidification was demonstrated in the WSEP program between 1966 and 1970 (McElroy et al. 1972) using simulated power-reactor waste composed of nonradioactive chemicals and HLW from spent, Hanford reactor fuel. Thirty-three engineering-scale canisters of solidified HLW were produced during the operations. In early 79, the NWVP demonstrated the vitrification of HLW from the processing of actual commercial nuclear fuel. This program consisted of two parts, (1) waste preparation and (2) vitrification by spray calcination and in-can melting. This report presents results from the NWVP

Processing radioactive wastes using membrane (UF/HF/RO) systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyle, R.D.

1988-01-01

Over the years many technologies have been utilized to process low level radioactive waste streams generated by the nuclear industry, including: demineralization, evaporation, reverse osmosis and filtration. In the early 1980's interest was generated in membrane technologies and their application to radioactive wastes. This interest was generated based on the capabilities shown by membrane systems in non-radioactive environments and the promise that reverse osmosis systems showed in early testing with radioactive wastes. Membrane technologies have developed from the early development of reverse osmosis system to also include specifically designed membranes for ultrafiltration and hyperfiltration applications

Toxicity assessment of Hanford Site wastes by bacterial bioluminescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebagay, T.V.; Dodd, D.A.; Voogd, J.A.

1991-09-01

This paper examines the toxicity of the nonradioactive component of low-level wastes stored in tanks on the Hanford reservation. The use of a faster, cheaper bioassay to replace the 96 hour fish acute toxicity test is examined. The new bioassay is based on loss of bioluminescence of Photobacter phosphoreum (commonly called Microtox) following exposure to toxic materials. This bioassay is calibrated and compares well to the standard fish acute toxicity test for characterization of Hanford Wastes. 4 refs., 11 figs., 11 tabs

Radioactive Demonstrations Of Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming As A Supplementary Treatment For Hanford's Low Activity Waste And Secondary Wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jantzen, C.; Crawford, C.; Cozzi, A.; Bannochie, C.; Burket, P.; Daniel, G.

2011-01-01

, fluorides, volatile radionuclides or other aqueous components. The FBSR technology can process these wastes into a crystalline ceramic (mineral) waste form. The mineral waste form that is produced by co-processing waste with kaolin clay in an FBSR process has been shown to be as durable as LAW glass. Monolithing of the granular FBSR product is being investigated to prevent dispersion during transport or burial/storage but is not necessary for performance. A Benchscale Steam Reformer (BSR) was designed and constructed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to treat actual radioactive wastes to confirm the findings of the non-radioactive FBSR pilot scale tests and to qualify the waste form for applications at Hanford. Radioactive testing commenced in 2010 with a demonstration of Hanford's WTP-SW where Savannah River Site (SRS) High Level Waste (HLW) secondary waste from the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) was shimmed with a mixture of I-125/129 and Tc-99 to chemically resemble WTP-SW. Ninety six grams of radioactive product were made for testing. The second campaign commenced using SRS LAW chemically trimmed to look like Hanford's LAW. Six hundred grams of radioactive product were made for extensive testing and comparison to the non-radioactive pilot scale tests. The same mineral phases were found in the radioactive and non-radioactive testing.

Practice and assessment of sea dumping of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Templeton, W.L.; Bewers, J.M.

1985-08-01

This paper discusses the practice and assessment of the ocean dumping of low-level radioactive wastes. It describes the international and multilateral regulatory framework, the sources, composition, packaging and rate of dumping and, in particular, the recent radiological assessment of the only operational disposal site in the northeast Atlantic. The paper concludes with a discussion of future ocean disposal practices for radioactive wastes, and the application of the approach to the dumping of non-radioactive contaminants in the ocean. 39 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility and skid-mounted treatment systems at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lussiez, G.W.; Zygmunt, S.J.

1994-01-01

To centralize treatment, storage, and areas for hazardous wastes, Los Alamos National Laboratory has designed a 1115 m2 hazardous waste treatment facility. The facility will house a treatment room for each of four kinds of wastes: nonradioactive characteristic wastes, nonradioactive listed wastes, radioactive characteristic wastes, and radioactive listed wastes. The facility will be used for repacking labpacks; bulking small organic waste volumes; processing scintillation vials; treating reactives such as lithium hydride and pyrophoric uranium; treating contaminated solids such as barium sand; treating plating wastes and other solutions with heavy metals and oxidizing organics: Separate treatment rooms will allow workers to avoid mixing waste types and prevent cross-contamination. The ventilation air from the treatment areas may contain hazardous or radioactive dust. Gas may also leak from process equipment. The gas treatment process includes separating solids and gases and neutralization or adsorption of the hazardous gases. The ventilation air from each room will first be filtered before being scrubbed in a common gas caustic scrubber on an outside pad. There are two levels of exhaust in each treatment room, one for heavy gases and another for light gases. Several features help mitigate or eliminate hazards due to spills and releases: each treatment room is sealed and under slight negative pressure; each room has its own HEPA filtration; to avoid mixing of incompatible wastes and reagents, portable individual spill-containment trays are used for skids, to limit the danger of spills, the waste is directly transferred from outside storage to the treatment room; to mitigate the consequences of a gas release in the room, mobile hoods are connected to the exhaust-air treatment system; the floor, walls, ceilings, fixtures, ducts, and piping are made of acid-resistant material or are coated

Denitration of Savannah River Plant waste streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orebaugh, E.G.

1976-07-01

Partial denitration of waste streams from Savannah River Plant separations processes was shown to significantly reduce the quantity of waste solids to be stored as an alkaline salt cake. The chemical processes involved in the denitration of nonradioactive simulated waste solutions were studied. Chemical and instrumental analytical techniques were used to define both the equilibrium concentrations and the variation of reactants and products in the denitration reaction. Mechanisms were proposed that account for the complicated chemical reactions observed in the simulated waste solutions. Metal nitrates can be denitrated by reaction with formic acid only by the release of nitric acid from hydrolysis or formate complexation of metal cations. However, eventual radiolysis of formate salts or complexes results in the formation of biocarbonate and makes complexation-denitration a nonproductive means of reducing waste solids. Nevertheless, destruction of nitrate associated with free acid and easily hydrolyzable cations such as iron, mercury, and zirconium can result in greater than 30 percent reduction in waste solids from five SRP waste streams

Savannah River Site chemical, metal, and pesticide (CMP) waste vitrification treatability studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicero, C.A.

1997-01-01

Numerous Department of Energy (DOE) facilities, as well as Department of Defense (DOD) and commercial facilities, have used earthen pits for disposal of chemicals, organic contaminants, and other waste materials. Although this was an acceptable means of disposal in the past, direct disposal into earthen pits without liners or barriers is no longer a standard practice. At the Savannah River Site (SRS), approximately three million pounds of such material was removed from seven chemical, metal, and pesticide disposal pits. This material is known as the Chemical, Metal, and Pesticide (CMP) Pit waste and carries several different listed waste codes depending on the contaminants in the respective storage container. The waste is not classified as a mixed waste because it is believed to be non-radioactive; however, in order to treat the material in a non-radioactive facility, the waste would first have to be screened for radioactivity. The Defense Waste Processing Technology (DWPT) Section of the Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) was requested by the DOE-Savannah River (SR) office to determine the viability of vitrification of the CMP Pit wastes. Radioactive vitrification facilities exist which would be able to process this waste, so the material would not have to be analyzed for radioactive content. Bench-scale treatability studies were performed by the DWPT to determine whether a homogeneous and durable glass could be produced from the CMP Pit wastes. Homogeneous and durable glasses were produced from the six pits sampled. The optimum composition was determined to be 68.5 wt% CMP waste, 7.2 wt% Na 2 O, 9 wt% CaO, 7.2 wt% Li 2 O and 8.1 wt% Fe 2 O 3 . This glass melted at 1,150 C and represented a two fold volume reduction

Vitrification of radioactive high-level waste by spray calcination and in-can melting

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, M. S.; Bjorklund, W. J.

1980-07-01

After several nonradioactive test runs, radioactive waste from the processing of 1.5 t of spent, light water reactor fuel was successfully concentrated, dried and converted to a vitreous product. A total of 97 L of waste glass (in two stainless steel canisters) was produced. The spray calcination process coupled to the in-can melting process, as developed at Pacific Northwest Labortory, was used to vitrify the waste. An effluent system consisting of a variety of condensation of scrubbing steps more than adequately decontaminated the process off gas before it was released to the atmosphere.

The status of radioactive waste management: needs for reassessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisenbud, M.

1981-01-01

Three systems of radioactive waste management, land burial of wastes from biomedical laboratories, storage in mined cavities, and use of the oceans, are discussed briefly for the purpose of illustrating the need for re-examination of the basic approaches being taken at the present time. It is concluded that most of the low level wastes from biomedical institutions need not be shipped to burial grounds, but can be incinerated on site subject only to restrictions determined by the nonradioactive characteristics of the wastes. With respect to storage of high level wastes, it is suggested that studies of the mobilization rates of natural ore bodies may provide the best way of modeling the behavior of selected waste forms over long periods of time. The oceans, particularly the deep ocean sediments, should be more thoroughly investigated as a possible disposal option. (author)

Waste volume reduction by acid digestion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lerch, R.E.; Divine, J.R.

1975-06-01

Acid digestion is a process being developed at the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (HEDL) in Richland, Washington, to reduce the volume of alpha-contaminated combustible waste by converting it into a non-combustible residue. Typical waste materials such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene, paper and other cellulosic materials, ion exchange resin, all types of rubber, etc., are digested in hot (230 0 C--270 0 C) concentrated sulfuric acid containing nitric acid oxidant to form inert residues generally having less than four percent of their original volume and less than twenty-five percent of their original mass. The process is currently being tested using non-radioactive waste in an Acid Digestion Test Unit (ADTU) with all glass equipment. Engineering tests to date have shown acid digestion to be a potentially attractive method for treating combustible waste materials. Based on results of the engineering tests, an acid digestion pilot unit capable of treating radioactive wastes is being designed and constructed. Design capacity of the pilot unit for radioactive waste will be 100 kg of waste per day. (U.S.)

MIxed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP): Technology summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-02-01

The mission of the Mixed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP) is to develop and demonstrate innovative and emerging technologies for the treatment and management of DOE's mixed low-level wastes (MLLW) for use by its customers, the Office of Waste Operations (EM-30) and the Office of Environmental Restoration (EM-40). The primary goal of MWIP is to develop and demonstrate the treatment and disposal of actual mixed waste (MMLW and MTRU). The vitrification process and the plasma hearth process are scheduled for demonstration on actual radioactive waste in FY95 and FY96, respectively. This will be accomplished by sequential studies of lab-scale non-radioactive testing followed by bench-scale radioactive testing, followed by field-scale radioactive testing. Both processes create a highly durable final waste form that passes leachability requirements while destroying organics. Material handling technology, and off-gas requirements and capabilities for the plasma hearth process and the vitrification process will be established in parallel

Alternative Chemical Cleaning Methods for High Level Waste Tanks: Simulant Studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rudisill, T. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); King, W. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Hay, M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Jones, D. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2015-11-19

Solubility testing with simulated High Level Waste tank heel solids has been conducted in order to evaluate two alternative chemical cleaning technologies for the dissolution of sludge residuals remaining in the tanks after the exhaustion of mechanical cleaning and sludge washing efforts. Tests were conducted with non-radioactive pure phase metal reagents, binary mixtures of reagents, and a Savannah River Site PUREX heel simulant to determine the effectiveness of an optimized, dilute oxalic/nitric acid cleaning reagent and pure, dilute nitric acid toward dissolving the bulk non-radioactive waste components. A focus of this testing was on minimization of oxalic acid additions during tank cleaning. For comparison purposes, separate samples were also contacted with pure, concentrated oxalic acid which is the current baseline chemical cleaning reagent. In a separate study, solubility tests were conducted with radioactive tank heel simulants using acidic and caustic permanganate-based methods focused on the “targeted” dissolution of actinide species known to be drivers for Savannah River Site tank closure Performance Assessments. Permanganate-based cleaning methods were evaluated prior to and after oxalic acid contact.

Organic analyses of an actual and simulated mixed waste. Hanford's organic complexant waste revisited

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toste, A.P.; Osborn, B.C.; Polach, K.J.; Lechner-Fish, T.J.

1995-01-01

Reanalysis of the organics in a mixed waste, an organic complexant waste, from the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site, has yielded an 80.4% accounting of the waste's total organic content. In addition to several complexing and chelating agents (citrate, EDTA, HEDTA and NTA), 38 chelator/complexor fragments have been identified, compared to only 11 in the original analysis, all presumably formed via organic degradation. Moreover, a mis identification, methanetricarboxylic acid, has been re-identified as the chelator fragment N-(methylamine)imino-diacetic acid (MAIDA). A nonradioactive simulant of the actual waste, containing the parent organics (citrate, EDTA, HEDTA and NTA), was formulated and stored in the dark at ambient temperature for 90 days. Twenty chelator and complexor fragments were identified in the simulant, along with several carboxylic acids, confirming that myriad chelator and complexor fragments are formed via degradation of the parent organics. Moreover, their abundance in the simulant (60.9% of the organics identified) argues that the harsh chemistries of mixed wastes like Hanford's organic degradation, even in the absence of radiation. (author). 26 refs., 2 tabs

Predicting transport requirements for radioactive-waste slurries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motyka, T.; Randall, C.T.

1983-01-01

A method for predicting the transport requirements of radioactive waste slurries was developed. This method involved preparing nonradioactive sludge slurries chemically similar to the actual high-level waste. The rheological and settling characteristics of these synthetic waste slurries were measured and found to compare favorably with data on actual defense waste slurries. Pressure drop versus flow rate data obtained fom a 2-in. slurry test loop confirmed the Bingham plastic behavior of the slurry observed during viscometry measurements. The pipeline tests, however, yielded friction factors 30 percent lower than those predicted from viscometry data. Differences between the sets of data were attributed to inherent problems in interpreting accurate yield-stress values of slurry suspensions with Couette-type viscometers. Equivalent lengths of fittings were also determined and found to be less than that of water at a specified flow rate

Annual Report on Waste Generation and Waste Minimization Progress, 1991--1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-02-01

This report is DOE's first annual report on waste generation and waste minimization progress. Data presented in this report were collected from all DOE sites which met minimum threshold criteria established for this report. The fifty-seven site submittals contained herein represent data from over 100 reporting sites within 25 states. Radioactive, hazardous and sanitary waste quantities and the efforts to minimize these wastes are highlighted within the fifty-seven site submittals. In general, sites have made progress in moving beyond the planning phase of their waste minimization programs. This is evident by the overall 28 percent increase in the total amount of materials recycled from 1991 to 1992, as well as individual site initiatives. During 1991 and 1992, DOE generated a total of 279,000 cubic meters of radioactive waste and 243,000 metric tons of non-radioactive waste. These waste amounts include significant portions of process wastewater required to be reported to regulatory agencies in the state of Texas and the state of Tennessee. Specifically, the Pantex Plant in Texas treats an industrial wastewater that is considered by the Texas Water Commission to be a hazardous waste. In 1992, State regulated wastewater from the Pantex Plant represented 3,620 metric tons, 10 percent of the total hazardous waste generated by DOE. Similarly, mixed low-level wastewater from the TSCA Incinerator Facility at the Oak Ridge K-25 Site in Tennessee represented 55 percent of the total radioactive waste generated by DOE in 1992

Annual Report on Waste Generation and Waste Minimization Progress, 1991--1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-02-01

This report is DOE`s first annual report on waste generation and waste minimization progress. Data presented in this report were collected from all DOE sites which met minimum threshold criteria established for this report. The fifty-seven site submittals contained herein represent data from over 100 reporting sites within 25 states. Radioactive, hazardous and sanitary waste quantities and the efforts to minimize these wastes are highlighted within the fifty-seven site submittals. In general, sites have made progress in moving beyond the planning phase of their waste minimization programs. This is evident by the overall 28 percent increase in the total amount of materials recycled from 1991 to 1992, as well as individual site initiatives. During 1991 and 1992, DOE generated a total of 279,000 cubic meters of radioactive waste and 243,000 metric tons of non-radioactive waste. These waste amounts include significant portions of process wastewater required to be reported to regulatory agencies in the state of Texas and the state of Tennessee. Specifically, the Pantex Plant in Texas treats an industrial wastewater that is considered by the Texas Water Commission to be a hazardous waste. In 1992, State regulated wastewater from the Pantex Plant represented 3,620 metric tons, 10 percent of the total hazardous waste generated by DOE. Similarly, mixed low-level wastewater from the TSCA Incinerator Facility at the Oak Ridge K-25 Site in Tennessee represented 55 percent of the total radioactive waste generated by DOE in 1992.

Electrical service and controls for Joule heating of a defense waste experimental glass melter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erickson, C.J.; Haideri, A.Q.

1983-01-01

Vitrification of radioactive liquid waste in a glass matrix is a leading candidate for long-term storage of high-level waste. This paper describes the electrical service and control system for an experimental electrically heated, nonradioactive glass melter installed at Savannah River Laboratory. Data accumulated, and design/operating experience acquired in operating this melter, are being used to design a modified melter to be installed in a processing area for use with radioactive materials

Alternative waste management concept for medium and low level wastes by in-situ solidification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraemer, R.

1982-01-01

Since 1976, a German R and D project has been carried out to find an alternative concept for the treatment and disposal of MLW and LLW arising mainly in the planned German reprocessing plant and other nuclear facilities (LWR, fuel fabrication, R and D establishments). The main feature of this concept is an in-situ solidification of preconditioned waste granules in large salt caverns located in the deep geological underground, thus avoiding such non-radioactive ballast as lost concrete shielding and container material. (orig./RW)

Westinghouse Hanford Company effluent discharges and solid waste management report for calendar year 1989: 200/600 Areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, M.J.; P'Pool, R.K.; Thomas, S.P.

1990-05-01

This report presents calendar year 1989 radiological and nonradiological effluent discharge data from facilities in the 200 Areas and the 600 Area of the Hanford Site. Both summary and detailed effluent data are presented. In addition, radioactive and nonradioactive solid waste storage and disposal data for calendar year 1989 are furnished. Where appropriate, comparisons to previous years are made. The intent of the report is to demonstrate compliance of Westinghouse Hanford Company-operated facilities with administrative control values for radioactive constituents and applicable guidelines and standards (including Federal permit limits) for nonradioactive constituents. 11 refs., 20 tabs

Response to 'Decades of delay in nuclear waste disposal - a failure to communicate'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagasaki, S.

2014-01-01

In a recent opinion piece on the delay of nuclear waste disposal, Mr. H. Tammemagi asserts that it is important for a nuclear community to include in the Canadian public discourse the presence of natural radiation, comparisons between radioactive and non-radioactive wastes, and nuclear medicine. It is to the first two that I respond to, with the view that the lessons learnt from Japan have merit for addressing the issues in the Canadian context. (author)

Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) Waste Management Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

VOLKMAN, D.D.

1999-10-27

This document is the Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) for Waste Management Federal Services of Hanford, Inc. (WMH), that implements the requirements of the Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC), HNF-MP-599, Project Hanford Quality Assurance Program Description (QAPD) document, and the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement with Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement), Sections 6.5 and 7.8. WHM is responsible for the treatment, storage, and disposal of liquid and solid wastes generated at the Hanford Site as well as those wastes received from other US Department of Energy (DOE) and non-DOE sites. WMH operations include the Low-Level Burial Grounds, Central Waste Complex (a mixed-waste storage complex), a nonradioactive dangerous waste storage facility, the Transuranic Storage Facility, T Plant, Waste Receiving and Processing Facility, 200 Area Liquid Effluent Facility, 200 Area Treated Effluent Disposal Facility, the Liquid Effluent Retention Facility, the 242-A Evaporator, 300 Area Treatment Effluent Disposal Facility, the 340 Facility (a radioactive liquid waste handling facility), 222-S Laboratory, the Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility, and the Hanford TRU Waste Program.

Beta-gamma contaminated solid waste incinerator facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hootman, H.E.

1979-10-01

This technical data summary outlines a reference process to provide a 2-stage, 400 lb/hour incinerator to reduce the storage volume of combustible process waste contaminated with low-level beta-gamma emitters in response to DOE Manual 0511. This waste, amounting to more than 200,000 ft 3 per year, is presently buried in trenches in the burial ground. The anticipated storage volume reduction from incineration will be a factor of 20. The incinerator will also dispose of 150,000 gallons of degraded solvent from the chemical separations areas and 5000 gallons per year of miscellaneous nonradioactive solvents which are presently being drummed for storage

Alpha spectrum profiling of plutonium in leached simulated high-level radioactive waste-glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamond, H.; Friedman, A.M.

1981-01-01

Low-geometry X-ray spectra from /sup 239/Pu and /sup 237/Np, incorporated into simulated high-level radioactive waste-glass, were transformed into depth distributions for these elements. Changes in the depth profiles were observed for a series of static leachings in 75/degree/C water. Radiochemical assay of the leach solutions revealed that little neptunium or plutonium was leached, and that the amount leached was independent of leaching time. The depth profiles of the leached specimens showed that there was selective leaching of nonradioactive components of the glass, concentrating the remaining neptunium and plutonium in a broad zone near (but not at) the glass surface. Eventual redeposition of nonradioactive material onto the glass surface inhibited further leaching

Principles for disposal of radioactive and chemical hazardous wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merz, E. R.

1991-01-01

The double hazard of mixed wastes is characterized by several criteria: radioactivity on the one hand, and chemical toxicity, flammability, corrosiveness as well as chemical reactivity on the other hand. Chemotoxic waste normally has a much more complex composition than radioactive waste and appears in much larger quantities. However, the two types of waste have some properties in common when it comes to their long-term impact on health and the environment. In order to minimize the risk associated with mixed waste management, the material assigned for ultimate disposal should be thoroughly detoxified, inertized, or mineralized prior to conditioning and packaging. Good control over the environmental consequence of waste disposal requires that detailed criteria for tolerable contamination should be established, and that compliance with these criteria can be demonstrated. For radioactive waste, there has been an extensive international development of criteria to protect human health. For non-radioactive waste, derived criteria exist only for a limited number of substances

High-level radioactive waste glass and storage canister design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slate, S.C.; Ross, W.A.

1979-01-01

Management of high-level radioactive wastes is a primary concern in nuclear operations today. The main objective in managing these wastes is to convert them into a solid, durable form which is then isolated from man. A description is given of the design and evaluation of this waste form. The waste form has two main components: the solidified waste and the storage canister. The solid waste form discussed in this study is glass. Waste glasses have been designed to be inert to water attack, physically rugged, low in volatility, and stable over time. Two glass-making processes are under development at PNL. The storage canister is being designed to provide high-integrity containment for solidified wastes from processing to terminal storage. An outline is given of the steps in canister design: material selection, stress and thermal analyses, quality verification, and postfill processing. Examples are given of results obtained from actual nonradioactive demonstration tests. 14 refs

Disposal of high level and intermediate level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flowers, R.H.

1991-01-01

The waste products from the nuclear industry are relatively small in volume. Apart from a few minor gaseous and liquid waste streams, containing readily dispersible elements of low radiotoxicity, all these products are processed into stable solid packages for disposal in underground repositories. Because the volumes are small, and because radioactive wastes are latecomers on the industrial scene, a whole new industry with a world-wide technological infrastructure has grown up alongside the nuclear power industry to carry out the waste processing and disposal to very high standards. Some of the technical approaches used, and the Regulatory controls which have been developed, will undoubtedly find application in the future to the management of non-radioactive toxic wastes. The repository site outlined would contain even high-level radioactive wastes and spent fuels being contained without significant radiation dose rates to the public. Water pathway dose rates are likely to be lowest for vitrified high-level wastes with spent PWR fuel and intermediate level wastes being somewhat higher. (author)

Radioactive waste from non-licensed activities - identification of waste, compilation of principles and guidance, and proposed system for final management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, C.; Pers, K.

2001-07-01

Presently national guidelines for the handling of radioactive waste from non-licensed activities are lacking in Sweden. Results and information presented in this report are intended to form a part of the basis for decisions on further work within the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute on regulations or other guidelines on final management and final disposal of this type of waste. An inventory of radioactive waste from non-licensed activities is presented in the report. In addition, existing rules and principles used in Sweden - and internationally - on the handling of radioactive and toxic waste and non-radioactive material are summarized. Based on these rules and principles a system is suggested for the final management of radioactive material from non-licensed activities. A model is shown for the estimation of dose as a consequence of leaching of radio-nuclides from different deposits. The model is applied on different types of waste, e.g. peat ashes, light concrete and low-level waste from a nuclear installation

Chemical hazards from decontamination solutions in low level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leventhal, L.; Miller, A.; Turney, J.; Naughton, M.; IMPELL Corp., Walnut Creek, CA; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA)

1985-01-01

Recent regulations are focussing more attention on the non-radioactive matrix materials associated with radioactive wastes. Decontamination of operating facilities is becoming a more significant source of low-level waste. This study reviewed the chemical and biological hazards of over 50 decontamination processes. Seventeen of the most prominent hard and soft decontamination processes were examined in detail. The chemical and biological hazards of these seventeen are presented in this paper. These hazards influence the choice of radwaste processing and packaging operations and methods. Federal, state and local regulations further impact on operations and waste disposal. Hazards to personnel, in plant and off-site, resulting from the decontamination cycle are evaluated. 1 fig., 5 tabs

Processing the THOREX waste at the West Valley demonstration project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, S.M.; Schiffhauer, M.A.

1994-01-01

This paper focuses on several options for neutralizing the THOREX and combining it with the PUREX wastes. Neutralization testing with simulated wastes (nonradioactive chemicals) was performed to evaluate the neutralization reactions and the reaction product generation. Various methods for neutralizing the THOREX solution were examined to determine their advantages and disadvantages relative to the overall project objectives and compatibility with the existing process. The primary neutralization process selection criteria were safety and minimizing the potential delays prior to vitrification. The THOREX neutralization method selected was direct addition to the high pH PUREX wastes within Tank 8D-2. Laboratory testing with simulated waste has demonstrated rapid neutralization of the THOREX waste acid. Test results for various direct addition scenarios has established the optimum process operating conditions which provide the largest safety margins

Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant full-scale feed preparation testing with water and process simulant slurries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaskill, J.R.; Larson, D.E.; Abrigo, G.P.

1996-03-01

The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant was intended to convert selected, pretreated defense high-level waste and transuranic waste from the Hanford Site into a borosilicate glass. A full-scale testing program was conducted with nonradioactive waste simulants to develop information for process and equipment design of the feed-preparation system. The equipment systems tested included the Slurry Receipt and Adjustment Tank, Slurry Mix Evaporator, and Melter-Feed Tank. The areas of data generation included heat transfer (boiling, heating, and cooling), slurry mixing, slurry pumping and transport, slurry sampling, and process chemistry. 13 refs., 129 figs., 68 tabs

Regulations for the disposal of radioactive waste in the Konrad repository - 59105

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Hagen G.; Bandt, Gabriele

2012-01-01

In Germany low / medium level waste, which is classified here as radioactive waste with negligible heat generation, will be disposed of in the Konrad underground repository. The construction and the operation of this nuclear facility required authorization by different fields of law, i.e., by nuclear law, mining law and water law. Whereas the nuclear law considers solely radiological aspects, the relevant permit issued according to the water law considers the impact of radioactive as well as non-radioactive harmful substances. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) as operator of the repository and permit holder has (a) to record the disposed of radioactive and non-radioactive harmful substances and (b) to balance them. To meet these requirements BfS has developed a concept, which led to a site specific solution. Threshold values were defined for recording and for balancing the harmful substances. It had to be verified that by disposal of radioactive waste packages according to these values an adverse effect on the near-surface groundwater can be excluded. The Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Protection and Nature Conservation Agency (NLWKN) as the responsible water law regulatory authority approved the operator's concept as appropriate to comply with the requirements of the Water Law Permit. Nonetheless, collateral clauses were imposed to assure this. (authors)

Nonradioactive Air Emissions Notice of Construction (NOC) Application for the Central Waste Complex (CSC) for Storage of Vented Waste Containers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KAMBERG, L.D.

2000-01-01

This Notice of Construction (NOC) application is submitted for the storage and management of waste containers at the Central Waste Complex (CWC) stationary source. The CWC stationary source consists of multiple sources of diffuse and fugitive emissions, as described herein. This NOC is submitted in accordance with the requirements of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-400-110 (criteria pollutants) and 173-460-040 (toxic air pollutants), and pursuant to guidance provided by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology). Transuranic (TRU) mixed waste containers at CWC are vented to preclude the build up of hydrogen produced as a result of radionuclide decay, not as safety pressure releases. The following activities are conducted within the CWC stationary source: Storage and inspection; Transfer and staging; Packaging; Treatment; and Sampling. This NOC application is intended to cover all existing storage structures within the current CWC treatment, storage, and/or disposal (TSD) boundary, as well as any storage structures, including waste storage pads and staging areas, that might be constructed in the future within the existing CWC boundary

Radioactive waste management research at CEGB Berkeley nuclear laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradbury, D.

1988-01-01

The CEGB is the major electric utility in the United Kingdom. This paper discusses how, at the research laboratories at Berkeley (BNL), several programs of work are currently taking place in the radioactive waste management area. The theme running through all this work is the safe isolation of radionuclides from the environment. Normally this means disposal of waste in solid form, but it may also be desirable to segregate and release nonradioactive material from the waste to reduce volume or improve the solid waste characteristics (e.g., the release of liquid or gaseous effluents after treatment to convert the radioactivity to solid form). The fuel cycle and radioactive waste section at BNL has a research program into these aspects for wastes arising from the operation or decommissioning of power stations. The work is done both in-house and on contract, with primarily the UKAEA

[Nationwide survey on radioactive waste management related to positron emission tomography in Japan].

Science.gov (United States)

Nagaoka, Hiroaki; Watanabe, Hiroshi; Yamaguchi, Ichiro; Fujibuchi, Toshioh; Kida, Tetsuo; Tanaka, Shinji

2009-12-20

A clearance system for medical radioactive solid waste has not yet been implemented in Japan. Since 2004 new regulations have allowed institutions using positron emission tomography(PET)to handle totally decayed radioactive waste as non-radioactive waste after decay-in-storage. It was expected that this new regulation would mediate the installation of clearance systems in Japan. In order to assess the current situation of radiation safety management in PET institutions, we conducted a nationwide survey. The study design was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted by questionnaire. The subjects of this survey were all the PET institutions in Japan. Among 224 institutes, 128 institutes are equipped with cyclotrons and 96 institutes are not. The number of returned questionnaires was 138. Among institutes that are using delivered radiopharmaceuticals, 80% treat their waste as non-radioactive according to the new regulation. The impact of new regulations for reducing radioactive waste in PET institutes without a cyclotron was estimated at about $400 thousand per year. The main concern of medical institutes was assessment of the contamination caused by by-products of radioactive nuclides generated in target water during the operation of a cyclotron. It was thought that a rational rule based on scientific risk management should be established because these by-products of radioactive nuclides are negligible for radiation safety. New regulation has had a good influence on medical PET institutes, and it is expected that a clearance system for medical radioactive waste will be introduced in the near future, following these recent experiences in PET institutes.

Environmental assessment for the Waste Water Treatment Facility at the West Valley Demonstration Project and finding of no significant impact

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-12-31

The possible environmental impacts from the construction and operation of a waste water treatment facility for the West Valley Demonstration Project are presented. The West Valley Project is a demonstration project on the solidification of high-level radioactive wastes. The need for the facility is the result of a rise in the work force needed for the project which rendered the existing sewage treatment plant incapable of meeting the nonradioactive waste water treatment needs.

Environmental assessment for the Waste Water Treatment Facility at the West Valley Demonstration Project and finding of no significant impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The possible environmental impacts from the construction and operation of a waste water treatment facility for the West Valley Demonstration Project are presented. The West Valley Project is a demonstration project on the solidification of high-level radioactive wastes. The need for the facility is the result of a rise in the work force needed for the project which rendered the existing sewage treatment plant incapable of meeting the nonradioactive waste water treatment needs

Hanford Site background: Part 1, Soil background for nonradioactive analytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-04-01

The determination of soil background is one of the most important activities supporting environmental restoration and waste management on the Hanford Site. Background compositions serve as the basis for identifying soil contamination, and also as a baseline in risk assessment processes used to determine soil cleanup and treatment levels. These uses of soil background require an understanding of the extent to which analytes of concern occur naturally in the soils. This report documents the results of sampling and analysis activities designed to characterize the composition of soil background at the Hanford Site, and to evaluate the feasibility for use as Sitewide background. The compositions of naturally occurring soils in the vadose Zone have been-determined for-nonradioactive inorganic and organic analytes and related physical properties. These results confirm that a Sitewide approach to the characterization of soil background is technically sound and is a viable alternative to the determination and use of numerous local or area backgrounds that yield inconsistent definitions of contamination. Sitewide soil background consists of several types of data and is appropriate for use in identifying contamination in all soils in the vadose zone on the Hanford Site. The natural concentrations of nearly every inorganic analyte extend to levels that exceed calculated health-based cleanup limits. The levels of most inorganic analytes, however, are well below these health-based limits. The highest measured background concentrations occur in three volumetrically minor soil types, the most important of which are topsoils adjacent to the Columbia River that are rich in organic carbon. No organic analyte levels above detection were found in any of the soil samples

DEVELOPMENT OF A KINETIC MODEL OF BOEHMITE DISSOLUTION IN CAUSTIC SOLUTIONS APPLIED TO OPTIMIZE HANFORD WASTE PROCESSING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Disselkamp, R.S.

2011-01-01

Boehmite (e.g., aluminum oxyhydroxide) is a major non-radioactive component in Hanford and Savannah River nuclear tank waste sludge. Boehmite dissolution from sludge using caustic at elevated temperatures is being planned at Hanford to minimize the mass of material disposed of as high-level waste (HLW) during operation of the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP). To more thoroughly understand the chemistry of this dissolution process, we have developed an empirical kinetic model for aluminate production due to boehmite dissolution. Application of this model to Hanford tank wastes would allow predictability and optimization of the caustic leaching of aluminum solids, potentially yielding significant improvements to overall processing time, disposal cost, and schedule. This report presents an empirical kinetic model that can be used to estimate the aluminate production from the leaching of boehmite in Hanford waste as a function of the following parameters: (1) hydroxide concentration; (2) temperature; (3) specific surface area of boehmite; (4) initial soluble aluminate plus gibbsite present in waste; (5) concentration of boehmite in the waste; and (6) (pre-fit) Arrhenius kinetic parameters. The model was fit to laboratory, non-radioactive (e.g. 'simulant boehmite') leaching results, providing best-fit values of the Arrhenius A-factor, A, and apparent activation energy, E A , of A = 5.0 x 10 12 hour -1 and E A = 90 kJ/mole. These parameters were then used to predict boehmite leaching behavior observed in previously reported actual waste leaching studies. Acceptable aluminate versus leaching time profiles were predicted for waste leaching data from both Hanford and Savannah River site studies.

A bioethical perspective on risk assessment models for managing toxic wastes, radioactive or non-radioactive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maxey, M.N.

1982-01-01

In the interest of developing an adequate and consistent bioethical perspective for reflecting on the ethical issues raised by toxic wastes, this brief paper focuses on the question of whether or not public opposition to past and proposed methods for waste management has been induced as much by technical incompetance as by deficiencies in using risk models for bioethical problem definitions

Melt processed crystalline ceramic waste forms for advanced nuclear fuel cycles: CRP T21027 1813: Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms, Task 17208: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amoroso, J. W. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Marra, J. C. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2015-08-26

A multi-phase ceramic waste form is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for treatment of secondary waste streams generated by reprocessing commercial spent nuclear. The envisioned waste stream contains a mixture of transition, alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide metals. Ceramic waste forms are tailored (engineered) to incorporate waste components as part of their crystal structure based on knowledge from naturally found minerals containing radioactive and non-radioactive species similar to the radionuclides of concern in wastes from fuel reprocessing. The ability to tailor ceramics to mimic naturally occurring crystals substantiates the long term stability of such crystals (ceramics) over geologic timescales of interest for nuclear waste immobilization [1]. A durable multi-phase ceramic waste form tailored to incorporate all the waste components has the potential to broaden the available disposal options and thus minimize the storage and disposal costs associated with aqueous reprocessing. This report summarizes results from three years of work on the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on “Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms” (T21027), and specific task “Melt Processed Crystalline Ceramic Waste Forms for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles” (17208).

Melt processed crystalline ceramic waste forms for advanced nuclear fuel cycles: CRP T21027 1813: Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms, task 17208: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amoroso, J. W. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Marra, J. C. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2015-08-26

A multi-phase ceramic waste form is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for treatment of secondary waste streams generated by reprocessing commercial spent nuclear. The envisioned waste stream contains a mixture of transition, alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide metals. Ceramic waste forms are tailored (engineered) to incorporate waste components as part of their crystal structure based on knowledge from naturally found minerals containing radioactive and non-radioactive species similar to the radionuclides of concern in wastes from fuel reprocessing. The ability to tailor ceramics to mimic naturally occurring crystals substantiates the long term stability of such crystals (ceramics) over geologic timescales of interest for nuclear waste immobilization [1]. A durable multi-phase ceramic waste form tailored to incorporate all the waste components has the potential to broaden the available disposal options and thus minimize the storage and disposal costs associated with aqueous reprocessing. This report summarizes results from three years of work on the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on “Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms” (T21027), and specific task “Melt Processed Crystalline Ceramic Waste Forms for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles” (17208).

Investigation about the ecotown-enterprise for establishing recycling system of non-radioactive waste arising from power plant decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hironaga, Michihiko; Nishiuchi, Tatsuo; Ozaki, Yukio; Yamamoto, Kimio

2004-01-01

About 95% of demolition wastes generated by decommissioning nuclear power plants are below the clearance level, i.e., the wastes can be dealt with as industrial wastes. On that case, rational processing, disposal, and reuse are expectable. However, even if the demolition waste is below a clearance level, it seems to be difficult to be immediately accepted in general society with the demolition wastes. Therefore, it is important to establish the technology for an effective recycle system of demolition wastes, and to reuse demolition wastes as much as possible, resulting in recognition of the value by the society. On the other hand, as for recycling of industrial waste, the recycling enterprise is promoted in the domestic self-governing body in response to the 'eco-town enterprise' which is recommended by the government. This report investigates the system and subjects of a 'eco-town enterprise' for recycling demolition wastes. (author)

Organic destruction to enhance the separation of strontium in radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, A.J.; Elmore, M.R.; Orth, R.J.; Jones, E.O.; Zacher, A.H.; Hart, T.R.; Neuenschwander, G.G.; Poshusta, J.C.

1994-01-01

A low-temperature (300 C to 375 C) hydrothermal organic destruction process is being evaluated to help facilitate the removal of complexed radioactive species from bulk liquid components in hanford tank waste. The work focuses on hydrothermal processing to destroy organic compounds that contribute to waste safety issues and organic complexants that promote the solubility of radioactive constituents such as 90 Sr and 241 Am. For the studies discussed here, testing was conducted using a nonradioactive Hanford tank waste simulant. The relative destruction rates of a variety of organic compounds known to be present in Hanford tank waste were evaluated. In addition, the tendency for these organic compounds to complex strontium and the effect of hydrothermal treatment on strontium removal were investigated

Organic destruction to enhance the separation of strontium in radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, A.J.; Elmore, M.R.; Orth, R.J.; Jones, E.O.; Zacher, A.H.; Hart, T.R.; Neuenschwander, G.G.; Poshusta, J.C.

1994-10-01

A low-temperature (300 C to 375 C) hydrothermal organic destruction process is being evaluated to help facilitate the removal of complexed radioactive species from bulk liquid components in Hanford tank waste. The work focuses on hydrothermal processing to destroy organic compounds that contribute to waste safety issues and organic complexants that promote the solubility of radioactive constituents such as 9O Sr and 241 Am. For the studies discussed here, testing was conducted using a nonradioactive Hanford tank waste simulant. The relative destruction rates of a variety of organic compounds known to be present in Hanford tank waste were evaluated. In addition, the tendency for these organic compounds to complex strontium and the effect of hydrothermal treatment on strontium removal were investigated

Effects of non-radioactive material around radioactive material on PET image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toshimitsu, Shinya; Yamane, Azusa; Hirokawa, Yutaka; Kangai, Yoshiharu

2015-01-01

Subcutaneous fat is a non-radioactive material surrounding the radioactive material. We developed a phantom, and examined the effect of subcutaneous fat on PET image quality. We created a cylindrical non-radioactive mimic of subcutaneous fat, placed it around a cylindrical phantom in up to three layers with each layer having a thickness of 20 mm to reproduce the obesity caused by subcutaneous fat. In the cylindrical phantom, hot spheres and cold spheres were arranged. The radioactivity concentration ratio between the hot spheres and B.G. was 4:1. The radioactivity concentration of B.G. was changed as follows : 1.33, 2.65, 4.00, and 5.30 kBq/mL. 3D-PET image were collected during 10 minutes. When the thickness of the mimicked subcutaneous fat increased from 0 mm to 60 mm, noise equivalent count decreased by 58.9-60.9% at each radioactivity concentration. On the other hand, the percentage of background variability increased 2.2-5.2 times. Mimic subcutaneous fat did not decrease the percentage contrast of the hot spheres, and did not affect the cold spheres. Subcutaneous fat decreases the noise equivalent count and increases the percentage of background variability, which degrades PET image quality. (author)

Response to 'Decades of delay in nuclear waste disposal - a failure to communicate'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagasaki, S. [McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario (Canada)

2014-09-15

In a recent opinion piece on the delay of nuclear waste disposal, Mr. H. Tammemagi asserts that it is important for a nuclear community to include in the Canadian public discourse the presence of natural radiation, comparisons between radioactive and non-radioactive wastes, and nuclear medicine. It is to the first two that I respond to, with the view that the lessons learnt from Japan have merit for addressing the issues in the Canadian context. (author)

Immobilization of hazardous and radioactive waste into glass structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wicks, G.G.

1997-01-01

As a result of more than three decades of international research, glass has emerged as the material of choice for immobilization of a wide range of potentially hazardous radioactive and non-radioactive materials. The ability of glass structures to incorporate and then immobilize many different elements into durable, high integrity, waste glass products is a direct function of the unique random network structure of the glassy state. Every major country involved with long-term management of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) has either selected or is considering glass as the matrix of choice for immobilizing and ultimately, disposing of the potentially hazardous, high-level radioactive material. There are many reasons why glass is preferred. Among the most important considerations are the ability of glass structures to accommodate and immobilize the many different types of radionuclides present in HLW, and to produce a product that not only has excellent technical properties, but also possesses good processing features. Good processability allows the glass to be fabricated with relative ease even under difficult remote-handling conditions necessary for vitrification of highly radioactive material. The single most important property of the waste glass produced is its ability to retain hazardous species within the glass structure and this is reflected by its excellent chemical durability and corrosion resistance to a wide range of environmental conditions. In addition to immobilization of HLW glass matrices are also being considered for isolation of many other types of hazardous materials, both radioactive as well as nonradioactive. This includes vitrification of various actinides resulting from clean-up operations and the legacy of the cold war, as well as possible immobilization of weapons grade plutonium resulting from disarmament activities. Other types of wastes being considered for immobilization into glasses include transuranic wastes, mixed wastes, contaminated

Retrieval of buried waste using conventional equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valentich, D.J.

1994-01-01

A field test was conducted to determine the effectiveness of using conventional type construction equipment for the retrieval of buried transuranic (TRU) waste. A cold (nonhazardous and nonradioactive test pit 841 m 3 in volume) was constructed with boxes and drums filled with simulated waste materials, such as metal, plastic, wood, concrete, and sludge. Large objects, including truck beds, vessels, vaults, pipes, and beams were also placed in the pit. These materials were intended to simulate the type of waste found in existing TRU buried waste pits and trenches. A series of commercially available equipment items, such as excavators and tracked loaders outfitted with different end effectors, were used to remove the simulated waste. Work was performed from both the abovegrade and belowgrade positions. During the demonstration, a number of observations, measurements, and analyses were performed to determine which equipment was the most effective in removing the waste. The retrieval rates for the various excavation techniques were recorded. The inherent dust control capabilities of the excavation methods used were also observed

Stabilization of Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Aqueous Waste by Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jantzen, C

2004-01-01

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is a multidisciplinary laboratory operated by Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) in Aiken, South Carolina. Research and development programs have been conducted at SRNL for ∼50 years generating non-radioactive (hazardous and non-hazardous) and radioactive aqueous wastes. Typically the aqueous effluents from the R and D activities are disposed of from each laboratory module via the High Activity Drains (HAD) or the Low Activity Drains (LAD) depending on whether they are radioactive or not. The aqueous effluents are collected in holding tanks, analyzed and shipped to either H-Area (HAD waste) or the F/H Area Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) (LAD waste) for volume reduction. Because collection, analysis, and transport of LAD and HAD waste is cumbersome and since future treatment of this waste may be curtailed as the F/H-Area evaporators and waste tanks are decommissioned, SRNL laboratory operations requested several proof of principle demonstrations of alternate technologies that would define an alternative disposal path for the aqueous wastes. Proof of principle for the disposal of SRNL HAD waste using a technology known as Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) is the focus of the current study. The FBSR technology can be performed either as a batch process, e.g. in each laboratory module in small furnaces with an 8'' by 8'' footprint, or in a semi-continuous Bench Scale Reformer (BSR). The proof of principle experiments described in this study cover the use of the FBSR technology at any scale (pilot or full scale). The proof of principle experiments described in this study used a non-radioactive HAD simulant

The underground diposal of hazardous wastes - necessity, possibilities and limitations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrmann, A.G.; Brumsack, H.J.; Heinrichs, H.

1985-01-01

The natural geochemical cycles of many elements in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and pedosphere have been changed during the past decades by anthropogenic activities. To put a stop to this development, a drastic reduction of the uncontrolled dispersal of potentially hazardous substances into our environment is necessary, compelling the need for the safe disposal of radioactive and nonradioactive hazardous wastes far away from the biosphere. The amount of potentially hazardous waste produced annually in West Germany is larger by a factor of at least 20 than the volume of hazardous material for which suitable underground disposal sites are planned and available at present. (orig.)

Radioactive Bench-scale Steam Reformer Demonstration of a Monolithic Steam Reformed Mineralized Waste Form for Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Secondary Waste - 12306

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, Brent; Olson, Arlin; Mason, J. Bradley; Ryan, Kevin [THOR Treatment Technologies, LLC - 106 Newberry St. SW, Aiken, SC 29801 (United States); Jantzen, Carol; Crawford, Charles [Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNL), LLC, Aiken, SC 29808 (United States)

2012-07-01

Hanford currently has 212,000 m{sup 3} (56 million gallons) of highly radioactive mixed waste stored in the Hanford tank farm. This waste will be processed to produce both high-level and low-level activity fractions, both of which are to be vitrified. Supplemental treatment options have been under evaluation for treating portions of the low-activity waste, as well as the liquid secondary waste from the low-activity waste vitrification process. One technology under consideration has been the THOR{sup R} fluidized bed steam reforming process offered by THOR Treatment Technologies, LLC (TTT). As a follow-on effort to TTT's 2008 pilot plant FBSR non-radioactive demonstration for treating low-activity waste and waste treatment plant secondary waste, TTT, in conjunction with Savannah River National Laboratory, has completed a bench scale evaluation of this same technology on a chemically adjusted radioactive surrogate of Hanford's waste treatment plant secondary waste stream. This test generated a granular product that was subsequently formed into monoliths, using a geo-polymer as the binding agent, that were subjected to compressibility testing, the Product Consistency Test and other leachability tests, and chemical composition analyses. This testing has demonstrated that the mineralized waste form, produced by co-processing waste with kaolin clay using the TTT process, is as durable as low-activity waste glass. Testing has shown the resulting monolith waste form is durable, leach resistant, and chemically stable, and has the added benefit of capturing and retaining the majority of Tc-99, I-129, and other target species at high levels. (authors)

Low-level radioactive waste in the northeast: revised waste volume projections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-06-01

The volume of low-level radioactive waste generated in the eleven Northeast states has undergone significant change since the inital 1982 analysis and projection. These revised projections incorporate improved data reporting and evidence of sharp declines in certain categories of waste. Volumes in the 1982-1983 period reflect waste shipped for disposal as reported by disposal site operators. Projected waste volumes represent waste intended for disposal. The recent dramatic changes in source reduction and waste management practices underscore the need for annual review of waste volume projections. The volume of waste shipped for off-site disposal has declined approximately 12% in two years, from an average 1,092,500 ft 3 annually in 1979 to 1981 to an average annual 956,500 ft 3 in 1982 to 1983; reactor waste disposal volumes declined by about 39,000 ft 3 or 7% during this period. Non-reactor waste volumes shipped for disposal declined by over 70,000 ft 3 or 15% during this period. The data suggest that generators increased their use of such management practices as source reduction, compaction, or, for carbon-14 and tritium, temporary storage followed by disposal as non-radioactive waste under the NRC de minimus standard effective March 1981. Using the Technical Subcommittee projection methodology, the volume of low-level waste produced annually in the eleven states, individually and collectively, is expected to increase through the year 2000, but at a significantly lower rate of increase than initially projected. By the year 2000, the Northeast is projected to generate 1,137,600 ft 3 of waste annually, an increase of about 20% over 1982 to 1983 average volume

Plutonium waste incineration using pyrohydrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, M.L.

1991-01-01

Waste generated by Savannah River Site (SRS) plutonium operations includes a contaminated organic waste stream. A conventional method for disposing of the organic waste stream and recovering the nuclear material is by incineration. When the organic material is burned, the plutonium remains in the incinerator ash. Plutonium recovery from incinerator ash is highly dependent on the maximum temperature to which the oxide is exposed. Recovery via acid leaching is reduced for a high fired ash (>800 degree C), while plutonium oxides fired at lower decomposition temperatures (400--800 degrees C) are more soluble at any given acid concentration. To determine the feasibility of using a lower temperature process, tests were conducted using an electrically heated, controlled-air incinerator. Nine nonradioactive, solid, waste materials were batch-fed and processed in a top-heated cylindrical furnace. Waste material processing was completed using a 19-liter batch over a nominal 8-hour cycle. A processing cycle consisted of 1 hour for heating, 4 hours for reacting, and 3 hours for chamber cooling. The water gas shift reaction was used to hydrolyze waste materials in an atmosphere of 336% steam and 4.4% oxygen. Throughput ranged from 0.14 to 0.27 kg/hr depending on the variability in the waste material composition and density

Issues related to the USEPA probabilistic standard for geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okrent, D.

1993-01-01

This paper asks whether some of the fundamental bases for the 1985 USEPA standard on disposal of high level radioactive wastes (40 CFR Part 191) warrant re-examination. Similar questions also apply to the bases for the radioactive waste disposal requirements proposed by most other countries. It is suggested that the issue of intergenerational equity has been dealt with from too narrow a perspective. Not only should radioactive and nonradioactive hazardous waste disposal be regulated from a consistent philosophic basis, but the regulation of waste disposal itself should be embedded in the broader issues of intergenerational conservation of options, conservation of quality, and conservation of access. (author). 25 refs

Design of a Pu-238 waste incineration process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charlesworth, D.L.; McCampbell, R.B.

1985-01-01

Combustible 238 Pu waste is generated as a result of normal operation and decommissioning activity at the Savannah River Plant and is being retrievably stored at the Plant. As part of the long-term plan to process the stored waste and current waste in preparation for future disposition, a 238 Pu incinceration process is being cold-tested at SRL. The incineration process consists of a continuous-feed preparation system, a two-stage, electrically fired incinerator, and a filtration off-gas system. Process equipment has been designed, fabricated, and installed for nonradioactive testing and cold run-in. Design features to maximize the ability to remotely maintain the equipment were incorporated into the process. Interlock, alarm, and control functions are provided by a programmable controller. Cold testing is scheduled to be completed in 1986

Waste form development for a DC arc furnace

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, X.; Bloomer, P.E.; Chantaraprachoom, N.; Gong, M.; Lamar, D.A.

1996-09-01

A laboratory crucible study was conducted to develop waste forms to treat nonradioactive simulated {sup 238}Pu heterogeneous debris waste from Savannah River, metal waste from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), and nominal waste also from INEL using DC arc melting. The preliminary results showed that the different waste form compositions had vastly different responses for each processing effect. The reducing condition of DC arc melting had no significant effects on the durability of some waste forms while it decreased the waste form durability from 300 to 700% for other waste forms, which resulted in the failure of some TCLP tests. The right formulations of waste can benefit from devitrification and showed an increase in durability by 40%. Some formulations showed no devitrification effects while others decreased durability by 200%. Increased waste loading also affected waste form behavior, decreasing durability for one waste, increasing durability by 240% for another, and showing no effect for the third waste. All of these responses to the processing and composition variations were dictated by the fundamental glass chemistry and can be adjusted to achieve maximal waste loading, acceptable durability, and desired processing characteristics if each waste formulation is designed for the result according to the glass chemistry.

Process for recovering xenon from radioactive gaseous wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kishimoto, Tsuneo.

1980-01-01

Purpose: To recover pure xenon economically and efficiently by amply removing radioactive krypton mixed in xenon without changing the rectifying capacity of an xenon rectifying system itself. Method: Xe containing radioactive Kr(Kr-85) is rectified to reduce the concentration of radioactive Kr. Thereafter, non-radioactive Kr or Ar is added to Xe and further the rectification is carried out. The raw material Xe from the Xe adsorption system of, for example, a radioactive gaseous waste disposal system is cooled to about 100 0 C by a heat-exchanger and thereafter supplied to a rectifying tower to carry out normal rectification of Xe thereby to reduce the concentration of Kr contained in Xe at the tower bottom to the rectification limit concentration. Then, non-radioactive Kr is supplied via a precooler to the tower bottom to continue the rectification, thus the Xe fractions at the tower bottom, in which the concentration of radioactive Kr is reduced, being compressed and recovered. (Kamimura, M.)

Electrochemical oxidation of organic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almon, A.C.; Buchanan, B.R.

1990-01-01

Both silver catalyzed and direct electrochemical oxidation of organic species are examined in analytical detail. This paper describes the mechanisms, reaction rates, products, intermediates, capabilities, limitations, and optimal reaction conditions of the electrochemical destruction of organic waste. A small bench-top electrocell being tested for the treatment of small quantities of laboratory waste is described. The 200-mL electrochemical cell used has a processing capacity of 50 mL per day, and can treat both radioactive and nonradioactive waste. In the silver catalyzed process, Ag(I) is electrochemically oxidized to Ag(II), which attacks organic species such as tributylphosphate (TBP), tetraphenylborate (TPB), and benzene. In direct electrochemical oxidation, the organic species are destroyed at the surface of the working electrode without the use of silver as an electron transfer agent. This paper focuses on the destruction of tributylphosphate (TBP), although several organic species have been destroyed using this process. The organic species are converted to carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic acids

The state-of-the-art report on management of the decommissioning waste generated from nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Il Sik; Lee, K. M.; Chung, K. H.; Kim, T. K.; Kim, K. J.

1998-03-01

As a result of this research on management methodologies of decommissioning waste from nuclear facilities, the state of the art of decommissioning status, plan, and management field on decommissioning waste in foreign countries as well as in Korea is evaluated. Radioactive waste for final disposal according to reusing non-radioactive waste by clear guideline on classification criteria of decommissioning waste by clear guideline on classification criteria of decommissioning waste will be reduced and metal through melting decontamination may be reused. Also, the relevant regulations on acceptance criteria of disposal site for decommissioning waste should be introduced to manage decommissioning waste effectively. It is necessary that large transport containers which satisfy relevant regulations should be designed and manufactured to transport of large waste. (author). 49 refs., 24 tabs., 30 figs

Waste management project fiscal year 1998 multi-year work plan WBS 1.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slaybaugh, R.R.

1997-08-01

The MYWP technical baseline describes the work to be accomplished by the Project and the technical standards which govern that work. The Waste Management Project manages and integrates (non-TWRS) waste management activities at the site. Activities include management of Hanford wastes as well as waste transferred to Hanford from other DOE, Department of Defense, or other facilities. This work includes handling, treatment, storage, and disposition of radioactive, nonradioactive, hazardous, and mixed solid and liquid wastes. Major Waste Management Projects are the Solid Waste Project (SW), Liquid Effluents Project (LEP), and Analytical Services. Existing facilities (e.g., grout vaults and canyons) shall be evaluated for reuse for these purposes to the maximum extent possible. The paper tabulates the major facilities that interface with this Project, identifying the major facilities that generate waste, materials, or infrastructure for this Project and the major facilities that will receive waste and materials from this Project

SRNL CRP progress report [Development of Melt Processed Ceramics for Nuclear Waste Immobilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amoroso, J. [Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC (United States); Marra, J. [Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC (United States)

2014-10-02

A multi-phase ceramic waste form is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for treatment of secondary waste streams generated by reprocessing commercial spent nuclear. The envisioned waste stream contains a mixture of transition, alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide metals. Ceramic waste forms are tailored (engineered) to incorporate waste components as part of their crystal structure based on knowledge from naturally found minerals containing radioactive and non-radioactive species similar to the radionuclides of concern in wastes from fuel reprocessing. The ability to tailor ceramics to mimic naturally occurring crystals substantiates the long term stability of such crystals (ceramics) over geologic timescales of interest for nuclear waste immobilization [1]. A durable multiphase ceramic waste form tailored to incorporate all the waste components has the potential to broaden the available disposal options and thus minimize the storage and disposal costs associated with aqueous reprocessing.

SRNL CRP progress report [Development of Melt Processed Ceramics for Nuclear Waste Immobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amoroso, J.; Marra, J.

2014-01-01

A multi-phase ceramic waste form is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for treatment of secondary waste streams generated by reprocessing commercial spent nuclear fuel. The envisioned waste stream contains a mixture of transition, alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide metals. Ceramic waste forms are tailored (engineered) to incorporate waste components as part of their crystal structure based on knowledge from naturally found minerals containing radioactive and non-radioactive species similar to the radionuclides of concern in wastes from fuel reprocessing. The ability to tailor ceramics to mimic naturally occurring crystals substantiates the long term stability of such crystals (ceramics) over geologic timescales of interest for nuclear waste immobilization [1]. A durable multiphase ceramic waste form tailored to incorporate all the waste components has the potential to broaden the available disposal options and thus minimize the storage and disposal costs associated with aqueous reprocessing

Waste management project fiscal year 1998 multi-year work plan WBS 1.2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Slaybaugh, R.R.

1997-08-29

The MYWP technical baseline describes the work to be accomplished by the Project and the technical standards which govern that work. The Waste Management Project manages and integrates (non-TWRS) waste management activities at the site. Activities include management of Hanford wastes as well as waste transferred to Hanford from other DOE, Department of Defense, or other facilities. This work includes handling, treatment, storage, and disposition of radioactive, nonradioactive, hazardous, and mixed solid and liquid wastes. Major Waste Management Projects are the Solid Waste Project (SW), Liquid Effluents Project (LEP), and Analytical Services. Existing facilities (e.g., grout vaults and canyons) shall be evaluated for reuse for these purposes to the maximum extent possible. The paper tabulates the major facilities that interface with this Project, identifying the major facilities that generate waste, materials, or infrastructure for this Project and the major facilities that will receive waste and materials from this Project.

Quantity assessment of waste in the dismantlement of liquid waste treatment plant and its actual state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchiyama, Takafumi; Mitsuhashi, Ishi; Matsumoto, Tetsuo; Morishima, Kayoko; Tanzawa, Tomio

2016-01-01

From the progress of decommissioning project work of Tokyo City University Atomic Energy Research Institute, this paper reports the comparison between the actual amount of the waste generated during dismantlement work at liquid waste treatment facilities and the assessment quantity before starting the dismantlement. The quantity assessment was made on the basis of the installation license application, design specifications, drawings, records, history of use, site investigation results, etc. Since this quantity assessment did not take into account the dismantling contents of reservoir concrete, the assessed quantity of non-radioactive waste (NR waste) did not match the sum of actual NR waste. However, if an actually generated quantity of concrete of radioactive waste was added to the quantity assessment as NR waste, the quantity of actually generated NR waste and that of assessed NR waste were nearly consistent, which verified the validity of this assessment. This method is considered to be able to be utilized in the future quantity assessment of decommissioning work and the like. On the other hand, it was found that the number of drums that were actually stored tended to increase more than the estimated number of drum conversion. In old buildings, it is necessary to take into account the generation of waste other than radioactive materials in the quantity assessment stage and dismantlement stage. (A.O.)

Steel corrosion in radioactive waste storage tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carranza, Ricardo M.; Giordano, Celia M.; Saenz, E.; Weier, Dennis R.

2004-01-01

A collaborative study is being conducted by CNEA and USDOE (Department of Energy of the United States of America) to investigate the effects of tank waste chemistry on radioactive waste storage tank corrosion. Radioactive waste is stored in underground storage tanks that contain a combination of salts, consisting primarily of sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite and sodium hydroxide. The USDOE, Office of River Protection at the Hanford Site, has identified a need to conduct a laboratory study to better understand the effects of radioactive waste chemistry on the corrosion of waste storage tanks at the Hanford Site. The USDOE science need (RL-WT079-S Double-Shell Tanks Corrosion Chemistry) called for a multi year effort to identify waste chemistries and temperatures within the double-shell tank (DST) operating limits for corrosion control and operating temperature range that may not provide the expected corrosion protection and to evaluate future operations for the conditions outside the existing corrosion database. Assessment of corrosion damage using simulated (non-radioactive) waste is being made of the double-shell tank wall carbon steel alloy. Evaluation of the influence of exposure time, and electrolyte composition and/or concentration is being also conducted. (author) [es

Long term stability of yttria-stabilized zirconia waste forms. Stability for secular change of partitioned TRU waste composition by disintegration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuramoto, Ken-ichi; Banba, Tsunetaka; Mitamura, Hisayoshi; Sakai, Etsuro; Uno, Masayoshi; Kinoshita, H.; Yamanaka, Shinsuke

1999-01-01

In this study, the stability of YSZ waste forms for secular change of partitioned TRU waste composition by disintegration, one of important terms in long-term stability, is the special concern. Designed amount of waste and YSZ powder were mixed and sintered. These TRU waste forms were submitted to tests of phase stability, chemical durability, mechanical property and compactness. The results were compared with those of another YSZ waste forms, non-radioactive Ce and/or Nd doped YSZ samples, and glass and Synroc waste forms. Experimental results show following: (1) Phase stability of (Np+Am)-, (Np+U)-, and (Np+U+Bi)-doped YSZ waste forms could be maintained of that of the initial Np+Am-doped YSZ waste form permanently even when the composition of partitioned TRU waste were changed by disintegration. (2) Secular change also accelerated volume increase of YSZ waste forms as well as alpha-decay damage. (3) Hv, E and K IC of (Np+U)- and (Np+U+Bi)-doped YSZ waste forms were independent of the secular change of the partitioned TRU waste composition by disintegration. (4) Mechanical properties of YSZ waste forms were more than those of a glass and Synroc waste forms. (5) Compactness of YSZ waste forms was good as waste forms for the partitioned TRU wastes. (J.P.N.)

Filtration of Oak Ridge National Laboratory simulated liquid low-level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fowler, V.L.; Hewitt, J.D.

1989-08-01

A method for disposal of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL's) liquid low-level radioactive waste (LLLW) is being developed in which the material will be solidified in cement and stored in an aboveground engineered storage facility. The acceptability of the final waste form rests in part on the presence or absence of transuranic isotopes. Filtration methods to remove transuranic isotopes from the bulk liquid stored in the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVST) were investigated in this study. Initial batch studies using waste from MVST indicate that >99.9% of the transuranic isotopes can be removed from the bulk liquid by simple filtration. Bench-scale studies with a nonradioactive surrogate waste indicate that >99.5% of the suspended solids can be removed from the bulk liquid via inertial crossflow filtration. 4 refs., 3 figs., 11 tabs

Full-scale retrieval of simulated buried transuranic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valentich, D.J.

1993-09-01

This report describes the results of a field test conducted to determine the effectiveness of using conventional type construction equipment for the retrieval of buried transuranic (TRU) waste. A cold (nonhazardous and nonradioactive) test pit (1,100 yd 3 volume) was constructed with boxes and drums filled with simulated waste materials, such as metal, plastic, wood, concrete, and sludge. Large objects, including truck beds, tanks, vaults, pipes, and beams, were also placed in the pit. These materials were intended to simulate the type of wastes found in TRU buried waste pits and trenches. A series of commercially available equipment items, such as excavators and tracked loaders outfitted with different end effectors, were used to remove the simulated waste. Work was performed from both the abovegrade and belowgrade positions. During the demonstration, a number of observations, measurements, and analyses were performed to determine which equipment was the most effective in removing the waste. The retrieval rates for the various excavation techniques were recorded. The inherent dust control capabilities of the excavation methods used were observed. The feasibility of teleoperating reading equipment was also addressed

Solid waste programs Fiscal Year 1995 multi-year program plan/fiscal year work plan WBS 1.2.1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarthy, M.M.

1994-09-01

The Hanford Mission Plan, Volume 1, Site Guidance identifies the need for the Solid Waste Program to treat, store, and dispose of a wide variety of solid material types consisting of multiple radioactive and hazardous waste classes. This includes future Hanford Site activities which will generate new wastes that must be handled as cleanup activities are completed. Solid wastes are typically categorized as transuranic waste, low level waste, low level mixed waste, and hazardous waste. To meet this need the Solid Waste Program has defined its mission as the following - receive, store, treat, decontaminate, and dispose of solid radioactive and nonradioactive dangerous wastes in a safe, cost effective and environmentally compliant manner. This workbook contains the program overview, program baselines and fiscal year work plan for the Solid Waste Program

Delisting efforts for mixed radioactive and chemically hazardous waste at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodpasture, S.T.

1987-01-01

Presently, there are four hazardous wastes at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant that are candidates for the delisting from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste regulations. These candidates are the sludges from K-1407-B and C ponds, Central Neutralization Facility sludges, mixed sludges from Y-12 and the ash generated by the RCRA/Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Incinerator. All of these hazardous wastes contain radioactive constituents as well as hazardous constituents. The delisting will be based upon the nonradioactive constituents. Whether the delisting petition is granted or not, the wastes will be handled according to the Department of Energy guidelines for radioactive wastes. The presentation discusses the methodologies for delisting these wastes and the rationale behind the processes

Cellulose-containing Waste and Bituminized Salts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valcke, E.

2005-01-01

In Belgium, Medium-Level radioactive Waste (MLW) would be eventually disposed off in an underground repository in a geological formation such as the Boom Clay, which is studied as a reference host rock formation. MLW contains large quantities of non-radioactive chemicals that are released upon contact with pore water. It could be the case, for instance, for plutonium bearing cellulosic waste - such as paper tissues used to clean alpha glove boxes - issued from nuclear fuel fabrication (Belgonucleaire). At high pH, as in a disposal gallery backfilled with cement, the chemical degradation of cellulose will generate water-soluble products that may form strong complexes with actinides such as Am, Pu, Np, and U. This could lower the sorption of these elements onto the clay minerals, and hence increase their migration through the clay barrier. Another chemical perturbation could occur from the 3000 m 3 of so-called Eurobitum bituminised MLW, with precipitation sludges from the chemical treatment of spent nuclear fuel, and containing about 750 tons of NaNO 3 . The presence of NaNO 3 in this waste will give rise to several processes susceptible to affect the safety of the disposal system. Amongst others, it is necessary to verify that the swelling pressure of bitumen on the gallery wall and the osmotic pressure within the near-field are not too high to induce a fissuration of the host rock, leading to the formation of preferential migration pathways. The major objective of our work is to obtain a broad understanding of the different processes induced by the release of non-radioactive chemicals in the clay formation, to assess the chemical compatibility of different MLW forms with the clay

Quality Assurance Program Plan Waste Management Federal Services of Hanford, Inc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

VOLKMAN, D.D.

1999-01-01

This document is the Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) for Waste Management Federal Services of Hanford, Inc. (WMH), that implements the requirements of the Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC), HNF-MP-599, Project Hanford Quality Assurance Program Description (QAPD) document, and the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement with Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement), Sections 6.5 and 7.8. WHM is responsible for the treatment, storage, and disposal of liquid and solid wastes generated at the Hanford Site as well as those wastes received from other US Department of Energy (DOE) and non-DOE sites. WMH operations include the Low-Level Burial Grounds, Central Waste Complex (a mixed-waste storage complex), a nonradioactive dangerous waste storage facility, the Transuranic Storage Facility, T Plant, Waste Receiving and Processing Facility, 200 Area Liquid Effluent Facility, 200 Area Treated Effluent Disposal Facility, the Liquid Effluent Retention Facility, the 242-A Evaporator, 300 Area Treatment Effluent Disposal Facility, the 340 Facility (a radioactive liquid waste handling facility), 222-S Laboratory, the Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility, and the Hanford TRU Waste Program

The estimation of radiological impact from the disposal of radionuclides with domestic and commercial wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumerling, T.J.; Sweeney, B.J.

1987-04-01

In the UK, limited quantities of radionuclides are disposed of with non-radioactive domestic and commercial wastes under the terms of Exemption Orders or Authorisations granted by the Radiochemical Inspectorate. This report presents a methodology and basis for the calculation of individual and collective doses to workers and to members of the public from such disposals. (author)

Controlled-air incineration of transuranic-contaminated solid waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borduin, L.C.; Draper, W.E.; Koenig, R.A.; Neuls, A.S.; Warner, C.L.

1976-01-01

A controlled-air incinerator and an associated high-energy aqueous off-gas cleaning system are being installed at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Transuranic Waste Treatment Development Facility (TDF) for evaluation as a low-level transuranic-contaminated (TRU) solid waste volume reduction process. Program objectives are: (1) assembly and operation of a production scale (45 kg/hr) operation of ''off-the-shelf'' components representative of current incineration and pollution control technology; (2) process development and modification to meet radioactive health and safety standards, and (3) evaluation of the process to define the advantages and limitations of conventional technology. The results of the program will be the design specifications and operating procedures necessary for successful incineration of TRU waste. Testing, with nonradioactive waste, will begin in October 1976. This discussion covers commercially available incinerator and off-gas cleaning components, the modifications required for radioactive service, process components performance expectations, and a description of the LASL experimental program

Nuclear techniques and the disposal of non-radioactive solid wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landsberger, S.; Buchholz, B.

1993-01-01

One of the most vital and persistent public health challenges facing local, state, and national governments is the disposal of solid waste produced from industrial, utility, and municipal sources. There is a growing interest in the monitoring, control, and safe disposal of the chemical constituents arising from these sources. For instance, it is now well known that the release of by products from coal-fired power plants - namely airborne particulates, bottom ash, and fly ash - can have adverse effects on air and water quality. It is therefore important that reliable chemical analytical techniques are readily available to assess the impact of widespread disposal practices of organic and inorganic chemicals. The use of nuclear and nuclear-related analytical techniques - such as neutron activation analysis, energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence and particle induced X-ray emission - have become widespread in major areas of science and technology. These methods and techniques have important applications in such work since they can be used for both the determination of specific individual pollutants (e.g. toxic heavy metals) and multi-elemental analyses for source identification and apportionment purposes. Other nuclear techniques, such as isotope tracers, have also had wide acceptance in characterizing diffusion patterns for metals in soil and aqueous environments and water pollution flows. 1 graph., 1 tab

A nonradioactive assay for poly(a)-specific ribonuclease activity by methylene blue colorimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yuan; Liu, Wei-Feng; Yan, Yong-Bin; Zhou, Hai-Meng

2006-01-01

A simple nonradioactive assay, which was based on the specific shift of the absorbance maximum of methylene blue induced by its intercalation into poly(A) molecules, was developed for poly(A)-specific ribonuclease (PARN). A good linear relationship was found between the absorbance at 662 nm and the poly(A) concentration. The assay conditions, including the concentration of methylene blue, the incubation temperature and time, and the poly(A) concentration were evaluated and optimized.

Electron capture detector based on a non-radioactive electron source: operating parameters vs. analytical performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Bunert

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Gas chromatographs with electron capture detectors are widely used for the analysis of electron affine substances such as pesticides or chlorofluorocarbons. With detection limits in the low pptv range, electron capture detectors are the most sensitive detectors available for such compounds. Based on their operating principle, they require free electrons at atmospheric pressure, which are usually generated by a β− decay. However, the use of radioactive materials leads to regulatory restrictions regarding purchase, operation, and disposal. Here, we present a novel electron capture detector based on a non-radioactive electron source that shows similar detection limits compared to radioactive detectors but that is not subject to these limitations and offers further advantages such as adjustable electron densities and energies. In this work we show first experimental results using 1,1,2-trichloroethane and sevoflurane, and investigate the effect of several operating parameters on the analytical performance of this new non-radioactive electron capture detector (ECD.

Determination of a radioactive waste classification system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, J.J.; King, W.C.

1978-03-01

Several classification systems for radioactive wastes are reviewed and a system is developed that provides guidance on disposition of the waste. The system has three classes: high-level waste (HLW), which requires complete isolation from the biosphere for extended time periods; low-level waste (LLW), which requires containment for shorter periods; and innocuous waste (essentially nonradioactive), which may be disposed of by conventional means. The LLW/innocuous waste interface was not defined in this study. Reasonably conservative analytical scenarios were used to calculate that HLW/LLW interface level which would ensure compliance with the radiological exposure guidelines of 0.5 rem/y maximum exposure for a few isolated individuals and 0.005 rem/y for large population groups. The recommended HLW/LLW interface level for /sup 239/Pu or mixed transuranic waste is 1.0 ..mu..Ci/cm/sup 3/ of waste. Levels for other radionuclides are based upon a risk equivalent to this level. A cost-benefit analysis in accordance with as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) guidance indicates that further reduction of this HLW/LLL interface level would entail marginal costs greater than $10/sup 8/ per man-rem of dose avoided. The environmental effects considered were limited to those involving human exposure to radioactivity.

Determination of a radioactive waste classification system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, J.J.; King, W.C.

1978-03-01

Several classification systems for radioactive wastes are reviewed and a system is developed that provides guidance on disposition of the waste. The system has three classes: high-level waste (HLW), which requires complete isolation from the biosphere for extended time periods; low-level waste (LLW), which requires containment for shorter periods; and innocuous waste (essentially nonradioactive), which may be disposed of by conventional means. The LLW/innocuous waste interface was not defined in this study. Reasonably conservative analytical scenarios were used to calculate that HLW/LLW interface level which would ensure compliance with the radiological exposure guidelines of 0.5 rem/y maximum exposure for a few isolated individuals and 0.005 rem/y for large population groups. The recommended HLW/LLW interface level for 239 Pu or mixed transuranic waste is 1.0 μCi/cm 3 of waste. Levels for other radionuclides are based upon a risk equivalent to this level. A cost-benefit analysis in accordance with as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) guidance indicates that further reduction of this HLW/LLL interface level would entail marginal costs greater than $10 8 per man-rem of dose avoided. The environmental effects considered were limited to those involving human exposure to radioactivity

Solidification of ash from incineration of low-level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberson, W.A.; Albenesius, E.L.; Becker, G.W.

1983-01-01

The safe disposal of both high-level and low-level radioactive waste is a problem of increasing national attention. A full-scale incineration and solidification process to dispose of suspect-level and low-level beta-gamma contaminated combustible waste is being demonstrated at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) and Savannah River Laboratory (SRL). The stabilized wasteform generated by the process will meet or exceed all future anticipated requirements for improved disposal of low-level waste. The incineration process has been evaluated at SRL using nonradioactive wastes, and is presently being started up in SRP to process suspect-level radioactive wastes. A cement solidification process for incineration products is currently being evaluated by SRL, and will be included with the incineration process in SRP during the winter of 1984. The GEM alumnus author conducted research in a related disposal solidification program during the GEM-sponsored summer internship, and upon completion of the Masters program, received full-time responsibility for developing the incineration products solidification process

Final remediation of the provisional storage near Zavratec. Separation of waste, decontamination and radiological measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepisnik, M.; Zeleznik, N.; Mele, I.

2000-01-01

This paper presents remedial activities in Zavratec during winter 1999 - 2000. The difficult and slow process of separation radioactive from non-radioactive waste is explained, and the measuring techniques and equipment for separation are presented. The measurements of storage contamination and its decontamination, involving different practical problems, are described in detail. As a result, the initial volume of the waste was reduced to 50%, in spite of the extended decontamination works. The waste has been relocated to the Brinje storage facility. Measurements inside and outside the Zavratec facility after decontamination showed that no radioactivity higher than the natural background was present. The facility was released for unrestricted use. (author)

Product consistency leach tests of Savannah River Site radioactive waste glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibler, N.E.; Bates, J.K.

1990-01-01

The product consistency test (PCT) is a glass leach test developed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to confirm the durability of radioactive nuclear waste glasses that will be produced in the Defense Waste Processing Facility. The PCT is a seven day, crushed glass leach test in deionized water at 90C. Final leachates are filtered and acidified prior to analysis. To demonstrate the reproducibility of the PCT when performed remotely, SRS and Argonne National Laboratory have performed the PCT on samples of two radioactive glasses. The tests were also performed to compare the releases of the radionuclides with the major nonradioactive glass components and to determine if radiation from the glass was affecting the results of the PCT. The test was performed in triplicate at each laboratory. For the major soluble elements, B, Li, Na, and Si, in the glass, each investigator obtained relative precisions in the range 2-5% in the triplicate tests. This range indicates good precision for the PCT when performed remotely with master slave manipulators in a shielded cell environment. When the results of the two laboratories were compared to each other, the agreement was within 20%. Normalized concentrations for the nonradioactive and radioactive elements in the PCT leachates measured at both facilities indicated that the radionuclides were released from the glass slower than the major soluble elements in the glass. For both laboratories, the normalized releases for both glasses were in the general order Li ∼ B ∼ Na > Si > Cs - 137 > Sb - 125 < Sr - 90. The normalized releases for the major soluble elements and the final pH values in the tests with radioactive glass are consistent with those for nonradioactive glasses with similar compositions. This indicates that there was no significant effect of radiation on the results of the PCT

Development of threshold guidance: National Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-09-01

The current study has been conducted to provide DOE with a technical basis for the development of threshold guidance. The objective of the study was to develop the necessary background information and recommendations to assist the DOE in implementing the threshold limit concept for the disposal of DOE wastes at DOE facilities. The nature of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) varies greatly in both form and radionuclide content. While some low-level waste streams can contain substantial quantities of radioactive constituents, a potentially significant fraction of low-level waste is contaminated either very slightly or not at all. There is a strong likelihood that managing wastes with extremely low levels of radioactivity as nonradioactive waste would pose no significant safety problems and could result in substantial cost savings relative to its handling as LLW. Since all materials, including waste products, contain some radioactivity, it is necessary to distinguish between those wastes that would require disposal as LLW and those that have sufficiently low levels of radiological content to be managed according to their nonradiological properties. 131 refs., 9 figs., 24 tabs

Sampling and analysis validates acceptable knowledge on LANL transuranic, heterogeneous, debris waste, or ''Cutting the Gordian knot that binds WIPP''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosiewicz, S.T.; Triay, I.R.; Souza, L.A.

1999-01-01

Through sampling and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) analyses, LANL and the DOE validated that a LANL transuranic (TRU) waste (TA-55-43, Lot No. 01) was not a Resource Recovery and Conservation Act (RCRA) hazardous waste. This paper describes the sampling and analysis project as well as the statistical assessment of the analytical results. The analyses were conducted according to the requirements and procedures in the sampling and analysis plan approved by the New Mexico Environmental Department. The plan used a statistical approach that was consistent with the stratified, random sampling requirements of SW-846. LANL adhered to the plan during sampling and chemical analysis of randomly selected items of the five major types of materials in this heterogeneous, radioactive, debris waste. To generate portions of the plan, LANL analyzed a number of non-radioactive items that were representative of the mix of items present in the waste stream. Data from these cold surrogates were used to generate means and variances needed to optimize the design. Based on statistical arguments alone, only two samples from the entire waste stream were deemed necessary, however a decision was made to analyze at least two samples of each of the five major waste types. To obtain these samples, nine TRU waste drums were opened. Sixty-six radioactively contaminated and four non-radioactive grab samples were collected. Portions of the samples were composited for chemical analyses. In addition, a radioactively contaminated sample of rust-colored powder of interest to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) was collected and qualitatively identified as rust

Evaluation of high-level waste vitrification feed preparation chemistry for an NCAW simulant, FY 1994: Alternate flowsheets (DRAFT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, H.D.; Merz, M.D.; Wiemers, K.D.; Smith, G.L.

1996-02-01

High-level radioactive waste stored in tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Hanford Site will be pretreated to concentrate radioactive constituents and fed to the vitrification plant A flowsheet for feed preparation within the vitrification plant (based on the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) design) called for HCOOH addition during the feed preparation step to adjust rheology and glass redox conditions. However, the potential for generating H 2 and NH 3 during treatment of high-level waste (HLW) with HCOOH was identified at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). Studies at the University of Georgia, under contract with Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) and PNL, have verified the catalytic role of noble metals (Pd, Rh, Ru), present in the waste, in the generation of H 2 and NH 3 . Both laboratory-scale and pilot-scale studies at SRTC have documented the H 2 and NH 3 generation phenomenal Because H 2 and NH 3 may create hazardous conditions in the vessel vapor space and offgas system of a vitrification plant, reducing the H 2 generation rate and the NH 3 generation to the lowest possible levels consistent with desired melter feed characteristics is important. The Fiscal Year 1993 and 1994 studies were conducted with simulated (non-radioactive), pre-treated neutralized current acid waste (NCAW). Neutralized current acid waste is a high-level waste originating from the plutonium/uranium extraction (PUREX) plant that has been partially denitrated with sugar, neutralized with NaOH, and is presently stored in double-shell tanks. The non-radioactive simulant used for the present study includes all of the trace components found in the waste, or substitutes a chemically similar element for radioactive or very toxic species. The composition and simulant preparation steps were chosen to best simulate the chemical processing characteristics of the actual waste

Deep injection disposal of liquid radioactive waste in Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, M.G.; Ballou, L.; Rybal'chenko, A.I.; Pimenov, M.K.; Kostin, P.P.

1998-01-01

Originally published in Russian, Deep Injection Disposal is the most comprehensive account available in the West of the Soviet and Russian practice of disposing of radioactive wastes into deep geological formations. It tells the story of the first 40 years of work in the former Soviet Union to devise, test, and execute a program to dispose by deep injection millions of cubic meters of liquid radioactive wastes from nuclear materials processing. The book explains decisions involving safety aspects, research results, and practical experience gained during the creation and operation of disposal systems. Deep Injection Disposal will be useful for studying other problems worldwide involving the economic use of space beneath the earth's surface. The material in the book is presented with an eye toward other possible applications. Because liquid radioactive wastes are so toxic and the decisions made are so vital, information in this book will be of great interest to those involved in the disposal of nonradioactive waste

Behavior of nuclides at plasma melting of TRU wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amakawa, Tadashi; Adachi, Kazuo

2001-01-01

Arc plasma heating technique can easily be formed at super high temperature, and can carry out stable heating without any effect of physical and chemical properties of the wastes. By focussing to these characteristics, this technique was experimentally investigated on behavior of TRU nuclides when applying TRU wastes forming from reprocessing process of used fuels to melting treatment by using a mimic non-radioactive nuclide. At first, according to mechanism determining the behavior of TRU nuclides, an element (mimic nuclide) to estimate the behavior was selected. And then, to zircaloy with high melting point or steel can simulated to metal and noncombustible wastes and fly ash, the mimic nuclide was added, prior to melting by using the arc plasma heating technique. As a result, on a case of either melting sample, it was elucidated that the nuclides hardly moved into their dusts. Then, the technique seems to be applicable for melting treatment of the TRU wastes. (G.K.)

An investigation report on the status of very low level radioactive waste management in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Donghui

2008-01-01

This report briefly introduces the result of investigation on the study of Very Low Level Waste (VLLW) management and the engineering details of landfill facilities for slightly contaminated waste produced during past few decades in China. Since it has been recognized by IAEA and some countries, that VLLW can be disposed in the landfill for hazardous waste, industrial waste or garbage from cities, standards involved with the non-radioactive solid waste disposal were collected and the brief information in situ for some landfill projects, just like in Beijing and Shanghai, are also given in this report. In the end, some questions and points of view are raised, on which I wish to discuss with you. These points could be very important, when we want to develop the standard for VLLW management. (authors)

Californium-252 neutron activation analysis of high-level processed nuclear tank waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Troyer, G.L.; Purcell, M.A.

2000-01-01

The basis for production assessment of the vitrification of Hanford nuclear fuel reprocessing wastes will be high-precision measurements of the elemental sodium content. However, the chemical analysis of both radioactive and nonradioactive components in nuclear waste can be challenged by high radiation dose rates. The dose rates compromise many analytical techniques as well as pose personnel dosimetry risks. In many cases, reduction of dose rates through dilution compromises the precision and sensitivity for certain key components. The use of neutron activation analysis (NAA) provides a method of analysis that avoids the need for dilutions or extensive sample preparation. These waste materials also contain trace quantities of fissionable isotopes, which, through neutron activation, can be estimated by delayed neutron counting of fissioned fragments

Status Report on Phase Identification in Hanford Tank Sludges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rapko, B.M.; Lumetta, G.J.

2000-01-01

The US Department of Energy plans to vitrify Hanford's tank wastes. The vitrified wastes will be divided into low-activity and high-level fractions. There is an effort to reduce the quantity of high-activity wastes by removing nonradioactive components because of the high costs involved in treating high-level waste. Pretreatment options, such as caustic leaching, to selectively remove nonradioactive components are being investigated. The effectiveness of these proposed processes for removing nonradioactive components depends on the chemical phases in the tank sludges. This review summarizes the chemical phases identified to date in Hanford tank sludges

Concentration of a sodium nitrate-based waste with a wiped film evaporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farr, L.L.; Boring, M.D.; Fowler, V.L.; Hewitt, J.D.

1995-01-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) currently has an inventory of 500,000 gallons of sodium nitrate-based radioactive liquid waste which is currently stored in the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVST). This waste needs to be treated and one option being considered is concentration of the wastes using evaporation. Testing is underway to determine whether a Wiped Film Evaporator (WFE) can be used to concentrate these wastes in an economical and reliable manner. The capability of the evaporator to process a non-radioactive simulant of the MVST wastes over a range of operating conditions is being studied. The equipment has to be checked for reliability, potential corrosion problems, and the effects of the waste on the efficiency of heat transfer due to scaling. Physical and chemical characteristics of the product and distillate are being investigated. Heat transfer coefficients and volume reductions are being determined under different operating conditions. Decontamination factors are being calculated to determine the necessity for further treatment of the distillate and off-gas

Determination of transmutation effects in crystalline waste forms. 1997 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buck, E.C.; Fortner, J.A.; Hess, N.J.; Strachan, D.M.

1997-01-01

'A team from two national laboratories is studying transmutation effects in crystalline waste forms. Analyses are being done with 18 year old samples of 137 Cs-bearing pollucite (CsAlSi 2 O 6 267 0.5 H 2 O) obtained from a French company. These samples are unique in that the pollucite was made with various amounts of 137 Cs, which was then sealed in welded stainless- steel capsules to be used as tumor irradiation sources. Over the past 18 years, the 137 Cs has been decaying to stable Ba in the capsules, i.e., in the absence of atmospheric effects. This material serves as an analogue to a crystalline waste form in which such a transmutation occurs to possibly disrupt the integrity of the original waste form. Work this year consisted of determining the construction of the capsule and state of the pollucite in the absence of details about these components from the French company. The authors have opened one capsule containing nonradioactive pollucite. The information on the construction of the stainless-steel capsule is useful for the work that the authors are preparing to do on capsules containing radioactive pollucite. Microscopic characterization of the nonradioactive pollucite revealed that there are at least two compounds in addition to pollucite: a Cs-silicate and a Cs-aluminosilicate (CsAlSiO 4 ). These findings may complicate the interpretation of the planned experiments using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Electron energy loss spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (fluorescence) have been used to characterize the nonradioactive pollucite. They have investigated the stability of the nonradioactive pollucite to β radiation damage by use of 200 keV electrons in a transmission electron microscope. The samples were found to become amorphous in less than 10 minutes with loss of Cs. This is equivalent to many more years of β radiation damage than under normal decay of the 137 Cs. In fact, the dose was equivalent to several thousand years of normal

Hanford tank waste simulants specification and their applicability for the retrieval, pretreatment, and vitrification processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

GR Golcar; NG Colton; JG Darab; HD Smith

2000-04-04

A wide variety of waste simulants were developed over the past few years to test various retrieval, pretreatment and waste immobilization technologies and unit operations. Experiments can be performed cost-effectively using non-radioactive waste simulants in open laboratories. This document reviews the composition of many previously used waste simulants for remediation of tank wastes at the Hanford reservation. In this review, the simulants used in testing for the retrieval, pretreatment, and vitrification processes are compiled, and the representative chemical and physical characteristics of each simulant are specified. The retrieval and transport simulants may be useful for testing in-plant fluidic devices and in some cases for filtration technologies. The pretreatment simulants will be useful for filtration, Sr/TRU removal, and ion exchange testing. The vitrification simulants will be useful for testing melter, melter feed preparation technologies, and for waste form evaluations.

Hanford tank waste simulants specification and their applicability for the retrieval, pretreatment, and vitrification processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GR Golcar; NG Colton; JG Darab; HD Smith

2000-01-01

A wide variety of waste simulants were developed over the past few years to test various retrieval, pretreatment and waste immobilization technologies and unit operations. Experiments can be performed cost-effectively using non-radioactive waste simulants in open laboratories. This document reviews the composition of many previously used waste simulants for remediation of tank wastes at the Hanford reservation. In this review, the simulants used in testing for the retrieval, pretreatment, and vitrification processes are compiled, and the representative chemical and physical characteristics of each simulant are specified. The retrieval and transport simulants may be useful for testing in-plant fluidic devices and in some cases for filtration technologies. The pretreatment simulants will be useful for filtration, Sr/TRU removal, and ion exchange testing. The vitrification simulants will be useful for testing melter, melter feed preparation technologies, and for waste form evaluations

Calcination/dissolution testing for Hanford Site tank wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colby, S.A.; Delegard, C.H.; McLaughlin, D.F.; Danielson, M.J.

1994-07-01

Thermal treatment by calcination offers several benefits for the treatment of Hanford Site tank wastes, including the destruction of organics and ferrocyanides and an hydroxide fusion that permits the bulk of the mostly soluble nonradioactive constituents to be easily separated from the insoluble transuranic residue. Critical design parameters were tested, including: (1) calciner equipment design, (2) hydroxide fusion chemistry, and (3) equipment corrosion. A 2 gal/minute pilot plant processed a simulated Tank 101-SY waste and produced a free flowing 700 C molten calcine with an average calciner retention time of 20 minutes and >95% organic, nitrate, and nitrite destruction. Laboratory experiments using actual radioactive tank waste and the simulated waste pilot experiments indicate that 98 wt% of the calcine produced is soluble in water, leaving an insoluble transuranic fraction. All of the Hanford Site tank wastes can benefit from calcination/dissolution processing, contingent upon blending various tank waste types to ensure a target of 70 wt% sodium hydroxide/nitrate/nitrite fluxing agent. Finally, corrosion testing indicates that a jacketed nickel liner cooled to below 400 C would corrode <2 mil/year (0.05 mm/year) from molten calcine attack

Low-level radioactive wastes. Council on Scientific Affairs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1989-01-01

Under a federal law, each state by January 1, 1993, must provide for safe disposal of its low-level radioactive wastes. Most of the wastes are from using nuclear power to produce electricity, but 25% to 30% are from medical diagnosis, therapy, and research. Exposures to radioactivity from the wastes are much smaller than those from natural sources, and federal standards limit public exposure. Currently operating disposal facilities are in Beatty, Nev, Barnwell, SC, and Richland, Wash. National policy encourages the development of regional facilities. Planning a regional facility, selecting a site, and building, monitoring, and closing the facility will be a complex project lasting decades that involves legislation, public participation, local and state governments, financing, quality control, and surveillance. The facilities will utilize geological factors, structural designs, packaging, and other approaches to isolate the wastes. Those providing medical care can reduce wastes by storing them until they are less radioactive, substituting nonradioactive compounds, reducing volumes, and incinerating. Physicians have an important role in informing and advising the public and public officials about risks involved with the wastes and about effective methods of dealing with them. 18 references

Remote automated material handling of radioactive waste containers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greager, T.M.

1994-09-01

To enhance personnel safety, improve productivity, and reduce costs, the design team incorporated a remote, automated stacker/retriever, automatic inspection, and automated guidance vehicle for material handling at the Enhanced Radioactive and Mixed Waste Storage Facility - Phase V (Phase V Storage Facility) on the Hanford Site in south-central Washington State. The Phase V Storage Facility, scheduled to begin operation in mid-1997, is the first low-cost facility of its kind to use this technology for handling drums. Since 1970, the Hanford Site's suspect transuranic (TRU) wastes and, more recently, mixed wastes (both low-level and TRU) have been accumulating in storage awaiting treatment and disposal. Currently, the Hanford Site is only capable of onsite disposal of radioactive low-level waste (LLW). Nonradioactive hazardous wastes must be shipped off site for treatment. The Waste Receiving and Processing (WRAP) facilities will provide the primary treatment capability for solid-waste storage at the Hanford Site. The Phase V Storage Facility, which accommodates 27,000 drum equivalents of contact-handled waste, will provide the following critical functions for the efficient operation of the WRAP facilities: (1) Shipping/Receiving; (2) Head Space Gas Sampling; (3) Inventory Control; (4) Storage; (5) Automated/Manual Material Handling

Process innovations to minimize waste volumes at Savannah River

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doherty, J.P.

1986-01-01

In 1983 approximately 1.6 x 10 3 m 3 (427,000 gallons) of radioactive salt solution were decontaminated in a full-scale demonstration. The cesium decontamination factor (DF) was in excess of 4 x 10 4 vs. a goal of 1 x 10 4 . Data from this test were combined with pilot data and used to design the permanent facilities currently under construction. Startup of the Salt Decontamination Process is scheduled for 1987 and will decontaminate 2 x 10 4 m 3 (5.2 million gallons) of radioactive salt solution and generate 2 x 10 3 m 3 (520,000 gallons) of concentrated and washed precipitate per year. The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) will begin processing this concentrate in the Precipitate Hydrolysis Process starting in 1989. Laboratory data using simulated salt solution and nonradioactive cesium are being used to design this process. A 1/5-scale pilot plant is under construction and will be used to gain large-scale operating experience using nonradioactive simulants. This pilot plant is scheduled to startup in early 1987. The incentives to reduce the volume of waste that must be treated are self-evident. At Savannah River process development innovations to minimize the DWPF feed volumes have directly improved the economics of the process. The integrity of the final borosilicate glass water form has not been compromised by these developments. Many of the unit operations are familiar to chemical engineers and were put to use in a unique environment. As a result, tax dollars have been saved, and the objective of safely disposing of the nation's high-level defense waste has moved forward

Ultrastructural localization of human papilloma virus by nonradioactive in situ hybridization on tissue of human cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Multhaupt, H A; Rafferty, P A; Warhol, M J

1992-01-01

BACKGROUND: A nonradioactive in situ hybridization was developed to localize human papilloma virus (HPV) at the ultrastructural level. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Cervical biopsies from human uterine cervices clinically suspicious of condyloma were embedded in Lowicryl K4M at low temperature...

Lessons from radioactive waste disposal applied to other pollutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Templeton, W.L.

1983-01-01

In order to manage scientifically the quantities and kinds of waste disposal in coastal waters and open oceans, one needs to assess the environment's capacity to assimilate these materials. This knowledge may help us avoid an unacceptable biological impact on components of the ecosystem and on humans who harvest its resources. One approach available is the one that has been demonstrated to be applicable for the management of the disposal of radioactive wastes in the ocean. New generic and site-specific methodologies can establish relationships between discharge or release rates and associated radiation doses. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has developed guidelines and recommendations that govern acceptable amounts of radiation that people can be exposed to. The ICRP recommendations on justification and optimization can be integrated into an overall management philosophy in order to quantify alternative waste disposal options. These methodologies, which were developed for the control of radioactive wastes, should be applied directly to public health protection from nonradioactive wastes such as metals and organochlorine pesticides

Radioactive Demonstration Of Mineralized Waste Forms Made From Hanford Low Activity Waste (Tank SX-105 And AN-103) By Fluidized Bed Steam Reformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jantzen, Carol; Herman, Connie; Crawford, Charles; Bannochie, Christopher; Burket, Paul; Daniel, Gene; Cozzi, Alex; Nash, Charles; Miller, Donald; Missimer, David

2014-01-10

One of the immobilization technologies under consideration as a Supplemental Treatment for Hanford’s Low Activity Waste (LAW) is Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR). The FBSR technology forms a mineral waste form at moderate processing temperatures thus retaining and atomically bonding the halides, sulfates, and technetium in the mineral phases (nepheline, sodalite, nosean, carnegieite). Additions of kaolin clay are used instead of glass formers and the minerals formed by the FBSR technology offers (1) atomic bonding of the radionuclides and constituents of concern (COC) comparable to glass, (2) short and long term durability comparable to glass, (3) disposal volumes comparable to glass, and (4) higher Na2O and SO{sub 4} waste loadings than glass. The higher FBSR Na{sub 2}O and SO{sub 4} waste loadings contribute to the low disposal volumes but also provide for more rapid processing of the LAW. Recent FBSR processing and testing of Hanford radioactive LAW (Tank SX-105 and AN-103) waste is reported and compared to previous radioactive and non-radioactive LAW processing and testing.

Special waste-form lysimeters: Arid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, T.L.; Serne, R.J.

1987-08-01

The release of contaminant from solidified low-level waste forms is being studied in a field lysimeter facility at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. Duplicate samples of five different waste forms have been buried in 10 lysimeters since March 1984. Waste-form samples represent three different waste streams and four solidification agents (masonry cement, Portland III cement, Dow polymer /sup (a)/, and bitumen). Most precipitation at the Hanford Site arrives as winter snow; this contributes to a strong seasonal pattern in water storage and drainage observed in the lysimeters. The result is an annual range in the volumetric soil water content from 11% in late winter to 7% in the late summer and early fall, as well as annual changes in pore water velocities from approximately 1 cm/wk in early spring to less than 0.05 cm/wk in early fall. Measurable quantities of tritium and cobalt-60 are being collected in lysimeter drainage water. Approximately 30% of the original tritium inventory has been leached from two lysimeters originally containing tritium. Cobalt-60 is present in all waste forms; it is being collected in the leachate from five lysimeters. The total amount released varies, but in each case it is less than 0.1% of the original cobalt inventory of the waste sample. Nonradioactive constituents contained in the waste form, such as sodium, boron, and sulfate, are also being leached

AECL's mixed waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peori, R.; Hulley, V.

2006-01-01

Every nuclear facility has it, they wish that they didn't but they have generated and do possess m ixed waste , and until now there has been no permanent disposition option; it has been for the most been simply maintained in interim storage. The nuclear industry has been responsibly developing permanent solutions for solid radioactive waste for over fifty years and for non-radioactive, chemically hazardous waste, for the last twenty years. Mixed waste (radioactive and chemically hazardous waste) however, because of its special, duo-hazard nature, has been a continuing challenge. The Hazardous Waste and Segregation Program (HW and SP) at AECL's CRL has, over the past ten years, been developing solutions to deal with their own in-house mixed waste and, as a result, have developed solutions that they would like to share with other generators within the nuclear industry. The main aim of this paper is to document and describe the early development of the solutions for both aqueous and organic liquid wastes and to advertise to other generators of this waste type how these solutions can be implemented to solve their mixed waste problems. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and in particular, CRL has been satisfactorily disposing of mixed waste for the last seven years. CRL has developed a program that not only disposes of mixed waste, but offers a full service mixed waste management program to customers within Canada (that could eventually include U.S. sites as well) that has developed the experience and expertise to evaluate and optimize current practices, dispose of legacy inventories, and set up an efficient segregation system to reduce and effectively manage, both the volumes and expense of, the ongoing generation of mixed waste for all generators of mixed waste. (author)

State-of-the-art dry active waste processing facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hillmer, T.; Ingalsbe, H.; Alcorn, G.; Anderson, K.; Dahlen, D.

1989-01-01

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) is operated by Arizona Public Service for a consortium of seven owners. The site consists of three identical single unit power plants. Each unit is a Combustion Engineering Series 80 pressurized water reactor (PWR) rated at 1270 Megawatts electric. The site is located 100 kilometers west of Phoenix, Arizona in the arid southwest desert region of the United States of America. Since the start up of Unit One in 1985, Palo Verde has aggressively pursued waste volume reduction. This includes a dry active waste (DAW) segregation program that locates and separates nonradioactive and reusable materials that have been mixed with the radioactive DAW. The DAW program is described in further detail in the paper

Criteria for long-term hazard assessment of chemotoxic and radiotoxic waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merz, E.R.

1988-01-01

Present-day human activities generate chemotoxic as well as radiotoxic wastes. They must likewise be considered as extremely hazardous. If wastes are composed simultaneously of both kinds, as may occur in nuclear facility operations or nuclear medical applications, the material is called mixed waste. Whereas radioactive waste management and disposal have received considerable attention in the past, less care has been devoted to chemotoxic wastes. Also, mixed wastes may pose problems diverging from singly composed materials. The disposal of mixed wastes is not sufficiently well regulated in the Federal Republic of Germany. Currently, non-radioactive hazardous wastes are mostly disposed of by shallow land burial. Much more rigorous safety precautions are applied with regard to radioactive wastes. According to the orders of the German Federal Government, their disposal is only permitted in continental underground repositories. These repository requirements for radioactive waste disposal should be superior to the near-surface disposal facilities. At present, federal and state legislation do not permit hazardous chemical and radioactive wastes to be deposited simultaneously. It is doubtful whether this instruction is always suitable and also justified. This paper presents a modified strategy

X-ray spectrometric determination of glass content of melts incorporating radioactive waste: a feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slates, R.V.

1978-09-01

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry was evaluated for the determination of glass content and homogeneity of glass incorporating high-level radioactive waste. Accuracy and precision were determined for analyses of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , CaO, TiO 2 , MnO, Fe 2 O 3 , and NiO in specimens of known composition. These specimens were prepared by fusing powdered glass with nonradioactive synthetic waste. Matrix effects of sodium on these analyses were specifically evaluated. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry was shown to be applicable to the proposed determinations by comparing the known glass contents of 14 glass waste compositions with those calculated from experimentally determined concentrations of SiO or TiO 2

Fluidized bed steam reformed mineral waste form performance testing to support Hanford Supplemental Low Activity Waste Immobilization Technology Selection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jantzen, C. M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Pierce, E. M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bannochie, C. J. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Burket, P. R. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Cozzi, A. D. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Crawford, C. L. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Daniel, W. E. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Fox, K. M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Herman, C. C. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Miller, D. H. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Missimer, D. M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Nash, C. A. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Williams, M. F. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Brown, C. F. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Qafoku, N. P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Neeway, J. J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Valenta, M. M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Gill, G. A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Swanberg, D. J. [Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), Richland, WA (United States); Robbins, R. A. [Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), Richland, WA (United States); Thompson, L. E. [Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), Richland, WA (United States)

2015-10-01

This report describes the benchscale testing with simulant and radioactive Hanford Tank Blends, mineral product characterization and testing, and monolith testing and characterization. These projects were funded by DOE EM-31 Technology Development & Deployment (TDD) Program Technical Task Plan WP-5.2.1-2010-001 and are entitled “Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer Low-Level Waste Form Qualification”, Inter-Entity Work Order (IEWO) M0SRV00054 with Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) entitled “Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Treatability Studies Using Savannah River Site (SRS) Low Activity Waste and Hanford Low Activity Waste Tank Samples”, and IEWO M0SRV00080, “Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Waste Form Qualification Testing Using SRS Low Activity Waste and Hanford Low Activity Waste Tank Samples”. This was a multi-organizational program that included Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), THOR® Treatment Technologies (TTT), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Office of River Protection (ORP), and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS). The SRNL testing of the non-radioactive pilot-scale Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer (FBSR) products made by TTT, subsequent SRNL monolith formulation and testing and studies of these products, and SRNL Waste Treatment Plant Secondary Waste (WTP-SW) radioactive campaign were funded by DOE Advanced Remediation Technologies (ART) Phase 2 Project in connection with a Work-For-Others (WFO) between SRNL and TTT.

Low-level radioactive waste management handbook series: Low-level radioactive waste management in medical and biomedical research institutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

Development of this handbook began in 1982 at the request of the Radhealth Branch of the California Department of Health Services. California Assembly Bill 1513 directed the DHS to ''evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of (1) reducing the volume, reactivity, and chemical and radioactive hazard of (low-level radioactive) waste and (2) substituting nonradioactive or short-lived radioactive materials for those radionuclides which require long-term isolation from the environment. A contract awarded to the University of California at Irvine-UCI (California Std. Agreement 79902), to develop a document focusing on methods for decreasing low-level radioactive waste (LLW) generation in institutions was a result of that directive. In early 1985, the US Department of Energy, through EG and G Idaho, Inc., contracted with UCI to expand, update, and revise the California text for national release

Corrosion of steel tanks in liquid nuclear wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carranza, Ricardo M.; Giordano, Celia M.; Saenz, Eduardo

2005-01-01

The objective of this work is to understand how solution chemistry would impact on the corrosion of waste storage steel tanks at the Hanford Site. Future tank waste operations are expected to process wastes that are more dilute with respect to some current corrosion inhibiting waste constituents. Assessment of corrosion damage and of the influence of exposure time and electrolyte composition, using simulated (non-radioactive) wastes, of the double-shell tank wall carbon steel alloys is being conducted in a statistically designed long-term immersion experiment. Corrosion rates at different times of immersion were determined using both weight-loss determinations and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Localized corrosion susceptibility was assessed using short-term cyclic potentiodynamic polarization curves. The results presented in this paper correspond to electrochemical and weight-loss measurements of the immersed coupons during the first year of immersion from a two year immersion plan. A good correlation was obtained between electrochemical measurements, weight-loss determinations and visual observations. Very low general corrosion rates ( -1 ) were estimated using EIS measurements, indicating that general corrosion rate of the steel in contact with liquid wastes would no be a cause of tank failure even for these out-of-chemistry limit wastes. (author) [es

Waste processing options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turney, J.; Miller, A.; Leventhal, L.; Naughton, M.

1985-01-01

Decontamination of components, facilities and sites is becoming an increasingly significant source of low-level waste. Another source, of potentially greater magnitude, is the decommissioning of nuclear reactor facilities. According to DOE, there are about 15 operating reactors that will be candidates for decommissioning by the end of the century. In addition, there are reactors such as Humboldt Bay, Dresden 1, and Indian Point, Unit 1, which have been shut down prior to their design life. Chemical decontamination of components and systems is a frequently used technique in controlling nuclear plant radiation exposure, and is especially useful during decommissioning. However, many of the solutions used pose a chemical or biological hazard, in addition to being radioactively contaminated. These hazards, if not ameliorated, may prohibit their disposal. Recent regulations, such as 10CFR Part 61(2), are focusing more attention on the non-radioactive aspects of radioactive waste. 10CFR Part 61 and the existing burial site licenses prohibit burial of waste which is chemically reactive, explosive under ambient conditions, produces toxic gases, vapors or fumes, or is pyrophoric. Additionally, the Barnwell license restricts organic chemicals which may affect the migration of radionuclides from the burial site. The NRC is studying additional restrictions on a class of these chemicals called chelating agents

Operating experience during high-level waste vitrification at the West Valley Demonstration Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valenti, P.J.; Elliott, D.I.

1999-01-01

This report provides a summary of operational experiences, component and system performance, and lessons learned associated with the operation of the Vitrification Facility (VF) at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP). The VF was designed to convert stored high-level radioactive waste (HLW) into a stable waste form (borosilicate glass) suitable for disposal in a federal repository. Following successful completion on nonradioactive test, HLW processing began in July 1995. Completion of Phase 1 of HLW processing was reached on 10 June 1998 and represented the processing of 9.32 million curies of cesium-137 (Cs-137) and strontium-90 (Sr-90) to fill 211 canisters with over 436,000 kilograms of glass. With approximately 85% of the total estimated curie content removed from underground waste storage tanks during Phase 1, subsequent operations will focus on removal of tank heel wastes

Ultrastructural localisation of intramuscular expression of BDNF mRNA by silver-gold intensified non-radioactive in situ hybridisation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liem, RSB; Brouwer, N; Copray, JCVM

2001-01-01

A non-radioactive in situ hybridisation method is described for the detection of low intramuscular levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA at the electron microscope level. Application of high-grade silver-gold intensification of the diaminobenzidine end product of in situ

Low-level radioactive wastes. AMA Council on Scientific Affairs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1990-01-01

Under a federal law, each state by January 1, 1993, must provide for safe disposal of its low-level radioactive wastes. Most of the wastes are from using nuclear power to produce electricity, but 25% to 30% are from medical diagnosis, therapy, and research. Exposures to radioactivity from the wastes are much smaller than those from natural sources, and federal standards limit public exposure. Currently operating disposal facilities are in Beatty, Nev, Barnwell, SC, and Richland, Wash. National policy encourages the development of regional facilities. Planning a regional facility, selecting a site, and building, monitoring, and closing the facility will be a complex project lasting decades that involves legislation, public participation, local and state governments, financing, quality control, and surveillance. The facilities will utilize geological factors, structural designs, packaging, and other approaches to isolate the wastes. Those providing medical care can reduce wastes by storing them until they are less radioactive, substituting nonradioactive compounds, reducing volumes, and incinerating. Physicians have an important role in informing and advising the public and public officials about risks involved with the wastes and about effective methods of dealing with them

In situ testing of titanium and mild steel nuclear waste containers at the WIPP site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molecke, M.A.

1990-01-01

An overview of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in situ tests on the corrosion of titanium and mild steel for high level waste containers is presented. The tests at Sandia have moved out of the laboratory into a test underground facility in order to evaluate the performance of the waste package material. The tests are being performed under both near-reference and accelerated salt repository conditions. Some containers are filled with high level waste glass (non-radioactive); others contain electric heaters. Backfill material is either bentonite/sand or crushed salt. In other tests metals and glasses are exposed directly to brine. The tests are designed to study the corrosion and metallurgy of the canister and overpack materials; the feasibility and performance of backfill materials; and near-field effects such as brine migration

Removal of Aerosol Particles Generated from Vitrification Process for High-Level Liquid Wastes

OpenAIRE

加藤 功

1990-01-01

The vitrification technology has been developed for the high-level liquid waste (HLLW) from reprocessing nuclear spent fuel in PNC. The removal performance of the aerosol particles generated from the melting process was studied in a nonradioactive full-scale mock-up test facility (MTF). The off-gas treatment system consists of submerged bed scrubber (SBS), venturi scrubber, NOx absorber, high efficiency mist eliminater (HEME). Deoomtamination factors (DFs) were derived from the mass ratio of ...

Volumetric determination of hydroxide, aluminate, and carbonate in alkaline solutions of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumann, E.W.

1975-06-01

An integrated procedure was developed for determining OH - , Al(OH) 4 - , and CO 3 2- in alkaline nuclear waste. The free alkali, the hydroxide released when Al(OH) 3 is complexed with oxalate, and the precipitated BaCO 3 were determined by acidimetric titration. With a 50-μl sample, the relative standard deviations were 1 to 2 percent for nonradioactive test solutions and 2 to 5 percent for radioactive process solutions. (U.S.)

CO2 laser-aided waste incineration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costes, J.R.; Guiberteau, P.; Caminat, P.; Bournot, P.

1994-01-01

Lasers are widely employed in laboratories and in certain industrial applications, notably for welding, cutting and surface treatments. This paper describes a new application, incineration, which appears warranted when the following features are required: high-temperature incineration (> 1500 deg C) with close-tolerance temperature control in an oxidizing medium while ensuring containment of toxic waste. These criteria correspond to the application presented here. Following a brief theoretical introduction concerning the laser/surface interaction, the paper describes the incineration of graphite waste contaminated with alpha-emitting radionuclides. Process feasibility has been demonstrated on a nonradioactive prototype capable of incinerating 10 kg -h-1 using a 7 kW CO 2 laser. An industrial facility with the same capacity, designed to operate within the constraints of an alpha-tight glove box environment, is now at the project stage. Other types of applications with similar requirements may be considered. (authors). 3 refs., 7 figs

Investigation of radioactive contamination at non-radioactive drains of the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koide, Hiroaki; Imanaka, Tetsuji; Ebisawa, Toru; Kawano, Shinji; Kobayashi, Keiji.

1982-05-01

In April, 1981, it was disclosed that a drainage area at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Station was so much contaminated with radioactivites. Although Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) officially provided an explanation of a process that resulted in the contamination, many problems remain unsolved on account of insufficient and limited investigations. The authors collected mud samples from contaminated manholes and examined radioactivities in them through the measurement of #betta#- and #betta#-spectra. Chemical separation of the samples was carried out in order to obtain precise concentration of radioactive cesium. Results are as follows: i) the concentration of radioactivities does not show monotonous decrease along the stream line but an anomalous peak at downstream manholes, ii) at the manhole specified No. 6 located rather downstream, 137 Cs concentration is significantly high and the composition of radioactive nuclides is quite different from that in the other manholes, and iii) additional radioactive contamination was observed in other manholes of non-radioactive drains which would not be influenced by the accident explained by MITI. Our present work has provided much more data than by MITI and made it clear that the overall data cnnot be consistent with the simple MITI explanation; a single radioactive release accident caused the disclosed contamination. It is concluded that non-radioactive water drains at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Station had been under continual contamination. (author)

The German Final Repository Konrad for Low and Intermediate Level Waste with Negligible Heat Generation - Water Law Issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boetsch, W.; Grundler, D.; Kugel, K.; Brennecke, P.; Steyer, S.

2009-01-01

A survey on the conceptual realization of the requirements due to water law aspects within the license the KONRAD repository for radioactive waste with negligible heat generation in Germany is given [1]. The regulatory decision for the implementation and operation of the repository KONRAD includes, among other things, water law issues. In particular, the KONRAD license includes waste requirements concerning non-radioactive hazardous material (waste package constituents) which have to be considered producing KONRAD waste packages. The intended philosophy of waste acceptance and waste package quality assurance measures to be considered by the KONRAD site operator as well as by the waste producer will be presented. It will demonstrate the selected procedure of the waste declaration and acceptance and describe the structure and logic of tools and aids to comply with the legal requirements of the license and its collateral clause issued under water law. (authors)

Overview of the solid radioactive waste management programme for Cernavoda NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raducea, D.

2001-01-01

The wastes generated from nuclear power plants have a very large diversity, and can be grouped into non-radioactive and radioactive wastes. These two types are manipulated completely different ways from each other. Among radioactive wastes, solid radioactive wastes are important, because of their diversity, their method of treatment and of their volume compared to the others types. The strategy for their treatment and characterisation has a dynamic character and allows modification after the identification of new solutions at the international level, or after the production of new waste types. The Radioactive Waste Management concept for Cernavoda NPP established the general approach required for the collection, handling, conditioning and storage of radioactive wastes, while maintaining acceptable levels of safety for workers, members of the public and the environment. The radioactive waste management programme has the following major characteristics: plant operation at all times ensures that radioactive wastes are minimised; procedures are established to ensure that radiation doses to operating staff and members of the public are in accordance with ALARA and contamination from collection, transportation and storage of wastes are eliminated; all staff is trained and qualified to carry out their responsibilities. This presentation does not address the management of spent fuel, contaminated heavy water and the disposal of the solid radioactive wastes.(author)

Program of Hanford high-level waste retrieval task: a narrative description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallskog, H.A.

1976-12-01

The objective of this task is to develop and demonstrate the equipment and methods for the retrieval of high-level radioactive wastes from underground storage tanks at Hanford. The approach will be to continue with engineering studies and the conceptual design in progress and follow on with the engineering design, construction, testing and demonstration of a Prototype Retrieval System. This system will consist of a large, mobile platform providing the support and control of an articulated arm used to remotely position waste recovery/removal tools. Other major components include the equipment needed to bring the material up to the platform for packaging and subsequent transport to a processing facility, and the television viewing and lighting subsystem. This prototype system will be functionally complete and will contain items such as a control center, tool change and maintenance/repair capability, etc. The program includes a complete non-radioactive demonstration of the system in a mock waste tank as well as a radioactive demonstration involving one or more waste tanks

Design and performance of a full-scale spray calciner for nonradioactive high-level-waste-vitrification studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, F.A.

1981-06-01

In the spray calcination process, liquid waste is spray-dried in a heated-wall spray dryer (termed a spray calciner), and then it may be combined in solid form with a glass-forming frit. This mixture is then melted in a continuous ceramic melter or in an in-can melter. Several sizes of spray calciners have been tested at PNL- laboratory scale, pilot scale and full scale. Summarized here is the experience gained during the operation of PNL's full-scale spray calciner, which has solidified approx. 38,000 L of simulated acid wastes and approx. 352,000 L of simulated neutralized wastes in 1830 h of processing time. Operating principles, operating experience, design aspects, and system descriptions of a full-scale spray calciner are discussed. Individual test run summaries are given in Appendix A. Appendices B and C are studies made by Bechtel Inc., under contract by PNL. These studies concern, respectively, feed systems for the spray calciner process and a spray calciner vibration analysis. Appendix D is a detailed structural analysis made at PNL of the spray calciner. These appendices are included in the report to provide a complete description of the spray calciner and to include all major studies made concerning PNL's full-scale spray calciner

Bench scale experiments for the remediation of Hanford Waste Treatment Plant low activity waste melter off-gas condensate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor-Pashow, Kathryn M.L. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Poirier, Michael [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); McCabe, Daniel J. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2017-08-11

The Low Activity Waste (LAW) vitrification facility at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) will generate an aqueous condensate recycle stream (LAW Off-Gas Condensate) from the off-gas system. The plan for disposition of this stream during baseline operations is to send it to the WTP Pretreatment Facility, where it will be blended with LAW, concentrated by evaporation and recycled to the LAW vitrification facility again. The primary reason to recycle this stream is so that the semi-volatile 99Tc isotope eventually becomes incorporated into the glass. This stream also contains non-radioactive salt components that are problematic in the melter, so diversion of this stream to another process would eliminate recycling of these salts and would enable simplified operation of the LAW melter and the Pretreatment Facilities. This diversion from recycling this stream within WTP would have the effect of decreasing the LAW vitrification mission duration and quantity of glass waste. The concept being tested here involves removing the ⁹⁹Tc so that the decontaminated aqueous stream, with the problematic salts, can be disposed elsewhere.

Test Summary Report Vitrification Demonstration of an Optimized Hanford C-106/AY-102 Waste-Glass Formulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goles, Ronald W.; Buchmiller, William C.; Hymas, Charles R.; MacIsaac, Brett D.

2002-01-01

In order to further the goal of optimizing Hanford?s HLW borosilicate flowsheet, a glass formulation effort was launched to develop an advanced high-capacity waste form exhibiting acceptable leach and crystal formation characteristics. A simulated C-106/AY-102 waste envelop inclusive of LAW pretreatment products was chosen as the subject of these nonradioactive optimization efforts. To evaluate this optimized borosilicate waste formulation under continuous dynamic vitrification conditions, a research-scale Joule-heated ceramic melter was used to demonstrate the advanced waste form?s flowsheet. The main objectives of this melter test was to evaluate (1) the processing characteristics of the newly formulated C-106/AY-102 surrogate melter-feed stream, (2) the effectiveness of sucrose as a glass-oxidation-state modifier, and (3) the impact of this reductant upon processing rates

A Strategy for Maintenance of the Long-Term Performance Assessment of Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Glass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryan, Joseph V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Freedman, Vicky L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-09-28

Approximately 50 million gallons of high-level radioactive mixed waste has accumulated in 177 buried single- and double-shell tanks at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State as a result of the past production of nuclear materials, primarily for defense uses. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is proceeding with plans to permanently dispose of this waste. Plans call for separating the tank waste into high-level waste (HLW) and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions, which will be vitrified at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Principal radionuclides of concern in LAW are 99Tc, 129I, and U, while non-radioactive contaminants of concern are Cr and nitrate/nitrite. HLW glass will be sent off-site to an undetermined federal site for deep geological disposal while the much larger volume of immobilized low-activity waste will be placed in the on-site, near-surface Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF).

Nuclear waste management technical support in the developmnt of nuclear waste form criteria for the NRC. Task 5. National waste package program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, M.S.

1982-02-01

This report assesses the need for a centrally organized waste package effort and whether the present national program meets those needs. It is the conclusion of the BNL staff that while the DOE has in principle organized a national effort to develop high-integrity waste packages for geologic disposal of high level waste, the effort has not yet produced data to demonstrate that a waste package will comply with NRC's criteria. The BNL staff feels, however, that such a package is achievable either by development of high integrity components which by themselves could comply with 1000-year containment or by the development of new waste package designs that could comply with both the containment and the controlled release criteria in the 10CFR 60 performance objectives. In terms of waste forms, high-integrity components such as pyrolytic carbon coated waste and radioactive glass coated with non-radioactive glass offer higher potential than normal borosilicate waste glass. The existing container research program has yet to produce the data base on which to assess the potential of a container material to contain the waste for 1000 years. However, there may be the potential, based on Swedish calculations and work done on titanium in the DOE program, that Ti or its alloys may satisfy this criterion. Existing data on natural backfills will not be acceptable as the sole source for satisfying containment and the long-term release rate criteria. However, a synthetic zeolite system is an example of a backfill with a potential to satisfy both criteria. In this particular case, it is the BNL staff's opinion that existing technology and data for this system indicate that major development programs may not be required to qualify this material for licensing applications. The most likely means available for satisfying 10 CFR 60 with a single package component is through the performance of a discrete backfill

In-situ thermoelectric stabilization of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brouns, R.A.; Timmerman, C.L.

1982-02-01

A new process for stabilizing buried radioactive wastes without exhumation is being developed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). The process, known as in situ vitrification, converts waste and contaminated soil to a durable glass and crystalline material by passing an electric current between electrodes placed in the ground. Joule heating created by the flowing current has generated temperatures over 1700 0 C which cause the soil to melt and dissolve or encapsulate the wastes. Engineering-scale tests conducted in the laboratory have melted approximately 45 kgs (30 liters) of soil at a time by this technique. Encouraging results from these engineering-scale tests led to the design and construction of a pilot-scale field test unit which has solidified approximately 9000 kg of simulated contaminated soil per test. Test results and evaluations to date have been very promising. No detectable migration of hazardous species into uncontaminated soil has been found, and volatilization during melting has been very low. Leach studies have found the vitrified soil to be a highly durable waste form similar to pyrex glass. Electrical power costs to solidify a disposal site have been calculated at less than $70 per cubic meter ($2/ft 3 ) of waste. Future activities include both radioactive and nonradioactive pilot and large-scale tests

Development of Simulants to Support Mixing Tests for High Level Waste and Low Activity Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EIBLING, RUSSELLE.

2004-01-01

The objectives of this study were to develop two different types of simulants to support vendor agitator design studies and mixing studies. The initial simulant development task was to develop rheologically-bounding physical simulants and the final portion was to develop a nominal chemical simulant which is designed to match, as closely as possible, the actual sludge from a tank. The physical simulants to be developed included a lower and upper rheologically bounded: pretreated low activity waste (LAW) physical simulant; LAW melter feed physical simulant; pretreated high level waste (HLW) physical simulant; HLW melter feed physical simulant. The nominal chemical simulant, hereafter referred to as the HLW Precipitated Hydroxide simulant, is designed to represent the chemical/physical composition of the actual washed and leached sludge sample. The objective was to produce a simulant which matches not only the chemical composition but also the physical properties of the actual waste sample. The HLW Precipitated Hydroxide simulant could then be used for mixing tests to validate mixing, homogeneity and representative sampling and transferring issues. The HLW Precipitated Hydroxide simulant may also be used for integrated nonradioactive testing of the WTP prior to radioactive operation

Technical support for GEIS: radioactive waste isolation in geologic formations. Volume 23. Environmental effluent analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-04-01

This volume, Y/OWI/TM-36/23, ''Environmental Effluent Analysis,'' is one of a 23-volume series, ''Technical Support for GEIS: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-36, which supplements the ''Contribution to Drat Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Commercial Waste Management: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-44. The series provides a more complete technical basis for the preconceptual designs, resource requirements, and environmental source terms associated with isolating commercial LWR wastes in underground repositories in salt, granite, shale and basalt. Wastes are considered from three fuel cycles: uranium and plutonium recycling, no recycling of spent fuel and uranium-only recycling. This volume discusses the releases to the environment of radioactive and non-radioactive materials that arise during facility construction and waste handling operations, as well as releases that could occur in the event of an operational accident. The results of the analyses are presented along with a detailed description of the analytical methodologies employed

Handling and treatment of radioactive aqueous wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-07-01

This report aims to provide essential guidance to developing Member States without a nuclear power programme regarding selection, design and operation of cost effective treatment processes for radioactive aqueous liquids arising as effluents from small research institutions, hospitals and industries. The restricted quantities and low activity associated with the relevant wastes will generally permit contact-handling and avoid the need for shielding requirements. The selection of liquid waste treatment involves: Characterization of arising with the possibility of segregation; Discharge requirements for decontaminated liquors, both radioactive and non-radioactive; Available technologies and costs; Conditioning of the concentrates resulting from the treatment; Storage and disposal of the conditioned concentrates. The report will serve as a technical manual providing reference material and direct step-by-step know-how to staff in radioisotope user establishments and research centres in the developing Member States without nuclear power generation. Therefore, emphasis is limited to the simpler treatment facilities, which will be included with only the robust, well-established waste management processes carefully chosen as appropriate to developing countries. 20 refs, 12 figs, 7 tabs

The waste isolation pilot plant: A new regulatory environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frei, M.W.; Schneider, S.P.; Saris, E.C.; Austin, P.W.

1993-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is ready to embark on a multiyear test program, using radioactive waste, at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The WIPP is a deep geologic repository, constructed in ancient salt beds in southeastern New Mexico. It was authorized by Congress in 1979 as a research and development facility to demonstrate safe disposal of the nation's defense transuranic (TRU) waste. Nonradioactive testing in the repository has been under way for several years. The DOE is now ready to begin underground experiments at WIPP with small amounts of TRU waste. Radioactive waste testing in an actual repository environment will reduce uncertainties associated with predictions of long-term repository performance. However, the authority for DOE to begin this new phase of the test program no longer resides within the department. The WIPP is now subject to a new level of regulatory oversight by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies, as set forth by Public Law 102-579, the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act, signed by the President on October 30, 1992. This paper discusses the act's new regulatory requirements for WIPP

FTIR fiber optic methods for the analysis of Hanford Site waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebagay, T.V.; Cash, R.J.; Dodd, D.A.

1995-06-01

Sampling and chemical characterization of mixed high-level waste stored in underground tanks at the Hanford Site is currently in progress. Waste tank safety concerns have provided impetus to analyze this waste. A major safety issue is the possibility of significant concentrations of fuel (ferrocyanide and/or organic compounds) in contact with oxidizers (nitrates and nitrites). It is postulated that under dry conditions and elevated temperatures, ferrocyanide- and/or organic-bearing wastes could undergo rapid exothermic reactions. To maintain the tanks in a safe condition, data are needed on the moisture and fuel concentrations in the waste. Because of the highly radioactive nature of the waste, non-radioactive waste simulants mimicking actual waste are used to provide an initial basis for identifying realistic waste tank safety concerns. Emphasis has been placed on the use of new or existing Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)-based systems with potential for field or tank deployment to perform in situ remote waste characterization. Near-infrared diffuse reflectance and mid-infrared attenuated total reflectance fiber optic probes coupled to a Bio-Rad FTS 60A spectrometry system have been evaluated. The near-infrared diffuse reflectance fiber probe system has also been used for preliminary screening of the moisture content and chemical composition of actual Hanford Site waste tank waste core samples. The attributes of this method for analyzing actual radioactive waste are discussed

Development and testing of prototype alpha waste incinerator off-gas systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freed, E.J.; Becker, G.W.

1982-01-01

A test program is in progress at Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) to confirm and develop incinerator design technology for an SRP production Alpha Waste Incinerator (AWI) to be built in the mid-1980's. The Incinerator Components Test Facility (ICTF) is a full-scale (5 kg/h), electrically heated, controlled-air prototype incinerator built to burn nonradioactive solid waste. The incinerator has been operating successfully at SRL since March 1979 and has met or exceeded all design criteria. During the first 1-1/2 years of operation, liquid scrubbers were used to remove particulates and hydrochloric acid from the incinerator exhaust gases. A dry off-gas system is currently being tested to provide data to Savannah River Plant's proposed AWI

Rethinking the Hanford Tank Waste Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, F. L.; Clark, D. E.; Morcos, N.

2002-01-01

The program to treat and dispose of the highly radioactive wastes stored in underground tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford site has been studied. A strategy/management approach to achieve an acceptable (technically sound) end state for these wastes has been developed in this study. This approach is based on assessment of the actual risks and costs to the public, workers, and the environment associated with the wastes and storage tanks. Close attention should be given to the technical merits of available waste treatment and stabilization methodologies, and application of realistic risk reduction goals and methodologies to establish appropriate tank farm cleanup milestones. Increased research and development to reduce the mass of non-radioactive materials in the tanks requiring sophisticated treatment is highly desirable. The actual cleanup activities and milestones, while maintaining acceptable safety standards, could be more focused on a risk-to-benefit cost effectiveness, as agreed to by the involved stakeholders and in accordance with existing regulatory requirements. If existing safety standards can be maintained at significant cost savings under alternative plans but with a change in the Tri-Party Agreement (a regulatory requirement), those plans should be carried out. The proposed strategy would also take advantage of the lessons learned from the activities and efforts in the first phase of the two-phased cleanup of the Hanford waste tank farms

Nonradioactive Air Emissions Notice of Construction use of a portable exhauster on 241-A-101 tank during salt well pumping and other routine activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hays, C.B.

1996-01-01

The 241-A-101 tank, a 22.9 meter 3,785,400 liter capacity SST, was constructed from the fourth generation of tank designs, which were capable of holding boiling or self-concentrating waste. Construction features a reinforced concrete shell, dome, and base with a mild steel liner covering the bottom and sidewalls. The tank has a flat bottom with a usable waste depth of approximately 9.4 meters. The tank was put into service in 1956 to store plutonium-uranium extraction (PUREX) high-level waste and organic wash waste. The waste was allowed to self-concentrate up until 1968. Tank sluicing was performed in 1969 and again in 1976 to reduce the amount of strontium and cesium, the two isotopes found to be the main heat generating sources in the tank. In 1978, the tank was reassigned for saltcake storage. The tank was taken out of service in November 1980 and partially isolated in 1982. Salt well pumping is a method used to interim stabilize SSTS. Interim stabilization is commenced once all the liquid above the solids has been removed (primary stabilization). Interim stabilization removes the gravity drainable liquid and the interstitial liquid between the solids from the SST and transfers the liquid to a double-shell tank (DST) or to a staging double-contained receiver tank (DCRT), which is subsequently transferred to a DST. Pumping is accomplished at very low flow rates, 15.1 liters per minute or less. Normally, salt well pumping is performed without the need of an exhauster. However, recent safety evaluations concluded that a minimum exhaust flow rate of 7.1 cubic meters per minute would be required to enhance the safety of the tank. Therefore, active ventilation will be part of this process for the 241-A-101 tank. This document details the Nonradioactive Air Emissions Notice of Construction for the use of a portable exhauster on Tank 241-A-101 during salt well pumping and other routine activities

Optimization of concrete composition in radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plecas, I.; Peric, A.

1995-01-01

Low and intermediate level waste represents 95% of the total wastes that is conditioned into special concrete containers. Since these containers are to protect radioactive waste safely for about 300 years, the selection and precise control of physical and mechanical characteristics of materials is very important. After volume reduction and valuable components recovery, waste materials have to be conditioned for transport, storage and disposal. Conditioning is the waste management step in which radioactive wastes are immobilized and packed. The immobilization processes involve conversation of the wastes to solid forms that reduce the potential for migration or dispersion of radionuclides from the wastes by natural processes during storage, transport and disposal. The immobilization processes involve the use of various matrices of nonradioactive materials, such as concrete, to fix the wastes as monoliths, usually directly in the waste containers used for subsequent handling. In this paper an optimization of concrete container composition, used for storing radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, is presented. Optimization was performed on the composition of the concrete that is used in the container production. In experiments, the authors tried to obtain the best mechanical characteristics of the concrete, varying the weight percentage of the granulate due to its diameter, water-to-cement ratios and type of the cements that were used in preparing the concrete container formulation. Concrete containers, that were optimized in the manner described in this paper, will be in used for the radioactive waste materials final disposal, using the concept of the engineer trench system facilities

Operating limit study for the proposed solid waste landfill at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, D.W.; Wang, J.C.; Kocher, D.C.

1995-06-01

A proposed solid waste landfill at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) would accept wastes generated during normal operations that are identified as non-radioactive. These wastes may include small amounts of radioactive material from incidental contamination during plant operations. A site-specific analysis of the new solid waste landfill is presented to determine a proposed operating limit that will allow for waste disposal operations to occur such that protection of public health and the environment from the presence of incidentally contaminated waste materials can be assured. Performance objectives for disposal were defined from existing regulatory guidance to establish reasonable dose limits for protection of public health and the environment. Waste concentration limits were determined consistent with these performance objectives for the protection of off-site individuals and inadvertent intruders who might be directly exposed to disposed wastes. Exposures of off-site individuals were estimated using a conservative, site-specific model of the groundwater transport of contamination from the wastes. Direct intrusion was analyzed using an agricultural homesteader scenario. The most limiting concentrations from direct intrusion or groundwater transport were used to establish the concentration limits for radionuclides likely to be present in PGDP wastes.

Operating limit study for the proposed solid waste landfill at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D.W.; Wang, J.C.; Kocher, D.C.

1995-06-01

A proposed solid waste landfill at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) would accept wastes generated during normal operations that are identified as non-radioactive. These wastes may include small amounts of radioactive material from incidental contamination during plant operations. A site-specific analysis of the new solid waste landfill is presented to determine a proposed operating limit that will allow for waste disposal operations to occur such that protection of public health and the environment from the presence of incidentally contaminated waste materials can be assured. Performance objectives for disposal were defined from existing regulatory guidance to establish reasonable dose limits for protection of public health and the environment. Waste concentration limits were determined consistent with these performance objectives for the protection of off-site individuals and inadvertent intruders who might be directly exposed to disposed wastes. Exposures of off-site individuals were estimated using a conservative, site-specific model of the groundwater transport of contamination from the wastes. Direct intrusion was analyzed using an agricultural homesteader scenario. The most limiting concentrations from direct intrusion or groundwater transport were used to establish the concentration limits for radionuclides likely to be present in PGDP wastes

Approach to defining de minimis, intermediate, and other classes of radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, J.J.; Smith, C.F.

1986-01-01

This study has developed a framework within which the complete spectrum of radioactive wastes can be defined. An approach has been developed that reflects both concerns in the framework of a radioactive waste classification system. In this approach, the class of any radioactive waste stream is dependent on its degree of radioactivity and its persistence. To be consistent with conventional systems, four waste classes are defined. In increasing order of concern due to radioactivity and/or duration, these are: 1. De Minimis Wastes: This waste has such a low content of radioactive material that it can be considered essentially nonradioactive and managed according to its nonradiological characteristics. 2. Low-Level Waste (LLW): Maximum concentrations for wastes considered to be in this class are prescribed in 10CFR61 as wastes that can be disposed of by shallow land burial methods. 3. Intermediate Level Waste (ILW): This category defines a class of waste whose content exceeds class C (10CFR61) levels, yet does not pose a sufficient hazard to justify management as a high-level waste (i.e., permanent isolation by deep geologic disposal). 4. High-Level Waste: HLW poses the most serious management problem and requires the most restrictive disposal methods. It is defined in NWPA as waste derived from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel and/or as highly radioactive wastes that require permanent isolation

Destructive and non-destructive tests for radioactive waste packages Task 3 Characterization of radioactive waste forms. A series of final reports (1985-89) No 43

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odoj, R.

1991-01-01

On the basis of preliminary waste acceptance requirements quality control of radioactive waste has to be performed prior to interim storage or final disposal. The quality control can either be achieved by random tests on conditioned radioactive waste packages or by process qualification of the conditioning processes. One of the most important criteria is the activity of the radioactive waste product or packages. To get some first information on the waste package γ-spectrometric measurement is performed as non-destructive test. Besides the γ-emitting nuclides the α and β-emitting nuclides can be estimated by calculation if the waste was generated in nuclear power plants and the nuclide relations are known. If the non-destructive determination of nuclides is not sufficient or the non-radioactive content of the waste packages has to be identified sampling from the waste packages has to be performed. This can best be done by core drilling. To avoid the need of water for cooling the drill head, air cooled core drilling is investigated. As mixed wastes is not allowed for final disposal the determination of possible organic toxic materials like PCB, dioxin and furane-compounds in cemented wastes is conducted by GC-MS-investigations. For getting more knowledge in the field of process qualification concerning super compaction, instrumentation of the super compaction process is investigated and tested

The role of performance assessment in the evaluation of remedial action alternatives for the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rood, A.S.; Case, M.J.

1988-01-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) is operated by the Department of Energy (DOE) and is involved in nuclear research and development. The Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at the INEL serves as a disposal facility for low level radioactive wastes generated onsite. Transuranic (TRU) wastes received from other DOE sites are currently stored at the RWMC, but were buried at the facility from 1952 until 1970. Recent findings of the Subsurface Investigations Program have determined that migration of TRU nuclides and hazardous materials from the RWMC has occurred. The primary source of organics in the buried TRU waste was generated by the Rocky Flats Plant. The INEL has proposed an aggressive four-year action plan for buried TRU waste. As a part of this plan, a task has been identified to evaluate existing remedial technologies for preventing further contaminant migration or removing the source of TRU radionuclides and nonradioactive hazardous material from the RWMC. A systems approach is being applied to evaluate, compare and recommend technologies or combinations of technologies. One criterion used in the evaluation is the net risk reduction afforded by each proposed remedial action. The method used to develop the criterion relies on models to assess the potential pathways and scenarios for the migration of radioactive and nonradioactive materials and the subsequent exposure of individuals to those materials. This paper describes the approach used to assess the performance of various remedial actions and the results obtained to date

Durability, mechanical, and thermal properties of experimental glass-ceramic forms for immobilizing ICPP high level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinjamuri, K.

1990-01-01

The high-level liquid waste generated at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) is routinely solidified into granular calcined high-level waste (HLW) and stored onsite. Research is being conducted at the ICPP on methods of immobilizing the HLW, including developing a durable glass-ceramic form which has the potential to significantly reduce the final waste volume by up to 60% compared to a glass form. Simulated, pilot plant, non-radioactive, calcines similar to the composition of the calcined HLW and glass forming additives are used to produce experimental glass-ceramic forms. The objective of the research reported in this paper is to study the impact of ground calcine particle size on durability and mechanical and thermal properties of experimental glass-ceramic forms

Conversion of three mixed-waste streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harmer, D.E.; Porter, D.L.; Conley, C.W.

1990-01-01

At the present time, commercial mixed waste (containing both radioactive and hazardous components) is not handled by any disposal site in this country. Thus, a generator of such material is faced with the prospect of separating or altering the nature of the waste components. A chemical or physical separation may be possible. However, if separation fails there remains the opportunity of chemically transforming the hazardous ingredients to non-hazardous substances, allowing disposal at an existing radioactive burial site. Finally, chemical or physical stabilization can be used as a tool to achieve an acceptable waste form lacking the characteristics of mixed waste. A practical application of these principles has been made in the case of certain mixed waste streams at Aerojet Ordnance Tennessee. Three different streams were involved: (1) lead and lead oxide contaminated with uranium, (2) mixed chloride salts including barium chloride, contaminated with uranium, and (3) bricks impregnated with the barium salt mixture. This paper summarizes the approach of this mixed-waste problem, the laboratory solutions found, and the intended field remediations to be followed. Mixture (1), above, was successfully converted to a vitreous insoluble form. Mixture (2) was separated into radioactive and non-radioactive streams, and the hazardous characteristics of the latter altered chemically. Mixture (3) was treated to an extraction process, after which the extractant could be treated by the methods of Mixture (2). Field application of these methods is scheduled in the near future

Sampling and characterization of mixed wastes at the U.S. Department of Energy Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldwin, C.E.; Stakebake, J.L.

1995-01-01

The Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site is a government-owned, contractor-operated facility that is part of the US Department of Energy (DOE) complex. This plant was originally designed and built as a manufacturing facility for the production of nuclear weapons components. Currently, efforts are focused on the treatment and disposal of residues and wastes that were products of these production activities. Federal regulations prohibit the land disposal of untreated radioactive hazardous waste in the same manner as non-radioactive or non-hazardous wastes. A strategy has been developed for achieving compliance with Federal regulations through a process of characterization and treatment. This paper describes the strategy and the methodology used for characterizing radioactive and chemically hazardous wastes. Characterization of four waste forms (fluid-bed incinerator ash, uranium oxide, solidified sludge, and combustibles) is discussed and the results available are presented

Feasibility of using biological degradation for the on-site treatment of mixed wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stringfellow, William T.; Komada, Tatsuyuki; Chang, Li-Yang

2004-01-01

This research was conducted to investigate the feasibility of applying microbial biodegradation as a treatment technology for wastes containing radioactive elements and organic solvents (mixed wastes). In this study, we focused our efforts on the treatment of wastes generated by biomedical research as the result of purifying tritium labeled compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These wastes are typically 80 percent water with 20 percent acetonitrile or methanol or a mixture of both. The objective was to determine the potential of using biodegradation to treat the solvent component of tritiated mixed waste to a concentration below the land disposal restriction standard (1mg/L for acetonitrile). Once the standard is reached, the remaining radioactive waste is no longer classified as a mixed waste and it can then be solidified and placed in a secure landfill. This investigation focused on treating a 10 percent acetonitrile solution, which was used as a non-radioactive surrogate for HPLC waste, in a bioreactor. The results indicated that the biodegradation process could treat this solution down to less than 1 mg/L to meet the land disposal restriction standard

Characterization of the solid radioactive waste from Cernavoda NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iordache, M.; Lautaru, V.; Bujoreanu, D.

2005-01-01

During the operation of a nuclear plant significant quantities of radioactive waste result that have a very large diversity. At Cernavoda NPP large amounts of wastes are either non-radioactive wastes or radioactive wastes, each of these being managed completely different from each other. For a CANDU type reactor, the occurrence of radioactive wastes is due to contamination with the following types of radioactive substances: - fission products resulting from nuclear fuel burning; - activated products from materials composing the technological systems; - activated products in process fluids. Radioactive wastes can be in solid, liquid or gas form. At Cernavoda NPP the solid wastes represent about 70% of the waste volume which is produced during plant operation and as a consequence of maintenance and decontamination operations. The most important types of solid wastes that are obtained and then handled, processed (if necessary) and temporarily stored are: solid low-level radioactive wastes (classified as compactible and non-compactible), solid medium radioactive wastes, spent resins, used filters and filter cartridges. The liquid radioactive waste class includes organic liquids (used oil, scintillator liquids and used solvents) and aqueous wastes resulting from process system operating, from decontamination and maintenance operations. Radioactive gas wastes occur subsequently to the fission process inside the fuel elements as well as due to the neutron activation of process fluids in the reactor systems. As result of plant operation, iodine, noble gases, tritium and radioactive particles occur and are passed toward the ventilation stack in a controlled manner so that environmental release of radioactive materials with concentrations exceeding the maximum permissible level could not occur. (authors)

A study on the safety of radioactive waste incineration facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Y C [Yonsei Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, W J; Lee, B S; Lee, S H [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1994-12-15

The main scope of the project is the selection of some considerable items in design criteria of radioactive waste incineration facilities not only for the protection of workers and residents during operation but also for the safe disposal of ashes after incineration. The technological and regulational status on incineration technologies in domestic and foreign is surveyed and analyzed for providing such basic items which must be contained in the guideline for safe and appropriate design, construction and operation of the facilities. The contents of the project are summarized as follows; surveying the status on incineration technologies for both radioactive and non-radioactive wastes in domestic and foreign, surveying and analysing same related technical standards and regulations in domestic and foreign, picking out main considerable items and proposing a direction of further research.

Engineered barrier development for a nuclear waste repository in basalt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, M.J.

1980-05-01

The BWIP Engineered Barrier Program has been developed to provide an integrated approach to the development of site-specific Engineered Barrier assemblages for a repository located in basalt. The goal of this program is to specify engineered and natural barriers which will ensure that nuclear and non-radioactive hazardous materials emplaced in a repository in basalt do not exceed acceptable rates of release to the biosphere. A wide range of analytical and experimental activities related to the basalt repository environment, waste package environment, waste/barrier/rock interactions, and barrier performance assessment provide the basis for selection of systems capable of meeting licensing requirements. Work has concentrated on specifying and testing natural and man-made materials which can be used to plug boreholes in basalt and which can be used as multiple barriers to surround nuclear waste forms and containers. The Engineered Barriers Program is divided into two major activities: multiple barrier studies and borehole plugging. 8 figures, 4 tables

Resource Management Plan for the US Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation. Volume 15, Appendix P: waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, B.A.

1984-07-01

Since their inception, the DOE facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation have been the source of a variety of airborne, liquid, and solid wastes which are characterized as nonhazardous, hazardous, and/or radioactive. The major airborne releases come from three primary sources: steam plant emissions, process discharge, and cooling towers. Liquid wastes are handled in various manners depending upon the particular waste, but in general, major corrosive waste streams are neutralized prior to discharge with the discharge routed to holding or settling ponds. The major solid wastes are derived from construction debris, sanitary operation, and radioactive processes, and the machining operations at Y-12. Nonradioactive hazardous wastes are disposed in solid waste storage areas, shipped to commercial disposal facilities, returned in sludge ponds, or sent to radioactive waste burial areas. The radioactive-hazardous wastes are treated in two manners: storage of the waste until acceptable disposal options are developed, or treatment of the waste to remove or destroy one of the components prior to disposal. 5 references, 4 figures, 13 tables

Progress report on safety research of high-level waste management for the period April 1986 to March 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Haruto; Tashiro, Shingo

1987-08-01

Researches on high-level waste management at the High Level Waste Management Laboratory and the Waste Safety Testing Facility Operation Division of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute in the fiscal year of 1986 are reviewed in the report. Topics in the three sections are as follows: 1) Non-radioactive research has been continued on Synroc irradiation and modellings of waste form leaching. 2) Research results are described in the section of Safety Evaluation for Geological Disposal on engineered barriers, field tests, safety assessment models, migration, natural analogue, seabed disposal and conceptual design of a repository. 3) Adsorption behaviour of plutonium on leach-containers and migration of leached cesium in a rock column are described in the section of Safety Examination of Vitrified Forms in the Hot Cells of WASTEF. (author)

Nuclear waste glass melter: an update of technical progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brouns, R.A.; Hanson, M.S.

1984-08-01

The direct slurry-fed ceramic-lined melter is currently the reference US process for treating defense and civilian high-level liquid waste. Extensive nonradioactive pilot-scale testing at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) and Savannah River Laboratory has proven the process, defined operating parameters, and identified successful equipment design concepts. Programs at PNL continue to support several of the planned US vitrification plants through preparation of equipment designs and flowsheet testing. Current emphasis is on remotization of equipment, radioactive verification testing, and resolution of remaining technical issues. Development of this technology, technical status, and planned development activities are discussed. 9 references, 4 figures

Quality assurance program for environmental assessment of Savannah River Plant waste sites: Environmental information document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Looney, B.B.; King, C.M.; Stephenson, D.E.

1987-03-01

Forty-eight locations were identified that received a variety of radioactive and nonradioactive constituents during the past 35 years including surface impoundments and shallow land burial facilities. Detailed environmental assessments of existing waste disposal areas, as well as new waste disposal techniques and disposition of tritiated water, were completed to air in an evaluation of the low level, mixed and hazardous waste management activities. These assessments result in estimation of risk, or residual risk, posed by each disposal area to various receptors as a function of waste management alternative. For example, at existing waste sites, the closure actions evaluated were waste removal and closure, no waste removal and closure, and no action; several pathways/receptors were considered, including groundwater to river, groundwater to well, atmospheric transport, occupational exposure, direct exposure, and contamination followed by ingestion of crops and meat. Modeling of chemical transport in a variety of media was an integral part of the assessment process. The quality of the models used and the application of these models were assured by an explicit quality assurance program

Non-combustible waste vitrification with plasma torch melter.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, J K; Moon, Y P; Park, B C; Song, M J; Ko, K S; Cho, J M

2001-05-01

Non-combustible radioactive wastes generated from Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) are composed of concrete, glass, asbestos, metal, sand, soil, spent filters, etc. The melting tests for concrete, glass, sand, and spent filters were carried out using a 60 kW plasma torch system. The surrogate wastes were prepared for the tests. Non-radioactive Co and Cs were added to the surrogates in order to simulate the radioactive waste. Several kinds of surrogate prepared by their own mixture or by single waste were melted with the plasma torch system to produce glassy waste forms. The characteristics of glassy waste forms were examined for the volume reduction factor (VRF) and the leach rate. The VRFs were estimated through the density measurement of the surrogates and the glassy waste forms, and were turned out to be 1.2-2.4. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) was used to determine the leach resistance for As, Ba, Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Se, Co, and Cs. The leaching index was calculated using the total content of each element in both the waste forms and the leachant. The TCLP tests resulted in that the leach rates for all elements except Co and Cs were lower than those of the Universal Treatment Standard (UTS) limits. There were no UTS limits for Co and Cs, and their leach rate & index from the experiments were resulted in around 10 times higher than those of other elements.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant simulated RH TRU waste experiments: Data and interpretation pilot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molecke, M.A.; Argueello, G.J.; Beraun, R.

1993-04-01

The simulated, i.e., nonradioactive remote-handled transuranic waste (RH TRU) experiments being conducted underground in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) were emplaced in mid-1986 and have been in heated test operation since 9/23/86. These experiments involve the in situ, waste package performance testing of eight full-size, reference RH TRU containers emplaced in horizontal, unlined test holes in the rock salt ribs (walls) of WIPP Room T. All of the test containers have internal electrical heaters; four of the test emplacements were filled with bentonite and silica sand backfill materials. We designed test conditions to be ''near-reference'' with respect to anticipated thermal outputs of RH TRU canisters and their geometrical spacing or layout in WIPP repository rooms, with RH TRU waste reference conditions current as of the start date of this test program. We also conducted some thermal overtest evaluations. This paper provides a: detailed test overview; comprehensive data update for the first 5 years of test operations; summary of experiment observations; initial data interpretations; and, several status; experimental objectives -- how these tests support WIPP TRU waste acceptance, performance assessment studies, underground operations, and the overall WIPP mission; and, in situ performance evaluations of RH TRU waste package materials plus design details and options. We provide instrument data and results for in situ waste container and borehole temperatures, pressures exerted on test containers through the backfill materials, and vertical and horizontal borehole-closure measurements and rates. The effects of heat on borehole closure, fracturing, and near-field materials (metals, backfills, rock salt, and intruding brine) interactions were closely monitored and are summarized, as are assorted test observations. Predictive 3-dimensional thermal and structural modeling studies of borehole and room closures and temperature fields were also performed

Waste Certification Program Plan for UT-Battelle, LLC at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beierschmitt, K.J.; Downer, K.M.; Hoke, P.B.

2000-01-01

This document defines the waste certification program (WCP) developed and implemented by UT-Battelle, LLC (UT-Battelle) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The WCP applies to all UT-Battelle personnel, it's subcontractors, guests, and visitors that do work at ORNL. This program does not include wastes generated by other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) prime contractors, their employees, or their subcontractors working on this site except by special arrangement. The document describes the program structure, logic, and methodology for certification of UT-Battelle wastes. The purpose of the WCP is to provide assurance that wastes are properly characterized, that adequate information is provided to enable correct U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) classification, and that the programmatic certification requirements and the Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) for receiving organizations/facilities are met. The program meets the waste certification requirements outlined in DO E Order 435.1, ''Radioactive Waste Management,'' in the DOE Performance Objective for Certification of Non-Radioactive Hazardous Waste (DOE, February 1995), and ensures that 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) documentation requirements for waste characterization are met for mixed (both radioactive and hazardous) and hazardous (including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) waste. Program activities are conducted according to ORNL directives and guidance.

A Strategy for Quantifying Radioactive Material in a Low-Level Waste Incineration Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hochel, R.C.

1997-03-01

One of the methods proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the volume reduction and stabilization of a variety of low-level radioactive wastes (LLW) is incineration. Many commercial incinerators are in operation treating both non-hazardous and hazardous wastes. These can obtain volume reductions factors of 50 or more for certain wastes, and produce a waste (ash) that can be easily stabilized if necessary by vitrification or cementation. However, there are few incinerators designed to accommodate radioactive wastes. One has been recently built at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, SC and is burning non-radioactive hazardous waste and radioactive wastes in successive campaigns. The SRS Consolidated Incineration Facility (CIF) is RCRA permitted as a Low Chemical Hazard, Radiological facility as defined by DOE criteria (Ref. 1). Accordingly, the CIF must operate within specified chemical, radionuclide, and fissile material inventory limits (Ref. 2). The radionuclide and fissile material limits are unique to radiological or nuclear facilities, and require special measurement and removal strategies to assure compliance, and the CIF may be required to shut down periodically in order to clean out the radionuclide inventory which builds up in various parts of the facility

CO{sub 2} laser-aided waste incineration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costes, J R; Guiberteau, P [CEA Centre d` Etudes de la Vallee du Rhone, 30 - Marcoule (France). Dept. d` Exploitation du Retraitement et de Demantelement; Caminat, P; Bournot, P

1994-12-31

Lasers are widely employed in laboratories and in certain industrial applications, notably for welding, cutting and surface treatments. This paper describes a new application, incineration, which appears warranted when the following features are required: high-temperature incineration (> 1500 deg C) with close-tolerance temperature control in an oxidizing medium while ensuring containment of toxic waste. These criteria correspond to the application presented here. Following a brief theoretical introduction concerning the laser/surface interaction, the paper describes the incineration of graphite waste contaminated with alpha-emitting radionuclides. Process feasibility has been demonstrated on a nonradioactive prototype capable of incinerating 10 kg{sup -h-1} using a 7 kW CO{sub 2} laser. An industrial facility with the same capacity, designed to operate within the constraints of an alpha-tight glove box environment, is now at the project stage. Other types of applications with similar requirements may be considered. (authors). 3 refs., 7 figs.

Plasma Hearth Process vitrification of DOE low-level mixed waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillins, R.L.; Geimer, R.M.

1995-01-01

The Plasma Hearth Process (PHP) demonstration project is one of the key technology projects in the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Development Mixed Waste Focus Area. The PHP is recognized as one of the more promising solutions to DOE's mixed waste treatment needs, with potential application in the treatment of a wide variety of DOE mixed wastes. The PHP is a high temperature vitrification process using a plasma arc torch in a stationary, refractory lined chamber that destroys organics and stabilizes the residuals in a nonleaching, vitrified waste form. This technology will be equally applicable to low-level mixed wastes generated by nuclear utilities. The final waste form will be volume reduced to the maximum extent practical, because all organics will have been destroyed and the inorganics will be in a high-density, low void-space form and little or no volume-increasing glass makers will have been added. Low volume and high integrity waste forms result in low disposal costs. This project is structured to ensure that the plasma technology can be successfully employed in radioactive service. The PHP technology will be developed into a production system through a sequence of tests on several test units, both non-radioactive and radioactive. As the final step, a prototype PHP system will be constructed for full-scale radioactive waste treatment demonstration

1997 Hanford site report on land disposal restrictions for mixed waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Black, D.G.

1997-04-07

The baseline land disposal restrictions (LDR) plan was prepared in 1990 in accordance with the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (commonly referred to as the Tn-Party Agreement) Milestone M-26-00 (Ecology et al, 1989). The text of this milestone is below. ''LDR requirements include limitations on storage of specified hazardous wastes (including mixed wastes). In accordance with approved plans and schedules, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) shall develop and implement technologies necessary to achieve full compliance with LDR requirements for mixed wastes at the Hanford Site. LDR plans and schedules shall be developed with consideration of other action plan milestones and will not become effective until approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (or Washington State Department of Ecology [Ecology]) upon authorization to administer LDRs pursuant to Section 3006 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA). Disposal of LDR wastes at any time is prohibited except in accordance with applicable LDR requirements for nonradioactive wastes at all times. The plan will include, but not be limited to, the following: Waste characterization plan; Storage report; Treatment report; Treatment plan; Waste minimization plan; A schedule depicting the events necessary to achieve full compliance with LDR requirements; and A process for establishing interim milestones.

1997 Hanford site report on land disposal restrictions for mixed waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Black, D.G.

1997-01-01

The baseline land disposal restrictions (LDR) plan was prepared in 1990 in accordance with the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (commonly referred to as the Tn-Party Agreement) Milestone M-26-00 (Ecology et al, 1989). The text of this milestone is below. ''LDR requirements include limitations on storage of specified hazardous wastes (including mixed wastes). In accordance with approved plans and schedules, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) shall develop and implement technologies necessary to achieve full compliance with LDR requirements for mixed wastes at the Hanford Site. LDR plans and schedules shall be developed with consideration of other action plan milestones and will not become effective until approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (or Washington State Department of Ecology [Ecology]) upon authorization to administer LDRs pursuant to Section 3006 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA). Disposal of LDR wastes at any time is prohibited except in accordance with applicable LDR requirements for nonradioactive wastes at all times. The plan will include, but not be limited to, the following: Waste characterization plan; Storage report; Treatment report; Treatment plan; Waste minimization plan; A schedule depicting the events necessary to achieve full compliance with LDR requirements; and A process for establishing interim milestones

Alternative Electrochemical Salt Waste Forms, Summary of FY11-FY12 Results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riley, Brian J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Mccloy, John S. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Crum, Jarrod V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lepry, William C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Rodriguez, Carmen P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Windisch, Charles F. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Matyas, Josef [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Westman, Matthew P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Rieck, Bennett T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lang, Jesse B. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Olszta, Matthew J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Pierce, David A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2014-01-17

The Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, is currently investigating alternative waste forms for wastes generated from nuclear fuel processing. One such waste results from an electrochemical separations process, called the “Echem” process. The Echem process utilizes a molten KCl-LiCl salt to dissolve the fuel. This process results in a spent salt containing alkali, alkaline earth, lanthanide halides and small quantities of actinide halides, where the primary halide is chloride with a minor iodide fraction. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is concurrently investigating two candidate waste forms for the Echem spent-salt: high-halide minerals (i.e., sodalite and cancrinite) and tellurite (TeO2)-based glasses. Both of these candidates showed promise in fiscal year (FY) 2009 and FY2010 with a simplified nonradioactive simulant of the Echem waste. Further testing was performed on these waste forms in FY2011 and FY2012 to assess the possibility of their use in a sustainable fuel cycle. This report summarizes the combined results from FY2011 and FY2012 efforts.

Screening for mutations in human alpha-globin genes by nonradioactive single-strand conformation polymorphism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge S.B.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Point mutations and small insertions or deletions in the human alpha-globin genes may produce alpha-chain structural variants and alpha-thalassemia. Mutations can be detected either by direct DNA sequencing or by screening methods, which select the mutated exon for sequencing. Although small (about 1 kb, 3 exons and 2 introns, the alpha-globin genes are duplicate (alpha2 and alpha1 and highy G-C rich, which makes them difficult to denature, reducing sequencing efficiency and causing frequent artifacts. We modified some conditions for PCR and electrophoresis in order to detect mutations in these genes employing nonradioactive single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP. Primers previously described by other authors for radioactive SSCP and phast-SSCP plus denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis were here combined and the resultant fragments (6 new besides 6 original per alpha-gene submitted to silver staining SSCP. Nine structural and one thalassemic mutations were tested, under different conditions including two electrophoretic apparatus (PhastSystem(TM and GenePhor(TM, Amersham Biosciences, different polyacrylamide gel concentrations, run temperatures and denaturing agents, and entire and restriction enzyme cut fragments. One hundred percent of sensitivity was achieved with four of the new fragments formed, using the PhastSystem(TM and 20% gels at 15ºC, without the need of restriction enzymes. This nonradioactive PCR-SSCP approach showed to be simple, rapid and sensitive, reducing the costs involved in frequent sequencing repetitions and increasing the reliability of the results. It can be especially useful for laboratories which do not have an automated sequencer.

Beyond low-level activity: On a 'non-radioactive' gas mantle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poljanc, Karin; Steinhauser, Georg; Sterba, Johannes H.; Buchtela, Karl; Bichler, Max

2007-01-01

Gas mantles for camping gas lanterns sometimes contain thorium compounds. During the last years, the use of thorium-free gas mantles has become more and more popular due to the avoidance of a radioactive heavy metal. We investigated a gas mantle type that is declared to be 'non-radioactive' and that can be bought in Austria at the moment. Methods used were Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), γ-spectroscopy, and Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC). We found massive thorium contents of up to 259 mg per gas mantle. Leaching experiments showed that only 0.4% of the Th but approximately 90% of the decay products of 232 Th can be leached under conditions simulating sucking and chewing with human saliva. In this paper, the investigation of these gas mantles including the consideration of the environmental hazard caused by disposed mantles and the health hazard for unsuspecting consumers is presented and legal consequences are discussed for this fraud

Development of simulated tank wastes for the US Department of Energy's Underground Storage Tank Integrated Demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmore, M.R.; Colton, N.G.; Jones, E.O.

1992-08-01

The purpose of the Underground Storage Tank Integrated Demonstration (USTID) is to identify and evaluate technologies that may be used to characterize, retrieve, treat, and dispose of hazardous and radioactive wastes contained in tanks on US Department of Energy sites. Simulated wastes are an essential component of the evaluation process because they provide controlled samples for technology assessment, and minimize costs and risks involved when working with radioactive wastes. Pacific Northwest Laboratory has developed a recipe to simulate Hanford single-shell tank, (SST) waste. The recipe is derived from existing process recipes, and elemental concentrations are based on characterization data from 18 SSTs. In this procedure, salt cake and metal oxide/hydroxide sludge are prepared individually, and mixed together at varying ratios depending on the specific tank, waste to be simulated or the test being conducted. Elemental and physical properties of the stimulant are comparable with analyzed tank samples, and chemical speciation in the simulant is being improved as speciation data for actual wastes become available. The nonradioactive chemical waste simulant described here is useful for testing technologies on a small scale

Evaporation studies on Oak Ridge National Laboratory liquid low-level waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fowler, V.L. [PAI Corp., Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Perona, J.J. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1993-03-01

Evaporation studies were performed with Melton Valley storage tank liquid low-level radioactive waste concentrate and with surrogates (nonradioactive) to determine the feasibility of a proposed out-of-tank-evaporation project. Bench-scale tests indicated that volume reductions ranging from 30 to 55% could be attained. Vendor-site tests were conducted (with surrogate waste forms) using a bench-scale single-stage, low-pressure (subatmospheric), low-temperature (120 to 173{degree}F) evaporator similar to units in operation at several nuclear facilities. Vendor tests were successful; a 30% volume reduction was attained with no crystallization of solids and no foaming, as would be expected from a high pH solution. No fouling of the heat exchanger surfaces occurred during these tests. It is projected that 52,000 to 120,000 gal of water could be evaporated from the supernate stored in the Melton and Bethel Valley liquid low-level radioactive waste (LLLW) storage tanks with this type of evaporator.

Investigation of variable compositions on the removal of technetium from Hanford Waste Treatment Plant low activity waste melter off-gas condensate simulant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor-Pashow, Kathryn M. L. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); McCabe, Daniel J. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Pareizs, John M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2017-03-29

The Low Activity Waste (LAW) vitrification facility at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) will generate an aqueous condensate recycle stream (LAW Off-Gas Condensate) from the offgas system. The plan for disposition of this stream during baseline operations is to send it to the WTP Pretreatment Facility, where it will be blended with LAW, concentrated by evaporation and recycled to the LAW vitrification facility again. The primary reason to recycle this stream is so that the semi-volatile ⁹⁹Tc isotope eventually becomes incorporated into the glass. This stream also contains non-radioactive salt components that are problematic in the melter, so diversion of this stream to another process would eliminate recycling of these salts and would enable simplified operation of the LAW melter and the Pretreatment Facilities. This diversion from recycling this stream within WTP would have the effect of decreasing the LAW vitrification mission duration and quantity of glass waste. The concept being tested here involves removing the ⁹⁹Tc so that the decontaminated aqueous stream, with the problematic salts, can be disposed elsewhere.

Definition and preparation of glassy matrices by innovating processes to confine radioactive wastes and industrial toxic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moncouyoux, J.P.

1995-01-01

The confinement by vitrification of high-level radioactive wastes is studied in the CEA for fifteen years. These studies have lead to the preparation of glassy matrices by innovating processes. These processes can be applied to non-radioactive toxic materials treatment too. In this work are more particularly described the glassy matrix long-dated behaviour and the different vitrification processes used (by direct induction in cold crucible, by transferred arc plasma). (O.L.). 1 tab

Use of Eichornia crassipes for treatment of low level liquid radioactive waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hafez, N.; Ramadan, Y.S.; Hassanin, R.A.; Gafez, M.B. (Atomic Energy Authority, Hot Lab. Center, Cairo (Egypt))

1993-01-01

Radioactive and non-radioactive isotopes of cobalt, cerium and cesium were found to be accumulated inside Eichornia crassipes (the water hyacinth). The rate and extent of accumulation were dependent upon environmental parameters such as pH, temperature and interference by certain anions and cations. The accumulation rate of radioactive isotopes inside Eichornia crassipes, were more rapid than non-active ions. The results showed that accumulation of such metals inside the plant could be used successfully in the treatment of low-level liquid radioactive wastes. (author) 4 figs., 2 tabs., 15 refs.

Use of Eichornia crassipes for treatment of low level liquid radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafez, N.; Ramadan, Y.S.; Hassanin, R.A.; Gafez, M.B.

1993-01-01

Radioactive and non-radioactive isotopes of cobalt, cerium and cesium were found to be accumulated inside Eichornia crassipes (the water hyacinth). The rate and extent of accumulation were dependent upon environmental parameters such as pH, temperature and interference by certain anions and cations. The accumulation rate of radioactive isotopes inside Eichornia crassipes, were more rapid than non-active ions. The results showed that accumulation of such metals inside the plant could be used successfully in the treatment of low-level liquid radioactive wastes. (author) 4 figs., 2 tabs., 15 refs

Evaluation of process alternatives for solidification of the West Valley high-level liquid wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holton, L.K.; Larson, D.E.

1982-01-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) established the West Valley Solidification Project (WVSP) in 1980. The project purpose is to demonstrate removal and solidification of the high-level liquid wastes (HLLW) presently stored in tanks at the Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC), West Valley, New York. As part of this effort, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) conducted a study to evaluate process alternatives for solidifcation of the WNYNSC wastes. Two process approaches for waste handling before solidification, together with solidification processes for four terminal and four interim waste forms, were considered. The first waste-handling approach, designated the salt/sludge separation process, involves separating the bulk of the nonradioactive nuclear waste constituents from the radioactive waste constituents, and the second waste-handling approach, designated the combined-waste process, involves no waste segregation prior to solidification. The processes were evaluated on the bases of their (1) readiness for plant startup by 1987, (2) relative technical merits, and (3) process cost. The study has shown that, based on these criteria, the salt/sludge separation process with a borosilicate glass waste form is preferred when producing a terminal waste form. It was also concluded that if an interim waste form is to be used, the preferred approach would be the combined waste process with a fused-salt waste form

Characterization of the solid radioactive waste From Cernavoda NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iordache, M.; Laotaru, V.

2005-01-01

Full text: During the operation of a nuclear plant significant quantities of radioactive waste result that have a very large diversity. At Cernavoda NPP large amounts of wastes are either non-radioactive wastes or radioactive wastes, each of these being managed completely different from which other. For a CANDU type reactor, the appearance of radioactive wastes is due to contamination with the following types of radioactive substances: - fission products resulting from nuclear fuel burning; - activated products from materials composing the technological systems; - activated products in process fluids. Radioactive wastes can be in solid, liquid or gas form. At Cernavoda NPP the solid wastes represent about 70% of the waste volume which is produced during plant operation and as a consequence of maintenance and decontamination operations. The most important types of solid wastes that are obtained and then handled, processed (if necessary) and temporarily stored are: solid low-level radioactive wastes (classified as compactible and non-compactible), solid medium radioactive wastes, spent resins, used filters and filter cartridges. The liquid radioactive waste class includes organic liquids (used oil, scintillator liquids and used solvents) and aqueous wastes resulting from process system operating, from decontamination and maintenance operations. Radioactive gas wastes occur subsequently to the fission process inside the fuel elements as well as due to the neutron activation of process fluids in the reactor systems. As result of plant operation, iodine, noble gases, tritium and radioactive particles occur and are passed toward the ventilation stack in a controlled manner so that environmental release of radioactive materials with concentrations exceeding the maximum permissible level could not occur. (authors)

Remediation and production of low-sludge high-level waste glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramsey, W.G.; Brown, K.G.; Beam, D.C.

1994-01-01

High-level radioactive sludge will constitute 24-28 oxide weight percent of the high-level waste glass produced at the Savannah River Site. A recent melter campaign using non-radioactive, simulated feed was performed with a sludge content considerably lower than 24 percent. The resulting glass was processed and shown to have acceptable durability. However, the durability was lower than predicted by the durability algorithm. Additional melter runs were performed to demonstrate that low sludge feed could be remediated by simply adding sludge oxides. The Product Composition Control System, a computer code developed to predict the proper feed composition for production of high-level waste glass, was utilized to determine the necessary chemical additions. The methodology used to calculate the needed feed additives, the effects of sludge oxides on glass production, and the resulting glass durability are discussed

Radioactive waste from non-licensed activities - identification of waste, compilation of principles and guidance, and proposed system for final management; Radioaktivt avfall fraan icke tillstaandsbunden verksamhet (RAKET) - identifiering av aktuellt avfall, sammanstaellning av relevanta regler och principer, foerslag paa system foer omhaendertagande

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, C.; Pers, K. [Kemakta Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

2001-07-01

Presently national guidelines for the handling of radioactive waste from non-licensed activities are lacking in Sweden. Results and information presented in this report are intended to form a part of the basis for decisions on further work within the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute on regulations or other guidelines on final management and final disposal of this type of waste. An inventory of radioactive waste from non-licensed activities is presented in the report. In addition, existing rules and principles used in Sweden - and internationally - on the handling of radioactive and toxic waste and non-radioactive material are summarized. Based on these rules and principles a system is suggested for the final management of radioactive material from non-licensed activities. A model is shown for the estimation of dose as a consequence of leaching of radio-nuclides from different deposits. The model is applied on different types of waste, e.g. peat ashes, light concrete and low-level waste from a nuclear installation.

Influence of waste solid on nuclide dispersal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seitz, M.G.; Steindler, M.J.

1981-01-01

The method most often considered for permanent disposal of radioactive waste is to incorporate the waste into a solid, which is then placed in a geologic formation. The solid is made of waste and nonradioactive additives, with the formulation selected to produce a durable solid that will minimize the potential for dispersal of the radionuclides. Leach rates of radionuclides incorporated in the solid waste indicate the quantity of radioactivity available for dispersal at any time; but leach rates of stable constituents can be just as important to radionuclide dispersal by groundwater. The constituents of the solid will perturb the chemical character of the groundwater and, thereby, profoundly affect the interaction of radionuclides with the geologic medium. An explicit example of how the solid waste can affect radionuclide dispersal is illustrated by the results of experiments that measure cesium adsorption in the presence of rubidium. The experiments were performed with granulated oolitic limestone that absorbed cesium from groundwater solutions to which various concentrations of stable rubidium chloride had been added. The results are expressed as partition coefficients. Large coefficients indicate strong adsorption by the rock and, hence, slow migration. The partition coefficient for cesium decreases as the rubidium concentration in solution is increased. Because the coeficient for cesium depends on the amount of rubidium in solution, it will depend on the leach rate of rubidium from the solid. Rubidium has no radionuclides of concern for long-term isolation of nuclear waste, so its leach rate from a waste solid is rarely ever reported

Identification of the non-pertechnetate species in Hanford waste tanks, Tc(I) carbonyl complexes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lukens, Wayne W.; Shuh, David K.; Schroeder, Norman C.; Ashley, Kenneth R.

2003-10-16

Immobilization of the high-level nuclear waste stored at the Hanford Reservation has been complicated by the presence of soluble, lower-valent technetium species. Previous work by Schroeder and Blanchard has shown that these species cannot be removed by ion-exchange and are difficult to oxidize. The Tc-K edge XANES spectra of the species in Tanks SY-101 and SY-103 were reported by Blanchard, but they could not be assigned to any known technetium complex. We report that the XANES spectra are most likely those of Tc(I) carbonyl species, especially fac-Tc(CO){sub 3}(gluconate){sup 2-}. This is further supported by EXAFS and {sup 99}Tc-NMR studies in nonradioactive simulants of these tank wastes.

Foaming and Antifoaming and Gas Entrainment in Radioactive Waste Pretreatment and Immobilization Processes. Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasan, Darsh T.

2007-01-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) and Hanford site are in the process of stabilizing millions of gallons of radioactive waste slurries remaining from production of nuclear materials for the Department of Energy (DOE). The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at SRS is currently vitrifying the waste in borosilicate glass, while the facilities at the Hanford site are in the construction phase. Both processes utilize slurry-fed joule-heated melters to vitrify the waste slurries. The DWPF has experienced difficulty during operations. The cause of the operational problems has been attributed to foaming, gas entrainment and the rheological properties of the process slurries. The rheological properties of the waste slurries limit the total solids content that can be processed by the remote equipment during the pretreatment and meter feed processes. Highly viscous material can lead to air entrainment during agitation and difficulties with pump operations. Excessive foaming in waste evaporators can cause carryover of radionuclides and non-radioactive waste to the condensate system. Experimental and theoretical investigations of the surface phenomena, suspension rheology and bubble generation of interactions that lead to foaming and air entrainment problems in the DOE High Level and Low Activity Radioactive Waste separation and immobilization processes were pursued under this project. The first major task accomplished in the grant proposal involved development of a theoretical model of the phenomenon of foaming in a three-phase gas-liquid-solid slurry system. This work was presented in a recently completed Ph.D. thesis (9). The second major task involved the investigation of the inter-particle interaction and microstructure formation in a model slurry by the batch sedimentation method. Both experiments and modeling studies were carried out. The results were presented in a recently completed Ph.D. thesis. The third task involved the use of laser confocal microscopy to study

Operation of a prototype high-level alpha solid waste incinerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hootman, H.E.; Trapp, D.J.; Warren, J.H.; Dworjanyn, L.O.

1979-01-01

A full-scale (5 kg waste/hour) controlled-air incinerator is presently being tested as part of a program to develop technology for incineration of Savannah River Plant solid transuranic wastes. This unit is designed specifically to incinerate relatively small quantities of solid combustible wastes that are contaminated up to 10 5 times the present nominal 10 nCi/g threshold value for such isotopes as 238 Pu, 239 Pu, 242 Cm and 252 Cf. Automatic feed preparation and incinerator operation and control have been incorporated into the design to simulate the future plant design which will minimize operator radiation exposure. Over 250 kg of nonradioactive wastes characteristic of plutonium finishing operations have been incinerated at throughputs exceeding 5 kg/hr for periods up to 6 hours. Safety and reliability were major design objectives. Upon completion of an initial experimental phase to determine process sensitivity and flexibility, the facility will be used to develop bases for the production unit's safety analysis report, technical standards, and operating procedures. An ultimate use of the experimental unit will be the testing of actual production unit components and the training of Savannah River Plant operating personnel

RCRA Part A Permit Application for Waste Management Activities at the Nevada Test Site, Part B Permit Application Hazardous Waste Storage Unit, Nevada Test Site, and Part B Permit Application - Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit (EODU)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

The Area 5 Hazardous Waste Storage Unit (HWSU) was established to support testing, research, and remediation activities at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), a large-quantity generator of hazardous waste. The HWSU, located adjacent to the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS), is a prefabricated, rigid steel-framed, roofed shelter used to store hazardous nonradioactive waste generated on the NTS. No offsite generated wastes are managed at the HWSU. Waste managed at the HWSU includes the following categories: Flammables/Combustibles; Acid Corrosives; Alkali Corrosives; Oxidizers/Reactives; Toxics/Poisons; and Other Regulated Materials (ORMs). A list of the regulated waste codes accepted for storage at the HWSU is provided in Section B.2. Hazardous wastes stored at the HWSU are stored in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) compliant containers, compatible with the stored waste. Waste transfer (between containers) is not allowed at the HWSU and containers remain closed at all times. Containers are stored on secondary containment pallets and the unit is inspected monthly. Table 1 provides the metric conversion factors used in this application. Table 2 provides a list of existing permits. Table 3 lists operational Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) units at the NTS and their respective regulatory status.

RCRA Part A Permit Application for Waste Management Activities at the Nevada Test Site, Part B Permit Application Hazardous Waste Storage Unit, Nevada Test Site, and Part B Permit Application - Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit (EODU)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NSTec Environmental Programs

2010-06-17

The Area 5 Hazardous Waste Storage Unit (HWSU) was established to support testing, research, and remediation activities at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), a large-quantity generator of hazardous waste. The HWSU, located adjacent to the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS), is a prefabricated, rigid steel-framed, roofed shelter used to store hazardous nonradioactive waste generated on the NTS. No offsite generated wastes are managed at the HWSU. Waste managed at the HWSU includes the following categories: Flammables/Combustibles; Acid Corrosives; Alkali Corrosives; Oxidizers/Reactives; Toxics/Poisons; and Other Regulated Materials (ORMs). A list of the regulated waste codes accepted for storage at the HWSU is provided in Section B.2. Hazardous wastes stored at the HWSU are stored in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) compliant containers, compatible with the stored waste. Waste transfer (between containers) is not allowed at the HWSU and containers remain closed at all times. Containers are stored on secondary containment pallets and the unit is inspected monthly. Table 1 provides the metric conversion factors used in this application. Table 2 provides a list of existing permits. Table 3 lists operational Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) units at the NTS and their respective regulatory status.

Separation of technetium from nuclear waste stream simulants. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strauss, S.H.

1995-01-01

The author studied liquid anion exchangers, such as Aliquat-336 nitrate, various pyridinium nitrates, and related salts, so that they may be applied toward a specific process for extracting (partitioning) and recovering 99 TcO 4 - from nuclear waste streams. Many of the waste streams are caustic and contain a variety of other ions. For this reason, the author studied waste stream simulants that are caustic and contain appropriate concentrations of selected, relevant ions. Methods of measuring the performance of the exchangers and extractant systems included contact experiments. Batch contact experiments were used to determine the forward and reverse extraction parameters as a function of temperature, contact time, phase ratio, concentration, solvent (diluent), and other physical properties. They were also used for stability and competition studies. Specifically, the author investigated the solvent extraction behavior of salts of perrhenate (ReO 4 - ), a stable (non-radioactive) chemical surrogate for 99 TcO 4 - . Results are discussed for alternate organic solvents; metalloporphyrins, ferrocenes, and N-cetyl pyridium nitrate as alternate extractant salts; electroactive polymers; and recovery of ReO 4 - and TcO 4 -

The Plasma Hearth Process demonstration project for mixed waste treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geimer, R.; Dwight, C.; McClellan, G.

1994-01-01

The Plasma Hearth Process (PHP) demonstration project is one of the key technology projects in the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Development (OTD) Mixed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP). Testing to date has yielded encouraging results in displaying potential applications for the PHP technology. Early tests have shown that a wide range of waste materials can be readily processed in the PHP and converted to a vitreous product. Waste materials can be treated in their original container as received at the treatment facility, without pretreatment. The vitreous product, when cooled, exhibits excellent performance in leach resistance, consistently exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) requirements. Performance of the Demonstration System during test operations has been shown to meet emission requirements. An accelerated development phase, being conducted at both bench- and pilot-scale on both nonradioactive and radioactive materials, will confirm the viability of the process. It is anticipated that, as a result of this accelerated technology development and demonstration phase, the PHP will be ready for a final field-level demonstration within three years

Materials characterization center workshop on compositional and microstructural analysis of nuclear waste materials. Summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daniel, J.L.; Strachan, D.M.; Shade, J.W.; Thomas, M.T.

1981-06-01

The purpose of the Workshop on Compositional and Microstructural Analysis of Nuclear Waste Materials, conducted November 11 and 12, 1980, was to critically examine and evaluate the various methods currently used to study non-radioactive, simulated, nuclear waste-form performance. Workshop participants recognized that most of the Materials Characterization Center (MCC) test data for inclusion in the Nuclear Waste Materials Handbook will result from application of appropriate analytical procedures to waste-package materials or to the products of performance tests. Therefore, the analytical methods must be reliable and of known accuracy and precision, and results must be directly comparable with those from other laboratories and from other nuclear waste materials. The 41 participants representing 18 laboratories in the United States and Canada were organized into three working groups: Analysis of Liquids and Solutions, Quantitative Analysis of Solids, and Phase and Microstructure Analysis. Each group identified the analytical methods favored by their respective laboratories, discussed areas needing attention, listed standards and reference materials currently used, and recommended means of verifying interlaboratory comparability of data. The major conclusions from this workshop are presented

Estimation of Waste Quantities Using DeCAT-Pro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Taesik; Jung, Hyejin; Oh, Jaeyoung; Kim, Younggook [KHNP CRI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The D and D (Dismantling and Decontamination) is scheduled to get started in June 2022 elapsing five years of cooling spent fuels down. The final site status is postulated as Brown Field and tentative DCGL of less than 0.1 mSv per year to evaluate waste quantities in a conservative manner. The decommissioning strategy was determined the immediate decommissioning whose whole period would be taken for approximately 15 years; pre-decommissioning for two years, spent fuel cool-down for five years, D and D for six years, site remediation for two years. The assumption to dismantle the underground facilities including SSCs is to one meter beneath the ground level and the other facilities remain intact. In addition, non-radioactive concrete wastes would be used to landfill gaps of the remaining facilities. Although there are many assumptions we applied, the methodologies developed and the data produced by this research will play a meaningful role as a good starting point for the Kori-1 decommissioning after its shutdown to logically and reasonably estimate the waste quantity. However it is clear that tenacious efforts should be taken to successfully perform the decommissioning project.

Westinghouse Hanford Company effluent releases and solid waste management report for 1987: 200/600/1100 Areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coony, F.M.; Howe, D.B.; Voigt, L.J.

1988-05-01

The purpose of this report is to fulfill the reporting requirements of US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5484.1, Environmental Protection, Safety, and Health Protection Information Reporting Requirements. Quantities of airborne and liquid wastes discharged by Westinghouse Hanford Company (Westinghouse Hanford) in the 200 Areas, 600 Area, and 1100 Area in 1987 are presented in this report. Also, quantities of solid wastes stored and buried by Westinghouse Hanford in the 200 Areas are presented in this report. The report is also intended to demonstrate compliance with Westinghouse Hanford administrative control limit (ACL) values for radioactive constituents and with applicable guidelines and standards for nonradioactive constituents. The summary of airborne release data, liquid discharge data, and solid waste management data for calendar year (CY) 1987 and CY 1986 are presented in Table ES-1. Data values for 1986 are cited in Table ES-1 to show differences in releases and waste quantities between 1986 and 1987. 19 refs., 3 figs., 19 tabs

Leaching behavior of a simulated bituminized radioactive waste form under deep geological conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakayama, Shinichi; Iida, Yoshihisa; Nagano, Tetsushi; Akimoto, Toshiyuki

2003-01-01

The leaching behavior of a simulated bituminized waste form was studied to acquire data for the performance assessment of the geologic disposal of bituminized radioactive waste. Laboratory-scale leaching tests were performed for radioactive and non-radioactive waste specimens simulating bituminized waste of a French reprocessing company, COGEMA. The simulated waste was contacted with deionized water, an alkaline solution (0.03-mol/l KOH), and a saline solution (0.5-mol/l KCl) under atmospheric and anoxic conditions. The concentrations of Na, Ba, Cs, Sr, Np, Pu, NO 3 , SO 4 and I in the leachates were determined. Swelling of the bituminized waste progressed in deionized water and KOH. The release of the soluble components, Na and Cs, was enhanced by the swelling, and considered to be diffusion-controlled in the swelled layers of the specimens. The release of sparingly soluble components such as Ba and Np was solubility-limited in addition to the progression of leaching. Neptunium, a redox-sensitive element, showed a distinct difference in release between anoxic and atmospheric conditions. The elemental release from the bituminized waste specimens leached in the KCl was very low, which is likely due to the suppression of swelling of the specimens at high ionic strength. (author)

Steam reforming as a method to treat Hanford underground storage tank (UST) wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, J.E.; Kuehne, P.B.

1995-07-01

This report summarizes a Sandia program that included partnerships with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Synthetica Technologies, Inc. to design and test a steam reforming system for treating Hanford underground storage tank (UST) wastes. The benefits of steam reforming the wastes include the resolution of tank safety issues and improved radionuclide separations. Steam reforming destroys organic materials by first gasifying, then reacting them with high temperature steam. Tests indicate that up to 99% of the organics could be removed from the UST wastes by steam exposure. In addition, it was shown that nitrates in the wastes could be destroyed by steam exposure if they were first distributed as a thin layer on a surface. High purity alumina and nickel alloys were shown to be good candidates for materials to be used in the severe environment associated with steam reforming the highly alkaline, high nitrate content wastes. Work was performed on designing, building, and demonstrating components of a 0.5 gallon per minute (gpm) system suitable for radioactive waste treatment. Scale-up of the unit to 20 gpm was also considered and is feasible. Finally, process demonstrations conducted on non-radioactive waste surrogates were carried out, including a successful demonstration of the technology at the 0.1 gpm scale

Incineration of radioactive wastes containing only C-14 and H-3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Corazon M.

1992-01-01

C-14 and H-3 arc popularly used in chemical and biological research institutions in the Philippines. Most of the solid radioactive wastes generated by these institutions consist of combustible materials such as paper and accumulated environmental samples. Liquid wastes usually contain organic substances. The method proposed for managing C-14 and H-3 wastes is incineration which is expected to provide an acceptable means of disposal for C-14 and H-3 and their hazardous organic constituent. In the incineration process) the radioactively contaminated waste will be mixed with non-radioactive combustible wastes to lower the activity concentration and to improve the efficiency of combustion which will be carried out in a locally fabricated drum incinerator. The calculations presented determines the concentration limit for the incinerable wastes and the restriction on specific activity of the particles of the incinerable wastes containing C-14 or H-3 on the basis of the accepted air concentration and on the annual dose limit for an average radiation worker in the country. In the calculations for C-14, considerations were taken on the exposure received from the deposition of radioactive particles in the lungs containing unoxidized carbon. Calculations for H-3, however, is based on the assumption that the concentration of the radionuclide in the body water is the same as that in the environment. (author)

Decomposition for the analysis of radionuclides in solidified cement radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jeong Jin; Pyo, Hyung Yeal; Jee, Kwang Yung; Jeon, Jong Seon

2004-01-01

Spent ion exchange resins make solid radioactive wastes when mixed with cement as solidifying material that was widely used in securing human environment from radionuclides for at least hundreds years. The cumulative increase of low and medium level radioactive wastes results in capacity problem of temporary storage in some NPPs (Nuclear Power Plants) of Korea around 2008. Radioactive wastes are scheduled to be disposed in a permanent disposal facility in accordance with the Korean Radioactive Wastes Management Program. It is mandatory to identify kinds and concentration of radionuclides immobilized for transporting them from temporary storage in NPPs to disposal facility. Accordingly, the effective sample decomposition prior to radiochemical separation is prerequisite to obtain the analytical data about radionuclides in cement waste forms. The closed-vessel microwave digestion technology among several sample preparation methods is taken into account to decompose cement waste forms. In this study, SRM 1880a (Portland cement) which is known for its certified values was used to optimize decomposition condition of cement waste forms containing nonradioactive ion exchange resins from NPP. With such variables as reagents, time, and power, the variation of the transparency and the color of the solution after closed-vessel microwave digestion can be examine. SRM 1880a is decomposed by suggested digestion procedure and the recoveries of constituents were investigated by ICP-AES and AAS

Demonstration of a remotely operated TRU waste size-reduction and material handling process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, J.A. III; Schuler, T.F.; Ward, C.R.

1986-01-01

Noncombustible Pu-238 and Pu-239 waste is generated as a result of normal operation and decommissioning activity at the Savannah River Plant and is being retrievably stored at the site. As part of the long-term plan to process the stored waste and current waste for permanent disposal, a remote size-reduction and material handling process is being tested at Savannah River Laboratory to provide design support for the plant TRU Waste Facility scheduled to be completed in 1993. The process consists of a large, low-speed shredder and material handling system, a remote worktable, a bagless transfer system, and a robotically controlled manipulator, or Telerobot. Initial testing of the shredder and material handling system and a cycle test of the bagless transfer system were completed. Initial Telerobot run-in and system evaluation was completed. User software was evaluated and modified to support complete menu-driven operation. Telerobot prototype size-reduction tooling was designed and successfully tested. Complete nonradioactive testing of the equipment is scheduled to be completed in 1987

The estimation of radiological impact from the disposal of radionuclides with domestic and commercial wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davison, S.

1989-01-01

In the UK, limited quantities of radionuclides are disposed of with non-radioactive domestic and commercial wastes under the terms of Exemption Orders or Authorisations granted by HMIP (Radioactive Substances). This paper presents a methodology and basis for the calculation of individual and collective doses to workers and to members of the public from such disposals. The results of the analysis of the Radioactive Substances (Smoke Detectors) Exemption Order 1980 is included. The paper also describes the implementation of the methodology on a microcomputer. (author)

Characterisation of radioactive waste at Cernavoda NPP Unit 1 during normal operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iordache, M.; Bujoreanu, L.; Popescu, I. V.

2008-01-01

During the operation of a nuclear plant significant quantities of radioactive waste results that have a very large diversity. At Cernavoda NPP the important waste categories are non-radioactive wastes and radioactive wastes, which are manipulated completely different from which other. For a CANDU type reactor, the production of radioactive wastes is due to contamination with the following types of radioactive substances: - fission products resulting from nuclear fuel burning; - activated products of materials which form part of the technological systems; - activated products of process fluids. Radioactive wastes can be in solid, liquid or gas form. At Cernavoda NPP the solid wastes represent about 70% of the waste volume which is produced during plant operation and as a consequence of maintenance and decontamination activities. The most important types of solid wastes that are obtained and then handled, processed (if required) and temporarily stored are: solid low level radioactive wastes (classified as compact and non-compact), solid medium radioactive wastes, spent resins, used filters and filter cartridges. The liquid radioactive waste class includes organic liquids (used oil, scintillator liquids and used solvents) and aqueous wastes resulting from process system operating, decontamination and maintenance operations. Radioactive gas wastes occur subsequent to the fission process inside the fuel elements as well as due to the process fluids neutron activation in the reactor systems. As result of the plant operation, iodine, noble gases, tritium and radioactive particles occur and are passed to the ventilation stack in a controlled manner so that an exceeding of the maximum permissible concentrations of radioactive material to the environment should not occur. (authors)

Application of Molecular Techniques to Elucidate the Influence of Cellulosic Waste on the Bacterial Community Structure at a Simulated Low-Level-Radioactive-Waste Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Field, Erin K.; D'Imperio, Seth; Miller, Amber R.; VanEngelen, Michael R.; Gerlach, Robin; Lee, Brady D.; Apel, William A.; Peyton, Brent M.

2010-01-01

Low-level radioactive waste sites, including those at various U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites, frequently contain cellulosic waste in the form of paper towels, cardboard boxes, or wood contaminated with heavy metals and radionuclides such as chromium and uranium. To understand how the soil microbial community is influenced by the presence of cellulosic waste products, multiple soil samples were obtained from a non-radioactive model low-level waste test pit at the Idaho National Laboratory. Samples were analyzed using 16S rDNA clone libraries and 16S rRNA gene microarray (PhyloChip) analyses. Both the clone library and PhyloChip results revealed changes in the bacterial community structure with depth. In all samples, the PhyloChip detected significantly more unique Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs), and therefore more relative diversity, than the clone libraries. Calculated diversity indices suggest that diversity is lowest in the Fill (F) and Fill Waste (FW) layers and greater in the Wood Waste (WW) and Waste Clay (WC) layers. Principal coordinates analysis and lineage specific analysis determined that Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria phyla account for most of the significant differences observed between the layers. The decreased diversity in the FW layer and increased members of families containing known cellulose degrading microorganisms suggests the FW layer is an enrichment environment for cellulose degradation. Overall, these results suggest that the presence of the cellulosic material significantly influences the bacterial community structure in a stratified soil system.

Detection of adenovirus in nasopharyngeal specimens by radioactive and nonradioactive DNA probes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hyypiae, T.

1985-01-01

The presence of adenovirus DNA in clinical specimens was analyzed by nucleic acid hybridization assays by both radioactive and enzymatic detection systems. The sensitivity of the hybridization tests was in the range of 10 to 100 pg of homologous adenovirus DNA. Minimal background was noticed with unrelated viral and nonviral DNA. Twenty-four nasopharyngeal mucus aspirate specimens, collected from children with acute respiratory infection, were assayed in the hybridization tests and also by an enzyme immunoassay for adenovirus hexon antigen which was used as a reference test. Sixteen specimens positive by the enzyme immunoassay also were positive in the two nucleic acid hybridization tests, and the remaining eight specimens were negative in all of the tests. The results indicate that nucleid acid hybridization tests with both radioactive and nonradioactive probes can be used for diagnosis of microbial infections

Development of in-can melting process and equipment, 1979 and 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petkus, L.L.; Larson, D.E.; Bjorklund, W.J.; Holton, L.K.

1981-09-01

Nonradioactive process testing continued with the in-can melter as part of an investigation into the applicability of this vitrification process to various calcined high-level and incinerator ash radioactive wastes. The investigation in this report concentrated on how waste composition and canister fins affect in-can melter capacity and how waste composition affects glass quality. Process performance proved to be generally satisfactory. Pilot-scale in-can melter runs were performed with synthetic, nonradioactive, high-level wastes to produce eight canisters of glass. The synthetic wastes processed included high-level wastes from Savannah River, West Valley, and ICPP, as well as transuranic ash waste. Full-scale in-can melter runs using nonradioactive materials were also conducted, producing ten canisters of glass. Of the ten canisters, nine contained Savannah River Plant glass and one canister contained glass from synthetic zirconia calcine waste from the ICPP. 11.4 tons of glass was produced in test runs. In the full-scale in-can melter furnace, the baffles separating the six heating zones were removed because of baffle warping. A remotely operated section connecting the spray calciner to the canister was tested. Some problems were encountered with calcine plugging

Determination of acceptable risk criteria for nuclear waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, J.J.

1977-01-01

The initial phase of the work performed during FY 1977 consisted of performing a ''scoping'' study to define issues, determine an optimal methodology for their resolution, and compile a data base for acceptable risk criteria development. The issues, spanning technical, psychological, and ethical dimensions, were categorized in seven major areas: (1) unplanned or accidental events, (2) present vs future risks, (3) institutional controls and retrievability, (4) dose-response mechanism and uncertainty, (5) spatial distribution of exposed populations, (6) different types of nuclear wastes, and (7) public perception. The optimum methodology for developing ARC was determined to be multi-attribute decision analysis encompassing numerous specific techniques for choosing, from among several alternatives, the optimal course of action when the alternatives are constrained to meet specified attributes. The data base developed during the study comprises existing regulations and guidelines, maximum permissible dose, natural geologic hazards, nonradioactive hazardous waste practices, bioethical perspectives, and data from an opinion survey

Determination of acceptable risk criteria for nuclear waste management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, J.J.

1977-10-21

The initial phase of the work performed during FY 1977 consisted of performing a ''scoping'' study to define issues, determine an optimal methodology for their resolution, and compile a data base for acceptable risk criteria development. The issues, spanning technical, psychological, and ethical dimensions, were categorized in seven major areas: (1) unplanned or accidental events, (2) present vs future risks, (3) institutional controls and retrievability, (4) dose-response mechanism and uncertainty, (5) spatial distribution of exposed populations, (6) different types of nuclear wastes, and (7) public perception. The optimum methodology for developing ARC was determined to be multi-attribute decision analysis encompassing numerous specific techniques for choosing, from among several alternatives, the optimal course of action when the alternatives are constrained to meet specified attributes. The data base developed during the study comprises existing regulations and guidelines, maximum permissible dose, natural geologic hazards, nonradioactive hazardous waste practices, bioethical perspectives, and data from an opinion survey.

Status of test results of electrochemical organic oxidation of a tank 241-SY-101 simulated waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colby, S.A.

1994-06-01

This report presents scoping test results of an electrochemical waste pretreatment process to oxidize organic compounds contained in the Hanford Site's radioactive waste storage tanks. Electrochemical oxidation was tested on laboratory scale to destroy organics that are thought to pose safety concerns, using a nonradioactive, simulated tank waste. Minimal development work has been applied to alkaline electrochemical organic destruction. Most electrochemical work has been directed towards acidic electrolysis, as in the metal purification industry, and silver catalyzed oxidation. Alkaline electrochemistry has traditionally been associated with the following: (1) inefficient power use, (2) electrode fouling, and (3) solids handling problems. Tests using a laboratory scale electrochemical cell oxidized surrogate organics by applying a DC electrical current to the simulated tank waste via anode and cathode electrodes. The analytical data suggest that alkaline electrolysis oxidizes the organics into inorganic carbonate and smaller carbon chain refractory organics. Electrolysis treats the waste without adding chemical reagents and at ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. Cell performance was not affected by varying operating conditions and supplemental electrolyte additions

Electrochemical organic destruction in support of Hanford tank waste pretreatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, W.E.; Surma, J.E.; Gervais, K.L.; Buehler, M.F.; Pillay, G.; Schmidt, A.J.

1994-10-01

The US Department of Energy's Hanford Site in Richland, Washington, has 177 underground storage tanks that contain approximately 61 million gallons of radioactive waste. The current cleanup strategy is to retrieve the waste and separate components into high-level and low-level waste. However, many of the tanks contain organic compounds that create concerns associated with tank safety and efficiency of anticipated separation processes. Therefore, a need exists for technologies that can safely and efficiently destroy organic compounds. Laboratory-scale studies conducted during FY 93 have shown proof-of-principle for electrochemical destruction of organics. Electrochemical oxidation is an inherently safe technology and shows promise for treating Hanford complexant concentrate aqueous/ slurry waste. Therefore, in support of Hanford tank waste pretreatment needs, the development of electrochemical organic destruction (ECOD) technology has been undertaken. The primary objective of this work is to develop an electrochemical treatment process for destroying organic compounds, including tank waste complexants. Electroanalytical analyses and bench-scale flow cell testing will be conducted to evaluate the effect of anode material and process operating conditions on the rate of organic destruction. Cyclic voltammetry will be used to identify oxygen overpotentials for the anode materials and provide insight into reaction steps for the electrochemical oxidation of complexants. In addition, a bench-scale flow cell evaluation will be conducted to evaluate the influence of process operating conditions and anode materials on the rate and efficiency of organic destruction using the nonradioactive a Hanford tank waste simulant

Ascorbic acid: Nonradioactive extracellular space marker in canine heart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reil, G.H.; Frombach, R.; Kownatzki, R.; Quante, W.; Lichtlen, P.R.

1987-01-01

The distribution pattern of ascorbic acid and L-[ 14 C]ascorbic acid in myocardial tissue was compared with those of the classical radioactive extracellular space markers [ 3 H]-inulin, [ 3 H]sucrose, and Na 82 Br. A new polarographic techniques was developed for analogue registration of ascorbic acid concentration in coronary venous blood. The kinetic data of the markers were studied in an open-chest canine heart preparation during a constant tracer infusion of up to 9 min. Distribution volumes were calculated based on the mean transit time method of Zierler. The distribution volume of ascorbic acid as well as of L-[ 14 C]ascorbic acid in myocardial tissue agreed closely with those of [ 3 H]inulin and [ 3 H]sucrose as well as 82 Br. The obtained kinetic data confirmed that ascorbic acid exhibits the physicochemical properties of an extracellular space marker, though this compound was shown to leak slowly into myocardial cells. Favorable attributes of this indicator are its low molecular weight, high diffusibility in interstitial fluid, low binding affinity to macromolecules, and high transcapillary as well as low transplasmalemmal penetration rate. Therefore, this nonradioactive marker can be applied in a safe and simple fashion, and without untoward side effects in experimental animals as well as in patients

Regulatory supervision of industrial waste containing very low activities of man-made radionuclides at SevRAO facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sneve, Malgorzata K.; Kochetkov, Oleg; Monastyrskaya, Svetlana; Barchukov, Valerie; Romanov, Vladimir

2008-01-01

Full text: Large amounts of waste and materials with very low activity level are generated during operation and especially during decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Selection of the optimum economic and ecologically safe management option of such material is complicated by its specific features: very low level radiation exposure to individuals but rather large initial amounts of waste. On the one hand, it is a poor use of limited resources to em place such low activity waste into expensive facilities for radioactive waste storage and disposal if the radiological impact would be very small even for a much less expensive option; on the other hand, there is some apprehension regarding safety both about its disposal to landfills for conventional (non-radioactive) waste disposal, and about its limited or unlimited re-use or re-cycling. To regulate such waste management, a special waste category is introduced - very low level waste (VLLW). This category includes waste containing radionuclides with specific activity levels, which are higher than clearance levels, but do not need high containment and isolation. This paper discusses experience of regulatory development for VLLW control during remediation of radiation hazardous facilities in northwest Russia. The work has promoted identification of some challenges, whose solution has affected the waste management strategy at the sites. One of the main problems resolved was the selection of criteria according to which waste is allocated to the VLLW category. These is turn were partly determined by the radiological criteria chosen for protection of the public during this waste disposal. Elaboration of safe VLLW management strategy depends upon a source of waste generation and of its radiological composition. The VLLW management strategy at an operating enterprise, e.g. a nuclear power plant is rather different from the strategy implemented at the plant under decommissioning, or at storage facilities for the legacy waste

Biocompatibility, Inflammatory Response, and Recannalization Characteristics of Nonradioactive Resin Microspheres: Histological Findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilbao, Jose I.; Martino, Alba de; Luis, Esther de; Diaz-Dorronsoro, Lourdes; Alonso-Burgos, Alberto; Martinez de la Cuesta, Antonio; Sangro, Bruno; Garcia de Jalon, Jose A.

2009-01-01

Intra-arterial radiotherapy with yttrium-90 microspheres (radioembolization) is a therapeutic procedure exclusively applied to the liver that allows the direct delivery of high-dose radiation to liver tumors, by means of endovascular catheters, selectively placed within the tumor vasculature. The aim of the study was to describe the distribution of spheres within the precapillaries, inflammatory response, and recannalization characteristics after embolization with nonradioactive resin microspheres in the kidney and liver. We performed a partial embolization of the liver and kidney vessels in nine white pigs. The left renal and left hepatic arteries were catheterized and filled with nonradioactive resin microspheres. Embolization was defined as the initiation of near-stasis of blood flow, rather than total occlusion of the vessels. The hepatic circulation was not isolated so that the effects of reflux of microspheres into stomach could be observed. Animals were sacrificed at 48 h, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks, and tissue samples from the kidney, liver, lung, and stomach evaluated. Microscopic evaluation revealed clusters of 10-30 microspheres (15-30 μm in diameter) in the small vessels of the kidney (the arciform arteries, vasa recti, and glomerular afferent vessels) and liver. Aggregates were associated with focal ischemia and mild vascular wall damage. Occlusion of the small vessels was associated with a mild perivascular inflammatory reaction. After filling of the left hepatic artery with microspheres, there was some evidence of arteriovenous shunting into the lungs, and one case of cholecystitis and one case of marked gastritis and ulceration at the site of arterial occlusion due to the presence of clusters of microspheres. Beyond 48 h, microspheres were progressively integrated into the vascular wall by phagocytosis and the lumen recannalized. Eight-week evaluation found that the perivascular inflammatory reaction was mild. Liver cell damage, bile duct injury, and

Standard practice for analysis of aqueous leachates from nuclear waste materials using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2010-01-01

1.1 This practice is applicable to the determination of low concentration and trace elements in aqueous leachate solutions produced by the leaching of nuclear waste materials, using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). 1.2 The nuclear waste material may be a simulated (non-radioactive) solid waste form or an actual solid radioactive waste material. 1.3 The leachate may be deionized water or any natural or simulated leachate solution containing less than 1 % total dissolved solids. 1.4 This practice should be used by analysts experienced in the use of ICP-AES, the interpretation of spectral and non-spectral interferences, and procedures for their correction. 1.5 No detailed operating instructions are provided because of differences among various makes and models of suitable ICP-AES instruments. Instead, the analyst shall follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the particular instrument. This test method does not address comparative accuracy of different devices...

A generic risk assessment from unrestricted releases for RI waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won-Jae Park; Sang-hoon Park

1993-01-01

It has long been recognized in the nuclear industries and the regulatory body that exemption from the regulatory control for a given practice or source of radioactive materials, which is very low radiation exposure situation where the level of risk to any of the public would be considered as trivial, may be beneficial and practical. Therefore, it is necessary to establish the exempt levels of radioactive wastes for unconditional disposal, incineration, recycle and reuse of slightly contaminated materials. In Korea, from its announcement of the Enforcement Regulation of Atomic Energy Act, the Article 97 (Exemption from Permanent Disposal) for very low-level waste disposal in January 1990, the KINS (Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety) have made their efforts to establish a de minimis level (a level of radioactivity in waste that is sufficiently low that the waste can be disposed of as ordinary, non-radioactive trash) for short-lived radioisotopes commonly used in medical, research institutes and industrial applications and to study the possibility for unrestricted deregulation of those radioisotopes. As one of preliminary works to predict environmental radiological impacts from uncontrolled and unrestricted release of RI waste, an average effective dose to any ordinary individual and a collective dose for total population in Korea was estimated, based on conservative assumptions and Korean specific environment data, by an equilibrium biosphere models with a generic probabilistic risk approach

DEWATERING TREATMENT SCALE-UP TESTING RESULTS OF HANFORD TANK WASTES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

TEDESCHI AR

2008-01-01

This report documents CH2M HILL Hanford Group Inc. (CH2M HILL) 2007 dryer testing results in Richland, WA at the AMEC Nuclear Ltd., GeoMelt Division (AMEC) Horn Rapids Test Site. It provides a discussion of scope and results to qualify the dryer system as a viable unit-operation in the continuing evaluation of the bulk vitrification process. A 10,000 liter (L) dryer/mixer was tested for supplemental treatment of Hanford tank low-activity wastes, drying and mixing a simulated non-radioactive salt solution with glass forming minerals. Testing validated the full scale equipment for producing dried product similar to smaller scale tests, and qualified the dryer system for a subsequent integrated dryer/vitrification test using the same simulant and glass formers. The dryer system is planned for installation at the Hanford tank farms to dry/mix radioactive waste for final treatment evaluation of the supplemental bulk vitrification process

Development and evaluation of a tracer-injection hydrothermal technique for studies of waste package interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, T.E.; Coles, D.G.; Britton, R.C.; Burnell, J.R.

1986-11-01

A tracer-injection system has been developed for use in characterizing reactions of waste package materials under hydrothermal conditions. High-pressure liquid chromatographic instrumentation has been coupled with Dickson-type rocking autoclaves to allow injection of selected components into the hydrothermal fluid while maintaining run temperature and pressure. Hydrothermal experiments conducted using this system included the interactions of depleted uranium oxide and Zircaloy-4 metal alloy discs with trace levels of 99 Tc and non-radioactive Cs and I in a simulated groundwater matrix. After waste-package components and simulated waste forms were pre-conditioned in the autoclave systems (usually 4 to 6 weeks), known quantities of tracer-doped fluids were injected into the autoclaves' gold reaction bag at run conditions. Time-sequenced sampling of the hydrothermal fluid providing kinetic data on the reactions of tracers with waste package materials. The injection system facilitates the design of experiments that will better define ''steady-state'' fluid compositions in hydrothermal reactions. The injection system will also allow for the formation of tracer-bearing solid phases in detectable quantities

Mediated electrochemical oxidation of mixed wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiba, Z.

1993-04-01

The Mediated Electrochemical Oxidation (MEO) process was studied for destroying low-level combustible mixed wastes at Rocky Flats Plant. Tests were performed with non-radioactive surrogate materials: Trimsol for contaminated cutting oils, and reagent-grade cellulose for contaminated cellulosic wastes. Extensive testing was carried out on Trimsol in both small laboratory-scale apparatus and on a large-scale system incorporating an industrial-size electrochemical cell. Preliminary tests were also carried out in the small-scale system with cellulose. Operating and system parameters that were studied were: use of a silver-nitric acid versus a cobalt-sulfuric acid system, effect of electrolyte temperature, effect of acid concentration, and effect of current density. Destruction and coulombic efficiencies were calculated using data obtained from continuous carbon dioxide monitors and total organic carbon (TOC) analysis of electrolyte samples. For Trimsol, the best performance was achieved with the silver-nitrate system at high acid concentrations, temperatures, and current densities. Destruction efficiencies of 99% or greater, and coulombic efficiencies up to 70% were obtained. For the cellulose, high destruction efficiencies and reasonable coulombic efficiencies were obtained for both silver-nitrate and cobalt-sulfate systems

Laboratory characterization and vitrification of Hanford radioactive high-level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tingey, J.M.; Elliott, M.L.; Larson, D.E.; Morrey, E.V.

1991-05-01

Radioactive high-level wastes generated at the Department of Energy's Hanford Site are stored in underground carbon steel tanks. Two double-shell tanks contain neutralized current acid waste (NCAW) from the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel in the Plutonium and Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Plant. The tanks were sampled for characterization and waste immobilization process/product development. The high-level waste generated in PUREX was denitrated with sugar to form current acid waste (CAW). The CAW was ''neutralized'' to a pH of approximately 14 by adding sodium hydroxide to reduce corrosion of the tanks. This ''neutralized'' waste is called Neutralized Current Acid Waste. Both precipitated solids and liquids are stored in the NCAW waste tanks. The NCAW contains small amounts of plutonium and most of the fission products and americium from the irradiated fuel. NCAW also contains stainless steel corrosion products, and iron and sulfate from the ferrous sulfamate reductant used in the PUREX process. The NCAW will be retrieved, pretreated, and immobilized prior to final disposal. Pretreatment consists of water washing the precipitated NCAW solids for sulfate and soluble salts removal as a waste reduction step prior to vitrification. This waste is expected to be the first waste type to be retrieved and vitrified in the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP). A characterization plan was developed that details the processing of the small-volume NCAW samples through retrieval, pretreatment and vitrification process steps. Physical, rheological, chemical, and radiochemical properties were measured throughout these process steps. The results of nonradioactive simulant tests were used to develop appropriate pretreatment and vitrification process steps. The processing and characterization of simulants and actual NCAW tank samples are used to evaluate the operation of these processes. 3 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

The relationship between the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gertz, C.P.; Cloke, P.L.

1993-01-01

This paper addresses the potential applicability of the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to the disposal of spent commercial nuclear fuel and of high-level (vitrified) radioactive waste. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the associated regulations issued by the US NRC provides many requirements that apply to these waste forms and largely, if not entirely, pre-empts the applicability of RCRA. The RCRA would apply only to the non-radioactive components of these wastes, and then only in respect to hazardous components. In view of these restrictions it becomes important to evaluate whether any components of spent fuel or high-level waste are toxic, as defined by the RCRA regulations. Present indications are that they are not and, hence, the US DOE is proceeding on the basis that these wastes and others that may be generated in the future are non-hazardous in respect to RCRA definitions

DEVELOPMENT OF A CAST STONE FORMULATION FOR HANFORD TANK WASTES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

COOKE; ATTERIDGE; AVILA

2005-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site, the location of plutonium production for the US. nuclear weapons program, is the focal point of a broad range of waste remediation efforts. This presentation will describe a test program to develop a ''cast stoney'' formulation for the stabilization of certain Hanford tank wastes (Lockrem 2005). The program consisted of (1) a short series of tests with nonradioactive simulant to select preferred dry reagent formulations (DRF) and determine allowable liquid addition levels, (2) waste form performance testing on cast stone made from the DRF formulations using low-activity waste (LAW) simulant, (3) waste form performance testing on cast stone made from the preferred DRF using LAW, (4) waste form validation testing on a selected nominal cast stone formulation using the preferred DRF and LAW simulant, and (5) technetium ''getter'' testing with cast stone made with LAW simulant and with LAW. In addition, nitrate leaching observations were drawn from nitrate leachability data obtained in the course of waste form performance testing. The nitrate leachability index results are presented along with data on other performance criteria The results of this study led to the selection of a specific DRF. The key attributes of the DRF/waste loading combination considered were presence of ''bleed'' (or free) water, volume change on curing, compressive strength, maximum curing temperature, toxicity characteristic leaching testing, ANSYANS-16.1 (Measurement of the Leachability of Solidified Low-Level Radioactive Wastes by a Short-Term Test Procedure) leachability, and hydraulic conductivity. Important considerations included that the monoliths could be produced using readily available, low-cost reagents. The key results from each of these testing and evaluation activity categories will be summarized

Behavior of radioactive metal surrogates under various waste combustion conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Hee Chul; Lee, Jae Hee; Kim, Jung Guk; Yoo, Jae Hyung; Kim, Joon Hyung

2002-01-01

A laboratory investigation of the behavior of radioactive metals under the various waste combustion atmospheres was conducted to predict the parameters that influence their partitioning behavior during waste incineration. Neodymium, samarium, cerium, gadolinium, cesium and cobalt were used as non-radioactive surrogate metals that are representative of uranium, plutonium, americium, curium, radioactive cesium, and radioactive cobalt, respectively. Except for cesium, all of the investigated surrogate metal compounds converted into each of their stable oxides at medium temperatures from 400 to 900 .deg. C, under oxygen-deficient and oxygen-sufficient atmospheres (0.001-atm and 0.21-atm O 2 ). At high temperatures above 1,400 .deg. C, cerium, neodymium and samarium in the form of their oxides started to vaporize but the vaporization rates were very slow up to 1500 .deg. C. Inorganic chlorine (NaCl) as well as organic chlorine (PVC) did not impact the volatility of investigated Nd 2 O 3 , CoO and Cs 2 O. The results of laboratory investigations suggested that the combustion chamber operating parameters affecting the entrainment of particulate and filtration equipment operating parameters affecting particle collection efficiency be the governing parameters of alpha radionuclides partitioning during waste incineration

Materials performance in a high-level radioactive waste vitrification system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imrich, K.J.; Chandler, G.T.

1996-01-01

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is a Department of Energy Facility designed to vitrify highly radioactive waste. An extensive materials evaluation program has been completed on key components in the DWPF after twelve months of operation using nonradioactive simulated wastes. Results of the visual inspections of the feed preparation system indicate that the system components, which were fabricated from Hastelloy C-276, should achieve their design lives. Significant erosion was observed on agitator blades that process glass frit slurries; however, design modifications should mitigate the erosion. Visual inspections of the DWPF melter top head and off gas components, which were fabricated from Inconel 690, indicated that varying degrees of degradation occurred. Most of the components will perform satisfactorily for their two year design life. The components that suffered significant attack were the borescopes, primary film cooler brush, and feed tubes. Changes in the operation of the film cooler brush and design modifications to the feed tubes and borescopes is expected to extend their service lives to two years. A program to investigate new high temperature engineered materials and alloys with improved oxidation and high temperature corrosion resistance will be initiated

Separation of technetium from nuclear waste stream simulants. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strauss, S.H. [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

1995-09-11

The author studied liquid anion exchangers, such as Aliquat-336 nitrate, various pyridinium nitrates, and related salts, so that they may be applied toward a specific process for extracting (partitioning) and recovering {sup 99}TcO{sub 4}{sup {minus}} from nuclear waste streams. Many of the waste streams are caustic and contain a variety of other ions. For this reason, the author studied waste stream simulants that are caustic and contain appropriate concentrations of selected, relevant ions. Methods of measuring the performance of the exchangers and extractant systems included contact experiments. Batch contact experiments were used to determine the forward and reverse extraction parameters as a function of temperature, contact time, phase ratio, concentration, solvent (diluent), and other physical properties. They were also used for stability and competition studies. Specifically, the author investigated the solvent extraction behavior of salts of perrhenate (ReO{sub 4}{sup {minus}}), a stable (non-radioactive) chemical surrogate for {sup 99}TcO{sub 4}{sup {minus}}. Results are discussed for alternate organic solvents; metalloporphyrins, ferrocenes, and N-cetyl pyridium nitrate as alternate extractant salts; electroactive polymers; and recovery of ReO{sub 4}{sup {minus}} and TcO{sub 4}{sup {minus}}.

The electric potential of particles in interstellar space released from a nuclear waste payload

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, A. C.

1980-01-01

Mechanisms for charging a grain in the interplanetary medium include: (1) capture of solar wind electrons; (2) capture of solar wind protons; (3) ejection of electrons through the photoelectric effect due to the solar radiation; (4) escape of beta particles from beta emitters in the grain; and (5) escape of alpha particles from alpha emitters in the grain. The potentials on both nonradioactive and radioactive grains are considered with relation to particle size and time, and the distance from the Sun. Numerical results are presented where the waste mix is assumed to be PW-4b.

System for disposing of radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gablin, K.A.; Hansen, L.J.

1979-01-01

A system is described for disposing of radioactive waste material from nuclear reactors by solidifying the liquid components to produce an encapsulated mass adapted for disposal by burial. The method contemplates mixing of radioactive waste materials, with or without contained solids, with a setting agent capable of solidifying the waste liquids into a free standing hardened mass, placing the resulting liquid mixture in a container with a proportionate amount of a curing agent to effect solidification under controlled conditions, and thereafter burying the container and contained solidified mixture. The setting agent is a water-extendable polymer consisting of a suspension of partially polymerized particles of urea formaldehyde in water, and the curing agent is sodium bisulfate. Methods are disclosed for dewatering slurry-like mixtures of liquid and particulate radioactive waste materials, such as spent ion exchange resin beads, and for effecting desired distribution of non-liquid radioactive materials in the central area of the container prior to solidification, so that the surrounding mass of lower specific radioactivity acts as a partial shield against higher radioactivity of the non-liquid radioactive materials. The methods also provide for addition of non-radioactive filler materials to dilute the mixture and lower the overall radioactivity of the hardened mixture to desired Lowest Specific Activity counts. An inhibiting agent is added to the liquid mixture to adjust the solidification time, and provision is made for adding additional amounts of setting agent and curing agent to take up any free water and further encapsulate the hardened material within the container. 30 claims

System for disposing of radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gablin, K.A.; Hansen, L.J.

1977-01-01

A system is described for disposing of radioactive waste material from nuclear reactors by solidifying the liquid components to produce an encapsulated mass adapted for disposal by burial. The method contemplates mixing of radioactive waste materials, with or without contained solids, with a setting agent capable of solidifying the waste liquids into a free standing hardened mass, placing the resulting liquid mixture in a container with a proportionate amount of a curing agent to effect solidification under controlled conditions, and thereafter burying the container and contained solidified mixture. The setting agent is a water-extendable polymer consisting of a suspension of partially polymerized particles of urea formaldehyde in water, and the curing agent is sodium bisulfate. Methods are disclosed for dewatering slurry-like mixtures of liquid and particulate radioactive waste materials, such as spent ion exchange resin beads, and for effecting desired distribution of non-liquid radioactive materials in the central area of the container prior to solidification, so that the surrounding mass of lower specific radioactivity acts as a partial shield against higher radioactivity of the non-liquid radioactive materials. The methods also provide for addition of non-radioactive filler materials to dilute the mixture and lower the overall radioactivity of the hardened mixture to desired Lowest Specific Activity counts. An inhibiting agent is added to the liquid mixture to adjust the solidification time, and provision is made for adding additional amounts of setting agent and curing agent to take up any free water and further encapsulate the hardened material within the container

Spray Calciner/In-Can Melter high-level waste solidification technical manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larson, D.E.

1980-09-01

This technical manual summarizes process and equipment technology developed at Pacific Northwest Laboratory over the last 20 years for vitrification of high-level liquid waste by the Spray Calciner/In-Can Melter process. Pacific Northwest Laboratory experience includes process development and demonstration in laboratory-, pilot-, and full-scale equipment using nonradioactive synthetic wastes. Also, laboratory- and pilot-scale process demonstrations have been conducted using actual high-level radioactive wastes. In the course of process development, more than 26 tonnes of borosilicate glass have been produced in 75 canisters. Four of these canisters contained radioactive waste glass. The associated process and glass chemistry is discussed. Technology areas described include calciner feed treatment and techniques, calcination, vitrification, off-gas treatment, glass containment (the canister), and waste glass chemistry. Areas of optimization and site-specific development that would be needed to adapt this base technology for specific plant application are indicated. A conceptual Spray Calciner/In-Can Melter system design and analyses are provided in the manual to assist prospective users in evaluating the process for plant application, to provide equipment design information, and to supply information for safety analyses and environmental reports. The base (generic) technology for the Spray Calciner/In-Can Melter process has been developed to a point at which it is ready for plant application

Magnetic Adsorption Method for the Treatment of Metal Contaminated Aqueous Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotten, G.B.; Eldredge, H.B.; Navratil, J.D.

1999-01-01

There have been many recent developments in separation methods used for treating radioactive and non-radioactive metal bearing liquid wastes. These methods have included adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction and other chemical and physical techniques. To date very few, if any, of these processes can provide a low cost and environmentally benign solution. Recent research into the use of magnetite for wastewater treatment indicates the potential for magnetite both cost and environment drivers. A brief review of recent work in using magnetite as a sorbent is presented as well as recent work performed in our laboratory using supported magnetite in the presence of an external magnetic field. The application to groundwater and other aqueous waste streams is discussed. Recent research has focused on supporting magnetite in an economical (as compared to the magnetic polymine-epichlorohydrine resin) and inert (non-reactive, chemically or otherwise) environment that promotes both adsorption and satisfactory flow characteristics

Dose and risk assessment for intrusion into mixed waste disposal sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, W.E. Jr.; Aaberg, R.L.

1991-10-01

Sites previously used for disposal of radioactive and hazardous chemical materials have resulted in situations that pose a potential threat to humans from inadvertent intrusion. An example generic scenario analysis was developed to demonstrate the evaluation of potential exposure to either cleanup workers or members of the public who intrude into buried waste containing both radioactive and hazardous chemical contaminants. The example scenarios consist of a collection of exposure routes (or pathways) with specific modeling assumptions for well-drilling and for excavation to construct buildings. These scenarios are used to describe conceptually some potential patterns of activity by non-protected human beings during intrusion into mixed-waste disposal sites. The dose from exposure to radioactive materials is calculated using the GENII software system and converted to risk by using factors from ICRP Publication 60. The hazard assessment for nonradioactive materials is performed using recent guidelines from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The example results are in the form of cancer risk for carcinogens and radiation exposure

Graphite electrode DC arc furnace system for treatment of environmentally undesirable solid waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Titus, C.H.

1993-01-01

A gas tight DC arc furnace system using graphite electrodes is ideally suited for destruction of organic materials, compaction of metallic materials, and vitrification of inorganic waste materials. A graphite electrode DC arc furnace system which was developed by Electro-Pyrolysis, Inc. has been used to demonstrate that iron basalt soil containing various surrogate nonradioactive materials found on Department of Energy's Atomic Energy Sites and hospital waste can be reduced to a compact, vitrified, solid material which is environmentally acceptable and will pass TCLP leachate tests. A second graphite electrode DC arc furnace system is presently under construction and will be in operation at MIT during the second quarter of 1993. This furnace system is designed for demonstration of waste treatment and stabilization at a rate of 500 pounds per hour and will also be used for development and performance evaluation of diagnostic techniques and equipment for measuring and understanding internal furnace temperature profiles, gas entrained particulate composition, and particulate size distribution in various locations in the furnace during operation

Viability study of using the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy technique for radioactive waste detection at IPEN-CNEN/SP, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tunes, Matheus A.; Schon, Claudio G.

2013-01-01

this work a viability study to apply the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for radioactive waste characterization was developed using a high power q-switched Nd:YAG rod-Laser, operating at 1064 nm with 9 ns of pulse-width and pulse-to-pulse energy around 10 to 20 mJ. When applied in a non-radioactive deionized water sample, our methodology exhibits a good potential to spectroscopy detection of Hydrogen species with resolution around 0.035 nm at full width at half maximum (FWHM). (author)

Seiler Pollution Control Systems vitrification process for the treatment of hazardous waste streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuesch, P.C.; Sarko, A.B.

1995-01-01

Seiler Pollution Control Systems, Inc. (Seiler) applies an economical, transportable, compact high temperature vitrification process to recycle and/or stabilize mixed organic/inorganic waste streams. Organic components are gasified by the system and are used as an auxiliary energy source. The inorganic components are melted and bound up molecularly in a glass/ceramic matrix. These glass/ceramics are extremely stable and durable and will pass typical regulatory leachate tests. Waste types that can be processed through the Seiler vitrification system include incinerator flyash, paint sludges, plating wastes, metal hydroxide sludges, low level and mixed radioactive wastes, contaminated soils and sludges, asbestos, and various mixed organic/inorganic residues. For nonradioactive waste streams, a variety of commercially saleable glass/ceramic products can be produced. These materials are marketed either as architectural materials, abrasives, or insulating refractories. The glass/ceramics generated from radioactive waste streams can be formed in a shape that is easily handled, stored, and retrieved. The system, itself is modular and can either be used as a stand alone system or hooked-up in line to existing manufacturing and production facilities. It consists of four sections: feed preparation; preheater; vitrifier/converter, and air pollution control. The vitrification system can use oxygen enriched natural gas or fuel oil for both cost efficiency and to reduce air pollution emissions

Status of microwave process development for RH-TRU [remote-handled transuranic] wastes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, T.L.; Youngblood, E.L.; Berry, J.B.; Mattus, A.J.

1990-01-01

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Waste Handling and Packaging Plant is developing a microwave process to reduce and solidify remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) liquids and sludges presently stored in large tanks at ORNL. Testing has recently begun on an in-drum microwave process using nonradioactive RH-TRU surrogates. The microwave process development effort has focused on an in-drum process to dry the RH-TRU liquids and sludges in the final storage container and then melt the salt residues to form a solid monolith. A 1/3-scale proprietary microwave applicator was designed, fabricated, and tested to demonstrate the essential features of the microwave design and to provide input into the design of the full-scale applicator. The microwave fields are uniform in one dimension to reduce the formation of hot spots on the microwaved wasteform. The final wasteform meets the waste acceptance criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a federal repository for defense transuranic wastes near Carlsbad, New Mexico. 7 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

Separation of SRP waste sludge and supernate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stone, J.A.

1976-01-01

Sludges and supernates were separated from Savannah River Plant waste slurries by centrifugation and sand filtration. This separation, a portion of a conceptual process for solidification and long-term storage of high-level radioactive wastes, was tested in shielded cells with small-scale process equipment. Procedures for the separation were developed in tests with nonradioactive materials. Then, in 13 tests with actual sludges and supernates, solids removal ranged from 90 to 99.2 vol percent and averaged 96.4 vol percent after two passes through a basket-type centrifuge. Concentrates from the tests, containing 0.05 to 0.2 vol percent solids, were clarified by sand filter columns to produce solutions of the soluble salts with less than 0.01 vol percent solids. About 700 liters of salt solution and 8 kilograms of washed, dried sludges were separated in the tests. Effects of sludge type, flocculant, flow rates, and batch size were evaluated. Washing and drying of centrifuged sludges were studied, and two types of dryers were tested. Ruthenium volatility during drying was negligible. Washing efficiency was determined by analyses of wash solutions and sludge products

Reducing the likelihood of future human activities that could affect geologic high-level waste repositories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-05-01

The disposal of radioactive wastes in deep geologic formations provides a means of isolating the waste from people until the radioactivity has decayed to safe levels. However, isolating people from the wastes is a different problem, since we do not know what the future condition of society will be. The Human Interference Task Force was convened by the US Department of Energy to determine whether reasonable means exist (or could be developed) to reduce the likelihood of future human unintentionally intruding on radioactive waste isolation systems. The task force concluded that significant reductions in the likelihood of human interference could be achieved, for perhaps thousands of years into the future, if appropriate steps are taken to communicate the existence of the repository. Consequently, for two years the task force directed most of its study toward the area of long-term communication. Methods are discussed for achieving long-term communication by using permanent markers and widely disseminated records, with various steps taken to provide multiple levels of protection against loss, destruction, and major language/societal changes. Also developed is the concept of a universal symbol to denote Caution - Biohazardous Waste Buried Here. If used for the thousands of non-radioactive biohazardous waste sites in this country alone, a symbol could transcend generations and language changes, thereby vastly improving the likelihood of successful isolation of all buried biohazardous wastes

Reducing the likelihood of future human activities that could affect geologic high-level waste repositories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1984-05-01

The disposal of radioactive wastes in deep geologic formations provides a means of isolating the waste from people until the radioactivity has decayed to safe levels. However, isolating people from the wastes is a different problem, since we do not know what the future condition of society will be. The Human Interference Task Force was convened by the US Department of Energy to determine whether reasonable means exist (or could be developed) to reduce the likelihood of future human unintentionally intruding on radioactive waste isolation systems. The task force concluded that significant reductions in the likelihood of human interference could be achieved, for perhaps thousands of years into the future, if appropriate steps are taken to communicate the existence of the repository. Consequently, for two years the task force directed most of its study toward the area of long-term communication. Methods are discussed for achieving long-term communication by using permanent markers and widely disseminated records, with various steps taken to provide multiple levels of protection against loss, destruction, and major language/societal changes. Also developed is the concept of a universal symbol to denote Caution - Biohazardous Waste Buried Here. If used for the thousands of non-radioactive biohazardous waste sites in this country alone, a symbol could transcend generations and language changes, thereby vastly improving the likelihood of successful isolation of all buried biohazardous wastes.

Investigation into the behaviour of highly compacted dry low-level radioactive waste under repository conditions. Task 3 characterization of radioactive waste forms a series of final reports (1985-89) no 12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Field, S.N.; Wang, J.

1991-01-01

Supercompaction is a process in which drums containing low-level radioactive waste are compressed at a high axial pressure of up to 70 MPa, resulting in a significant saving in the volume of a repository built to store such waste. Recent practice of supercompaction is to compact waste which has been placed in a sealed primary container, typically a 200-litre steel drum. During the process of compaction the drum is squashed with its contents into a flat pellet; and the compaction ratio can reach as high as 20:1. Although the compaction of radioactive waste has long been a popular means for reducing its storage volume, there is virtually no available information as to the physical or chemical characteristics of such compacted wastes. The primary objective of this project has been to investigate the physical and some of the chemical characteristics of such supercompacted pellets. All the work was carried out on full-scale 200-litre drums of simulated, but non-radioactive, waste. The compaction ratio reached in this study ranged from 5 to 21, depending on the type of waste. Upon completion of compaction, all drums exhibited a tendency to expand. The magnitude of ultimate expansion for dry storage was of the order of 1 mm only, whereas under wet storage conditions values were up to about 10 mm. As the presence of moisture can significantly increase the expansion of compacted waste drums or stress developed due to restraint, it is recommended that the waste repository be made water/vapour-tight

Multibarrier waste forms. Part I. Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rusin, J.M.; Lokken, R.O.; Lukacs, J.M.; Sump, K.R.; Browning, M.F.; McCarthy, G.J.

1978-09-01

The multibarrier concept produces a composite waste form with enhanced inertness through improvements in thermal stability, mechanical strength, and leachability by the use of coatings and metal matrices. This report describes research and development activities resulting in the demonstration of the multibarrier concept for nonradioactive simulated waste compositions. The multibarrier concept is to utilize up to three barriers to isolate radionuclides from the environment: a solid waste inner core, an impervious coating, and a metal matrix. Two inner core materials, sintered supercalcine and glass marbles, have been demonstrated. The coating barrier provides enhanced leach, impact, and oxidation resistance as well as thermal protection during encapsulation in the metal matrix. Py/Al 2 O 3 coatings deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and glass coatings have been applied to supercalcine cores to improve inertness. The purpose of the metal matrix is to improve impact resistance, protect the inner core rom any adverse environments, provide radiation shielding, and increase thermal conductivity, yielding lower internal temperatures. The development of gravity sintering and vacuum casting techniques for matrix encapsulation are discussed. Four multibarrier products were demonstrated: (1) Glass marbles encapsulated in vacuum-cast Pb-10Sn; (2) uncoated, sintered supercalcine pellets encapsulated in vacuum-cast Al-12Si; (3) glass-coated, sintered supercalcine pellets encapsulated in vacuum-cast Al-12Si; and (4) PyC/Al 2 O 3 -coated supercalcine encapsulated in gravity-sintered Cu. 23 figs., 20 tables

Molten salt combustion of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grantham, L.F.; McKenzie, D.E.; Richards, W.L.; Oldenkamp, R.D.

1976-01-01

The Atomics International Molten Salt Combustion Process reduces the weight and volume of combustible β-γ contaminated transuranic waste by utilizing air in a molten salt medium to combust organic materials, to trap particulates, and to react chemically with any acidic gases produced during combustion. Typically, incomplete combustion products such as hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide are below detection limits (i.e., 3 ) is directly related to the sodium chloride vapor pressure of the melt; >80% of the particulate is sodium chloride. Essentially all metal oxides (combustion ash) are retained in the melt, e.g., >99.9% of the plutonium, >99.6% of the europium, and >99.9% of the ruthenium are retained in the melt. Both bench-scale radioactive and pilot scale (50 kg/hr) nonradioactive combustion tests have been completed with essentially the same results. Design of three combustors for industrial applications are underway

Characterization of vitrified soil produced by in situ vitrification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timmerman, C.L.; Lokken, R.O.

1984-01-01

Radioactive or other hazardous wastes buried at waste disposal sites may require further stabilization to secure the isolation of these wastes from the environment. One method of waste stabilization being developed is in situ vitrification. This process involves the in-place melting of buried wastes and the surrounding soil to produce a glass and crystalline waste form. Engineering-scale and pilot-scale demonstrations of this concept with soil contaminated with nonradioactive, hazardous species (Cs, Sr, Ru, Pb, Cd, etc.) were performed. These demonstrations provided information on species migration, crystalline-phase formation, and waste form durability. In addition to the nonradioactive tests, a crucible-scale melt of soil spiked with radioactive uranium, plutonium, and cesium was leach tested. The results show that hazardous waste components are retained in the product. The durability of the waste form in both the vitreous and the crystalline phases is similar to that of Pyrex glass

Characterization of vitrified soil produced by in-situ vitrification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timmerman, C.L.; Lokken, R.O.

1983-01-01

Radioactive or other hazardous wastes buried at waste-disposal sites may require further stabilization to secure the isolation of these wastes from the environment. One method of waste stabilization being developed is in-situ vitrification. This process involves the in-place melting of buried wastes and the surrounding soil to produce a glass and crystalline waste form. Engineering-scale and pilot-scale demonstrations of this concept with soil contaminated with nonradioactive, hazardous species (Cs, Sr, Ru, Pb, Cd, etc.) were performed. These demonstrations provided information on species migration, crystalline phase formation, and waste form durability. In addition to the nonradioactive tests, a crucible-scale melt of soil spiked with radioactive uranium, plutonium, and cesium was leach tested. The results show that hazardous waste components are retained in the product. The durability of the waste form in both the vitreous and crystalline phases is similar to that of pyrex glass

First results of in-can microwave processing experiments for radioactive liquid wastes at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, T.L.; Youngblood, E.L.; Berry, J.B.; Mattus, A.J.

1990-01-01

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Waste Handling and Packaging Plant is developing a microwave process to reduce and solidify remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) liquids and sludges presently stored in large tanks at ORNL. Testing has recently begun on an in drum microwave process using nonradioactive RH-TRU surrogates. The microwave process development effort has focused on an in-drum process to dry the RH-TRU liquids and sludges in the final storage container and then melt the salt residues to form a solid monolith. A 1/3-scale proprietary microwave applicator was designed, fabricated, and tested to demonstrate the essential features of the microwave design and to provide input into the design of the full-scale applicator. Conductivity cell measurements suggest that the microwave energy heats near the surface of the surrogate over a wide range of temperatures. The final wasteform meets the waste acceptance criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a federal repository for defense transuranic wastes near Carlsbad, New Mexico. 7 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Characterization and reaction behavior of ferrocyanide simulants and Hanford Site high-level ferrocyanide waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeppson, D.W.; Simpson, B.C.

1994-02-01

Nonradioactive waste simulants and initial ferrocyanide tank waste samples were characterized to assess potential safety concerns associated with ferrocyanide high-level radioactive waste stored at the Hanford Site in underground single-shell tanks (SSTs). Chemical, physical, thermodynamic, and reaction properties of the waste simulants were determined and compared to properties of initial samples of actual ferrocyanide wastes presently in the tanks. The simulants were shown to not support propagating reactions when subjected to a strong ignition source. The simulant with the greatest ferrocyanide concentration was shown to not support a propagating reaction that would involve surrounding waste because of its high water content. Evaluation of dried simulants indicated a concentration limit of about 14 wt% disodium mononickel ferrocyanide, below which propagating reactions could not occur in the ambient temperature bulk tank waste. For postulated localized hot spots where dried waste is postulated to be at an initial temperature of 130 C, a concentration limit of about 13 wt% disodium mononickel ferrocyanide was determined, below which propagating reactions could not occur. Analyses of initial samples of the presently stored ferrocyanide waste indicate that the waste tank ferrocyanide concentrations are considerably lower than the limit for propagation for dry waste and that the water content is near that of the as-prepared simulants. If the initial trend continues, it will be possible to show that runaway ferrocyanide reactions are not possible under present tank conditions. The lower ferrocyanide concentrations in actual tank waste may be due to tank waste mixing and/or degradation from radiolysis and/or hydrolysis, which may have occurred over approximately 35 years of storage

Organic Tanks Safety Program: Waste aging studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camaioni, D.M.; Samuels, W.D.; Lenihan, B.D.; Clauss, S.A.; Wahl, K.L.; Campbell, J.A.

1994-11-01

The underground storage tanks at the Hanford Complex contain wastes generated from many years of plutonium production and recovery processes, and mixed wastes from radiological degradation processes. The chemical changes of the organic materials used in the extraction processes have a direct on several specific safety issues, including potential energy releases from these tanks. This report details the first year's findings of a study charged with determining how thermal and radiological processes may change the composition of organic compounds disposed to the tank. Their approach relies on literature precedent, experiments with simulated waste, and studies of model reactions. During the past year, efforts have focused on the global reaction kinetics of a simulated waste exposed to γ radiation, the reactions of organic radicals with nitrite ion, and the decomposition reactions of nitro compounds. In experiments with an organic tank non-radioactive simulant, the authors found that gas production is predominantly radiolytically induced. Concurrent with gas generation they observe the disappearance of EDTA, TBP, DBP and hexone. In the absence of radiolysis, the TBP readily saponifies in the basic medium, but decomposition of the other compounds required radiolysis. Key organic intermediates in the model are C-N bonded compounds such as oximes. As discussed in the report, oximes and nitro compounds decompose in strong base to yield aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids (from nitriles). Certain aldehydes can react in the absence of radiolysis to form H 2 . Thus, if the pathways are correct, then organic compounds reacting via these pathways are oxidizing to lower energy content. 75 refs

Defense waste processing facility radioactive operations. Part 1 - operating experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Little, D.B.; Gee, J.T.; Barnes, W.M.

1997-01-01

The Savannah River Site's Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) near Aiken, SC is the nation's first and the world's largest vitrification facility. Following a ten year construction program and a 3 year non-radioactive test program, DWPF began radioactive operations in March 1996. This paper presents the results of the first 9 months of radioactive operations. Topics include: operations of the remote processing equipment reliability, and decontamination facilities for the remote processing equipment. Key equipment discussed includes process pumps, telerobotic manipulators, infrared camera, Holledge trademark level gauges and in-cell (remote) cranes. Information is presented regarding equipment at the conclusion of the DWPF test program it also discussed, with special emphasis on agitator blades and cooling/heating coil wear. 3 refs., 4 figs

Defense Waste Processing Facility -- Radioactive operations -- Part 3 -- Remote operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, W.M.; Kerley, W.D.; Hughes, P.D.

1997-01-01

The Savannah River Site's Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) near Aiken, South Carolina is the nation's first and world's largest vitrification facility. Following a ten year construction period and nearly three years of non-radioactive testing, the DWPF began radioactive operations in March 1996. Radioactive glass is poured from the joule heated melter into the stainless steel canisters. The canisters are then temporarily sealed, decontaminated, resistance welded for final closure, and transported to an interim storage facility. All of these operations are conducted remotely with equipment specially designed for these processes. This paper reviews canister processing during the first nine months of radioactive operations at DWPF. The fundamental design consideration for DWPF remote canister processing and handling equipment are discussed as well as interim canister storage

A DOE manual: DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goheen, S.C.; McCulloch, M.; Riley, R.G.

1994-01-01

Waste Management inherently requires knowledge of the waste's chemical composition. The waste can often be analyzed by established methods; however, if the samples are radioactive, or are plagued by other complications, established methods may not be feasible. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has been faced with managing some waste types that are not amenable to standard or available methods, so new or modified sampling and analysis methods are required. These methods are incorporated into DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods), which is a guidance/methods document for sampling and analysis activities in support of DOE sites. It is a document generated by consensus of the DOE laboratory staff and is intended to fill the gap within existing guidance documents (e. g., the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, SW-846), which apply to low-level or non-radioactive samples. DOE Methods fills the gap by including methods that take into account the complexities of DOE site matrices. The most recent update, distributed in October 1993, contained quality assurance (QA), quality control (QC), safety, sampling, organic analysis, inorganic analysis, and radioanalytical guidance as well as 29 methods. The next update, which will be distributed in April 1994, will contain 40 methods and will therefore have greater applicability. All new methods are either peer reviewed or labeled ''draft'' methods. Draft methods were added to speed the release of methods to field personnel

Challenges in the management of decommission waste of nuclear facilities in Ghana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glover, E.T.; Fletcher, J.J.

2002-01-01

It is inevitable that every nuclear facility must one day be safely decommissioned. When considering decommissioning, large amounts of radioactive and non-radioactive waste have to be taken into account. Disposal of such materials can have large economic impact on the overall decommissioning cost. In developing countries like Ghana, the perception of environmental protection through waste management, is often not very high as compared to many other pressing needs. Therefore limited resources are allocated for environmental problems. Ghana operates a tank-in- pool type research reactor, 30kW output for research in neutron activation analysis, radioisotope preparation, education and training, a radiotherapy unit that utilizes a 185TBq Co-60 radioactive sources for the treatment of cancer and a gamma irradiation facility which utilizes 1.85PBq Co-60 radioactive source for the irradiation of various materials. All these facilities are operating without designed decommissioning in mind, an inadequate waste management infrastructure as well as a lack of a repository to handling the resulting waste. It is today's beneficials of the nuclear facility that has to deal with the legacies of the future decommissioning activities. The paper outlines some of the challenges and issues to be expected in the management of waste from future decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Ghana with the absence of a waste management infrastructure and inadequate financial resources. The paper puts forth a concept to perform meaningful and significant plans whilst the facilities are still operating. (author)

Development of methods for treatment and conditioning of biological radioactive waste in the Czech Republic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holub, J.

1997-01-01

Incineration of biological radioactive waste was performed in a facility manufactured in the Czech Republic for combustion of burnable, radioactive and non-radioactive residues. The equipment has shown an adequate capability for combustion of biological waste. Basic technical parameters of the incinerator SP-603 can guarantee combustion of majority of wastes from different radionuclide users in the country. To ensure proper further handling with the resulting ash, three conditioning options were studied, the bituminization process, incorporation into cement, and embedding of ash into a mixture of bituminous and cementitious materials. Mechanical properties of the conditioned ash were in good compliance with those published elsewhere. Bituminized ash exhibits lowest leachibility, followed by the ash conditioned by means of the mixed process. Potential abnormal operation conditions were evaluated and their consequences assessed. The evaluation encompassed sensitivity analysis of the consequences potentially affecting the operating staff, nearby population and the environment. Cost estimate was carried out using a national approach for the calculation. From the results it can be seen that there are no large differences between the conditioning and disposal of wastes resulting from different conditioning processes. (author). 16 refs, 4 figs, 15 tabs

Development of methods for treatment and conditioning of biological radioactive waste in the Czech Republic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holub, J [NYCOM, Prague (Czech Republic)

1997-02-01

Incineration of biological radioactive waste was performed in a facility manufactured in the Czech Republic for combustion of burnable, radioactive and non-radioactive residues. The equipment has shown an adequate capability for combustion of biological waste. Basic technical parameters of the incinerator SP-603 can guarantee combustion of majority of wastes from different radionuclide users in the country. To ensure proper further handling with the resulting ash, three conditioning options were studied, the bituminization process, incorporation into cement, and embedding of ash into a mixture of bituminous and cementitious materials. Mechanical properties of the conditioned ash were in good compliance with those published elsewhere. Bituminized ash exhibits lowest leachibility, followed by the ash conditioned by means of the mixed process. Potential abnormal operation conditions were evaluated and their consequences assessed. The evaluation encompassed sensitivity analysis of the consequences potentially affecting the operating staff, nearby population and the environment. Cost estimate was carried out using a national approach for the calculation. From the results it can be seen that there are no large differences between the conditioning and disposal of wastes resulting from different conditioning processes. (author). 16 refs, 4 figs, 15 tabs.

Thermal Neutron Die-Way-Time Studies for P and DGNAA of Radioactive Waste Drums at the MEDINA Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mildenberger, Frank; Mauerhofer, Eric [Institute of Energy and Climate Research - Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich (Germany)

2015-07-01

In Germany, radioactive waste with negligible heat production has to pass through a process of quality checking in order to check its conformance with national regulations prior to its transport, intermediate storage and final disposal. Additionally to its radioactive components, the waste may contain non-radioactive chemically toxic substances that can adversely affect human health and pollute the environment, especially the ground water. After an adequate decay time, the waste radioactivity will become harmless but the non-radioactive substances will persist over time. In principle, these hazardous substances may be quantified from traceability and quality controls performed during the production of the waste packages. As a consequence, a research and development program was initiated in 2007 with the aim to develop a nondestructive analytical technique for radioactive waste packages based on prompt and delayed gamma neutron activation analysis (P and DGNAA) employing a DT-neutron generator in pulsed mode. In a preliminary study it was experimentally demonstrated that P and DGNAA is suitable to determine the chemical composition of large samples. In 2010 a facility called MEDINA (Multi Element Detection based on Instrumental Neutron Activation) was developed for the qualitative and quantitative determination of nonradioactive, toxic elements and substances in 200-l steel drums. The determination of hazardous substances and elements is generally achieved measuring the prompt gamma-rays induced by thermal neutrons. Additional information about the composition of the waste matrix could be derived measuring the delayed gamma-rays from short life activation products. However a sensitive detection of these delayed gamma-rays requires that thermal neutrons have almost vanished. Therefore, the thermal neutron die-away-time has to be known in order to achieve an optimal discrimination between prompt and delayed gamma-ray spectra acquisition. Measurements Thermal neutron

Design and operation of small-scale glass melters for immobilizing radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plodinec, M.J.; Chismar, P.H.

1980-01-01

A small-scale (3-kg), joule-heated, continuous melter has been designed to study vitrification of Savannah River Plant radioactive waste. The first melter built has been in nonradioactive service for nearly three years. This melter had Inconel 690 electrodes and uses Monofrax K-3 for the contact refractory. Several problems seem in this melter have had an impact on the design of a full-scale system. Problems include uncontrolled electric currents passing through the throat, and formation of a slag layer at the bottom of the melter. The performance of a similar melter in a low-maintenance, radioactive environment is also described. Problems such as halide refluxing, and hot streaking, first observed in this melter, are also discussed

Selection of melter systems for the DOE/Industrial Center for Waste Vitrification Research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bickford, D.F.

1993-01-01

The EPA has designated vitrification as the best developed available technology for immobilization of High-Level Nuclear Waste. In a recent federal facilities compliance agreement between the EPA, the State of Washington, and the DOE, the DOE agreed to vitrify all of the Low Level Radioactive Waste resulting from processing of High Level Radioactive Waste stored at the Hanford Site. This is expected to result in the requirement of 100 ton per day Low Level Radioactive Waste melters. Thus, there is increased need for the rapid adaptation of commercial melter equipment to DOE's needs. DOE has needed a facility where commercial pilot scale equipment could be operated on surrogate (non-radioactive) simulations of typical DOE waste streams. The DOE/Industry Center for Vitrification Research (Center) was established in 1992 at the Clemson University Department of Environmental Systems Engineering, Clemson, SC, to address that need. This report discusses some of the characteristics of the melter types selected for installation of the Center. An overall objective of the Center has been to provide the broadest possible treatment capability with the minimum number of melter units. Thus, units have been sought which have broad potential application, and which had construction characteristics which would allow their adaptation to various waste compositions, and various operating conditions, including extreme variations in throughput, and widely differing radiological control requirements. The report discusses waste types suitable for vitrification; technical requirements for the application of vitrification to low level mixed wastes; available melters and systems; and selection of melter systems. An annotated bibliography is included

Selection of melter systems for the DOE/Industrial Center for Waste Vitrification Research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bickford, D.F.

1993-12-31

The EPA has designated vitrification as the best developed available technology for immobilization of High-Level Nuclear Waste. In a recent federal facilities compliance agreement between the EPA, the State of Washington, and the DOE, the DOE agreed to vitrify all of the Low Level Radioactive Waste resulting from processing of High Level Radioactive Waste stored at the Hanford Site. This is expected to result in the requirement of 100 ton per day Low Level Radioactive Waste melters. Thus, there is increased need for the rapid adaptation of commercial melter equipment to DOE`s needs. DOE has needed a facility where commercial pilot scale equipment could be operated on surrogate (non-radioactive) simulations of typical DOE waste streams. The DOE/Industry Center for Vitrification Research (Center) was established in 1992 at the Clemson University Department of Environmental Systems Engineering, Clemson, SC, to address that need. This report discusses some of the characteristics of the melter types selected for installation of the Center. An overall objective of the Center has been to provide the broadest possible treatment capability with the minimum number of melter units. Thus, units have been sought which have broad potential application, and which had construction characteristics which would allow their adaptation to various waste compositions, and various operating conditions, including extreme variations in throughput, and widely differing radiological control requirements. The report discusses waste types suitable for vitrification; technical requirements for the application of vitrification to low level mixed wastes; available melters and systems; and selection of melter systems. An annotated bibliography is included.

Advances in technologies for the treatment of low and intermediate level radioactive liquid wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

In recent years the authorized maximum limits for radioactive discharges into the environment have been reduced considerably, and this, together with the requirement to minimize the volume of waste for storage or disposal and to declassify some wastes from intermediate to low level or to non-radioactive wastes, has initiated studies of ways in which improvements can be made to existing decontamination processes and also to the development of new processes. This work has led to the use of more specific precipitants and to the establishment of ion exchange treatment and evaporation techniques. Additionally, the use of combinations of some existing processes or of an existing process with a new technique such as membrane filtration is becoming current practice. New biotechnological, solvent extraction and electrochemical methods are being examined and have been proven at laboratory scale to be useful for radioactive liquid waste treatment. In this report an attempt has been made to review the current research and development of mature and advanced technologies for the treatment of low and intermediate level radioactive liquid wastes, both aqueous and non-aqueous. Non-aqueous radioactive liquid wastes or organic liquid wastes typically consist of oils, reprocessing solvents, scintillation liquids and organic cleaning products. A brief state of the art of existing processes and their application is followed by the review of advances in technologies, covering chemical, physical and biological processes. 213 refs, 33 figs, 3 tabs

Measurement of cesium emissions during the vitrification of simulated high level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zamecnik, J.R.; Miller, D.H.; Carter, J.T.

1992-01-01

In the Defense Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site, it is desired to eliminate a startup test that would involve adding small amounts of radioactive cesium-137 to simulated high-level waste. In order to eliminate this test, a reliable method for measuring non-radioactive cesium in the offgas system from the glass melter is required. From a pilot scale melter system, offgas particulate samples were taken on filter paper media and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The ICPMS method proved to be sufficiently sensitive to measure cesium quantities as low as 0.135 μg, with the sensitivity being limited by the background cesium present in the filter paper. Typical particulate loadings ranged from 800 μg of cesium. This sensitivity allowed determination of cesium decontamination factors for four of the five major components of the offgas system. The decontamination factors measured experimentally compared favorably with the process design basis values

Grout for closure of waste-disposal vaults at the US DOE Hanford Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakeley, L.D.; Ernzen, J.J.; McDaniel, E.W.; Voogd, J.

1991-01-01

For permanent disposal of radioactive wastes from reprocessing, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has chosen to grout wastes in concrete vaults within a subsurface multiple-barrier system. The subject of this research is the non-radioactive, or ''cold cap'' grout, which fills the upper 120 cm of these vaults, and provides support for overlying barriers. Because of the heat evolved by the wasteform, this void-filling grout must perform at temperatures higher than those of usual large-volume grouting operations. It must have: low potential for thermal expansion and heat retention; a low modulus to withstand thermal and mechanical stresses without cracking; strength adequate to support overlying barrier-system components; and minimal potential for shrinkage. In addition, it must be pumpable, self-leveling, and non-segregating. Materials for formulation included a large percentage of Class F fly ash, and coarsely ground oil-well cement. Grout development included chemical and physical characterization, and physical and thermal modeling

The IFR pyroprocessing for high-level waste minimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laidler, J.J.

1993-01-01

The process developed for the recycle of integral fast reactor (IFR) spent fuel utilizes a combination of pyrometallurgical and electrochemical methods and has been termed pyroprocessing. The process has been operated at full scale with simulated spent fuel using nonradioactive fission product elements. A comprehensive demonstration of the pyroprocessing of irradiated IFR fuel will begin later this year. Pyroprocessing involves the anodic dissolution of all the constituent elements of the IFR spent fuel and controlled electrotransport (electrorefining) to separate the actinide elements from the fission products present in the spent fuel. The process be applied to the processing of spent light water reactor (LWR) fuel as well, requiring only the addition of a reduction step to convert the LWR fuel as well, requiring only the addition of a reduction step to convert the LWR oxide fuel to metallic form and a separation step to separate uranium from the transuranic (TRU) elements. The TRU elements are then recovered by electroefining in the same manner as the actinides from the IFR high-level wastes arising from pyroprocessing are virtually free of actinides, and the volume of the wastes is minimized by the intrinsic characteristics of the processing of the processing method

Evaluation of non-radioactive endpoints of ex vivo local lymph node assay-BrdU to investigate select contact sensitizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulker, Ozge Cemiloglu; Ates, Ilker; Atak, Aysegul; Karakaya, Asuman

2013-01-01

The present study sought to verify the utility of the non-radioactive endpoints LLNA BrdU (5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine) ex vivo incorporation and cytokine release using auricular lymph node cells isolated from BALB/c mice topically treated with a strong (formaldehyde or p-phenylene-diamine [PPD]), moderate sensitizer (cinnamal), or weak sensitizer (eugenol). Stimulation index (SI) and EC₃ values were calculated for each agent. Based on the results of ex vivo LLNA-BrdU assays, EC₃ values were calculated to be 0.29, 0.09, 1.91, and 16.60% for formaldehyde, PPD, cinnamal, and eugenol, respectively. These results were in good agreement with data from previous standard radioactive LLNA. Cytokine analyses indicated T(H)1 and T(H)2 cytokine involvement in the regulation of murine contact allergy and these could be utilized as endpoints in assessments of contact allergy in mice. In conclusion, the current study provided evidence that the non-radioactive endpoint LLNA BrdU ex vivo incorporation could be of use as a viable alternative approach to assess the skin sensitization potential of test compound with respect to improving animal welfare. This is of particular importance in the case of any laboratory where it might be difficult to handle and/or readily employ radioisotopes. Further studies will be required to confirm--across test agents--the reproducibility as well as the limits of utility of this new ex vivo BrdU method.

Acute toxicity screening of Hanford Site waste grouts using aquatic invertebrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebagay, T.V.; Dodd, D.A.; Lockrem, L.L.; Voogd, J.A.

1993-01-01

Liquid wastes containing radioactive, hazardous, and regulated chemicals have been generated throughout the 50 years operation of the Hanford Site of the US Department of Energy near Richland, Washington. The current strategy for the disposal of the low-level radioactive portion of these wastes involves immobilization of the waste in the form of grout. Because the potential risk of animal and plant exposure to grouts is unknown, acute toxicity screening of grouts is needed. Grouts were prepared by mixing a surrogate nonradioactive liquid waste with a blend consisting of cement, fly ash, and clay. Aqueous extracts of the grout were then screened for acute toxicity using aquatic invertebrates as test organisms and a fluorogenic substrate as the toxic stress indicator. After a 1-hour exposure of juvenile daphnids (D, magna, D. pulex, and C. dubia) to the grout extracts followed by a 15-minute reaction with the fluorogenic substrate, the degree of in vivo enzymatic inhibition was measured by the number of resulting fluorescent daphnids. The EC50 values calculated by probit analysis were 2,877 mg/L, 2,983 mg/L, and 3,174 mg/L for D. pulex, D. magna, and C. dubia, respectively. The slight difference in the responses may be attributed to the subjective pass-fail scoring of the fluorescence criterion. The results indicated that the grout studied is nonhazardous and nondangerous

Vitrification of Simulated Fernald K-65 Silo Waste at Low Temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jantzen, C.M.

1999-01-01

Vitrification is the technology that has been chosen to solidify approximately 18,000 tons of geologic mill tailings at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) in Fernald, Ohio. The geologic mill tailings are residues from the processing of pitchlende ore during 1949-1958. These waste residues are contained in silos in Operable Unit 4 (OU4) at the FEMP facility. Operable Unit 4 is one of five operable units at the FEMP. Operable Unit 4 is one of five operable units at the FEMP. Operating Unit 4 consists of four concrete storage silos and their contents. Silos 1 and 2 contain K-65 mill tailing residues and a bentonite cap, Silo 3 contains non-radioactive metal oxides, and Silo 4 is empty

Remaining Sites Verification Package for the 128-F-2, 100-F Burning Pit Waste Site, Waste Site Reclassification Form 2008-031

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. M. Capron

2008-12-01

The 128-F-2 waste site consisted of multiple burn and debris filled pits located directly east of the 107-F Retention Basin and approximately 30.5 m east of the northeast corner of the 100-F Area perimeter road that runs along the riverbank. The burn pits were used for incinerating nonradioactive, combustible materials from 1945 to 1965. In accordance with this evaluation, the verification sampling results support a reclassification of this site to Interim Closed Out. The current site conditions achieve the remedial action objectives and the corresponding remedial action goals established in the Remaining Sites ROD. The results of verification sampling show that residual contaminant concentrations do not preclude any future uses and allow for unrestricted use of shallow zone soils. The results also demonstrate that residual contaminant concentrations are protective of groundwater and the Columbia River.

Alternative Chemical Cleaning Methods for High Level Waste Tanks: Actual Waste Testing with SRS Tank 5F Sludge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

King, William D. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Hay, Michael S. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2016-08-30

Solubility testing with actual High Level Waste tank sludge has been conducted in order to evaluate several alternative chemical cleaning technologies for the dissolution of sludge residuals remaining in the tanks after the exhaustion of mechanical cleaning and sludge sluicing efforts. Tests were conducted with archived Savannah River Site (SRS) radioactive sludge solids that had been retrieved from Tank 5F in order to determine the effectiveness of an optimized, dilute oxalic/nitric acid cleaning reagent toward dissolving the bulk non-radioactive waste components. Solubility tests were performed by direct sludge contact with the oxalic/nitric acid reagent and with sludge that had been pretreated and acidified with dilute nitric acid. For comparison purposes, separate samples were also contacted with pure, concentrated oxalic acid following current baseline tank chemical cleaning methods. One goal of testing with the optimized reagent was to compare the total amounts of oxalic acid and water required for sludge dissolution using the baseline and optimized cleaning methods. A second objective was to compare the two methods with regard to the dissolution of actinide species known to be drivers for SRS tank closure Performance Assessments (PA). Additionally, solubility tests were conducted with Tank 5 sludge using acidic and caustic permanganate-based methods focused on the “targeted” dissolution of actinide species.

Behavior of radioactive iodine and technetium in the spray calcination of high-level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knox, C.A.; Farnsworth, R.K.

1981-08-01

The Remote Laboratory-Scale Waste Treatment Facility (RLSWTF) was designed and built as a part of the High-Level Waste Immobilization Program (now the High-Level Waste Process Development Program) at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. In this facility, which is installed in a radiochemical cell, small volumes of radioactive liquid wastes can be solidified, the process off gas can be analyzed, and the methods for decontaminating this off gas can be tested. Initial operations were completed with nonradioactive, simulated waste solutions (Knox, Siemens and Berger 1981). The first radioactive operations in this facility were performed with a simulated, commercial waste composition containing tracer levels of 99 Tc and 131 I. This report describes the facility and test operations and presents the results of the behavior of 131 I and 99 Tc during solidification of radioactive liquid wastes. During the spray calcination of commercial high-level liquid waste spiked with 99 Tc and 131 I, there was a 0.3 wt% loss of particulates, a 0.15 wt% loss of 99 Tc and a 31 wt% loss of 131 I past the sintered-metal filters. These filters and a venturi scrubber were very efficient in removing particulates and 99 Tc from the off-gas stream. Liquid scrubbers were not efficient in removing 131 I, as 25% of the total lost went to the building off-gas system. Therefore, solid adsorbents will be needed to remove iodine. For all future RLSWTF operations where iodine is present, a silver zeolite adsorber will be used

Surrogate formulations for thermal treatment of low-level mixed waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiang, J.M.; Bostick, W.D.; Hoffman, D.P.; Hermes, W.H.; Gibson, L.V. Jr.; Richmond, A.A.

1994-01-01

The plasma hearth process (PHP) presented in this report has been tested at a facility at Ukiah, California, in a cooperative effort between the Department of Energy (DOE), Science Applications International Corporation, Inc., and ReTech, Inc. The electrically heated plasma gas is used to destroy organic materials and bind radionuclides and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals in the glassy slag. Proof-of-principle tests were conducted successfully using nonhazardous and non-radioactive materials placed in 30-gal steel drums. On-line analyses of the gaseous effluents indicated complete combustion; emissions of CO, NO x , and particulates were low. The process also produced highly stable solid waste forms. The experiments for the next phase have been planned employing surrogates for the hazardous and radioactive components of the simulated waste streams. Natural cerium oxide is selected to simulate the behavior of radioactive actinide and transuranium elements, while natural cesium chloride is simulated for the study of relatively volatile radioactive fission products. For RCRA organics, naphthalene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene are semivolatile compounds selected to represent significant challenges to thermal destruction, whereas chlorobenzene is selected for the study of relatively volatile organics. Salts of chromium, nickel, lead, and cadmium are chosen to represent the twelve regulated toxic metals for emission and partitioning studies. The simulated waste packages presented in the text do not necessarily represent an individual waste stream within the DOE complex; rather, they were formulated to represent the most probable components in generic waste stream categories

Product consistency leach tests of Savannah River Site radioactive waste glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibler, N.E.; Bates, J.K.

1989-01-01

The Product Consistency Test (PCT) is a glass leach test that was developed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to routinely confirm the durability of nuclear waste glasses that will be produced in the Defense Waste Processing Facility. The PCT is a 7 day, crushed glass leach test in deionized water at 90 degree C. Final leachates are filtered and acidified prior to analysis. To demonstrate the reproducibility of the PCT when performed remotely, SRS and Argonne National Laboratory have performed the PCT on samples of two radioactive glasses. The tests were also performed to compare the releases of the radionuclides with the major nonradioactive glass components and to determine if radiation from the glass was affecting the results of the PCT. The test was performed in triplicate at each laboratory. For the major soluble elements, B, Li, Na, and Si, in the glass, each investigator obtained relative precisions in the range 2--5% in the triplicate tests. This range indicates good precision for the PCT when performed remotely with master slave manipulators in a shielded cell environment

Analytical methodology for optimization of waste management scenarios in nuclear installation decommissioning process - 16148

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zachar, Matej; Necas, Vladimir; Daniska, Vladimir; Rehak, Ivan; Vasko, Marek

2009-01-01

The nuclear installation decommissioning process is characterized by production of large amount of various radioactive and non-radioactive waste that has to be managed, taking into account its physical, chemical, toxic and radiological properties. Waste management is considered to be one of the key issues within the frame of the decommissioning process. During the decommissioning planning period, the scenarios covering possible routes of materials release into the environment and radioactive waste disposal, should be discussed and evaluated. Unconditional and conditional release to the environment, long-term storage at the nuclear site, near surface or deep geological disposal and relevant material management techniques for achieving the final status should be taken into account in the analysed scenarios. At the level of the final decommissioning plan, it is desirable to have the waste management scenario optimized for local specific facility conditions taking into account a national decommissioning background. The analytical methodology for the evaluation of decommissioning waste management scenarios, presented in the paper, is based on the materials and radioactivity flow modelling, which starts from waste generation activities like pre-dismantling decontamination, selected methods of dismantling, waste treatment and conditioning, up to materials release or conditioned radioactive waste disposal. The necessary input data for scenarios, e.g. nuclear installation inventory database (physical and radiological data), waste processing technologies parameters or material release and waste disposal limits, have to be considered. The analytical methodology principles are implemented into the standardised decommissioning parameters calculation code OMEGA, developed in the DECOM company. In the paper the examples of the methodology implementation for the scenarios optimization are presented and discussed. (authors)

Mobile calcination and cementation unit for solidification of concentrated radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Napravnik, J.; Sazavsky, P.; Skaba, V.; Skvarenina, R.; Ditl, P.

1985-01-01

Mobile experimental unit MESA-1 was developed and manufactured for processing radioactive concentrates by direct cementation. The unit is mainly designed for processing low-level liquid wastes from nuclear power plants and other nuclear installations, in which the level of radioactivity does not exceed 10 10 Bq/m 3 , the salt content of liquid solutions does not exceed 500 kg/m 3 and the maximum amount of boric acid is 130 kg/m 3 . The equipment is built into three modules which may be assembled and dismantled in a short time and transported separately. The unit without the calciner module was tested in non-radioactive mode and in operation with actual radioactive wastes from the V-1 nuclear power plant. The course and results of the tests are described in detail. All project design values were achieved, a total of 18 dm 3 model solutions were processed and 1 m 3 of actual wastes with a salt content of 450 kg/m 3 . The test showed that with regard to the radiation level reached it will be necessary in the process of calcination to increase the shielding of certain exposed points. The calciner module is being assembled for completion. (Z.M.)

Sandia solidification process: a broad range aqueous waste solidification method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, R.W.; Dosch, R.G.; Kenna, B.T.; Johnstone, J.K.; Nowak, E.J.

1976-01-01

New ion-exchange materials of the hydrous oxide type were developed for solidifying aqueous radioactive wastes. These materials have the general formula M[M'/sub x/O/sub y/H/sub z/]/sub n/, where M is an exchangeable cation of charge +n and M' may be Ti; Nb; Zr, or Ta. Affinities for polyvalent cations were found to be very high and ion-exchange capacities large (e.g., 4.0--4.5 meq/g for NaTi 2 O 5 H depending on moisture content). The effectiveness of the exchangers for solidifying high-level waste resulting from reprocessing light-water reactor fuel was demonstrated in small-scale tests. Used in conjunction with anion exchange resin, these materials reduced test solution radioactivity from approximately 0.2 Ci/ml to as low as approximately 2 nCi/ml. The residual radioactivity was almost exclusively due to 106 Ru and total α-activity was only a few pCi/ml. Alternative methods of consolidating the solidified waste were evaluated using nonradioactive simulants. Best results were obtained by pressure-sintering which yielded essentially fully dense ceramics, e.g., titanate/titania ceramics with bulk density as high as 4.7 g/cm 3 , waste oxide content as high as 1.2 g/cm 3 , and leach resistance comparable to good borosilicate glass. Based on the above results, a baseline process for solidifying high-level waste was defined and approximate economic analyses indicated costs were not prohibitive. Additional tests have demonstrated that, if desired, operating conditions could be modified to allow recovery of radiocesium (and perhaps other isotopes) during solidification of the remaining constituents of high-level waste. Preliminary tests have also shown that these materials offer promise for treating tank-stored neutralized wastes

3rd Quarter Transportation Report FY 2014: Radioactive Waste Shipments to and from the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregory, Louis

2014-01-01

This report satisfies the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) commitment to prepare a quarterly summary report of radioactive waste shipments to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at Area 5. There were no shipments sent for offsite treatment and returned to the NNSS this quarter. This report summarizes the 3rd quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and mixed low-level radioactive waste (MLLW) shipments. This report also includes annual summaries for FY 2014 in Tables 4 and 5. Tabular summaries are provided which include the following: Sources of and carriers for LLW and MLLW shipments to and from the NNSS; Number and external volume of LLW and MLLW shipments; Highway routes used by carriers; and Incident/accident data applicable to LLW and MLLW shipments. In this report shipments are accounted for upon arrival at the NNSS, while disposal volumes are accounted for upon waste burial. The disposal volumes presented in this report do not include minor volumes of non-radioactive materials that were approved for disposal. Volume reports showing cubic feet generated using the Low-Level Waste Information System may vary slightly due to differing rounding conventions.

Significant volume reduction of tank waste by selective crystallization: 1994 Annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herting, D.L.; Lunsford, T.R.

1994-01-01

The objective of this technology task plan is to develop and demonstrate a scaleable process of reclaim sodium nitrate (NaNO 3 ) from Hanford waste tanks as a clean nonradioactive salt. The purpose of the so-called Clean Salt Process is to reduce the volume of low level waste glass by as much as 70%. During the reporting period of October 1, 1993, through May 31, 1994, progress was made on four fronts -- laboratory studies, surrogate waste compositions, contracting for university research, and flowsheet development and modeling. In the laboratory, experiments with simulated waste were done to explore the effects of crystallization parameters on the size and crystal habit of product NaNO 3 crystals. Data were obtained to allows prediction of decontamination factor as a function of solid/liquid separation parameters. Experiments with actual waste from tank 101-SY were done to determine the extent of contaminant occlusions in NaNO 3 crystals. In preparation for defining surrogate waste compositions, single shell tanks were categorized according to the weight percent NaNO 3 in each tank. A detailed process flowsheet and computer model were created using the ASPENPlus steady state process simulator. This is the same program being used by the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) program for their waste pretreatment and disposal projections. Therefore, evaluations can be made of the effect of the Clean Salt Process on the low level waste volume and composition resulting from the TWRS baseline flowsheet. Calculations, using the same assumptions as used for the TWRS baseline where applicable indicate that the number of low level glass vaults would be reduced from 44 to 16 if the Clean Salt Process were incorporated into the baseline flowsheet

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Decontamination and Waste Treatment Facility: Documentation of impact analysis for design alternatives presented in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-05-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is proposing to construct and operate a new Decontamination and Waste Treatment Facility (DWTF). The proposed DWTF would replace the existing Hazardous Waste Management (HWM) facilities at LLNL. The US Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to assess the environmental consequences of the proposed DWTF and its alternatives. This report presents the assumptions, methodologies, and analyses used to estimate the waste flows, air emissions, ambient air quality impacts, and public health risks that are presented in the DEIS. Two DWTF design alternatives (Level I and Level II) have been designated as reasonable design alternatives considering available technologies, environmental regulations, and current and future LLNL waste generation. Both design alternatives would include new, separate radioactive and nonradioactive liquid waste treatment systems, a solidification unit, a new decontamination facility, storage and treatment facilities for reactive materials, a radioactive waste storage area, receiving and classification areas, and a uranium burn pan. The Level I design alternative would include a controlled-air incinerator system, while the Level II design alternative would include a rotary kiln incinerator system. 43 refs., 4 figs., 24 tabs

Molecular environmental science using synchrotron radiation: Chemistry and physics of waste form materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindle, Dennis W.; Shuh, David K.

2005-01-01

Production of defense-related nuclear materials has generated large volumes of complex chemical wastes containing a mixture of radionuclides. The disposition of these wastes requires conversion of the liquid and solid-phase components into durable, solid forms suitable for long-term immobilization [1]. Specially formulated glass compositions, many of which have been derived from glass developed for commercial purposes, and ceramics such as pyrochlores and apatites, will be the main recipients for these wastes. The performance characteristics of waste-form glasses and ceramics are largely determined by the loading capacity for the waste constituents (radioactive and non-radioactive) and the resultant chemical and radiation resistance of the waste-form package to leaching (durability). There are unique opportunities for the use of near-edge soft-x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to investigate speciation of low-Z elements forming the backbone of waste-form glasses and ceramics. Although nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is the primary technique employed to obtain speciation information from low-Z elements in waste forms, NMR is incompatible with the metallic impurities contained in real waste and is thus limited to studies of idealized model systems. In contrast, NEXAFS can yield element-specific speciation information from glass constituents without sensitivity to paramagnetic species. Development and use of NEXAFS for eventual studies of real waste glasses has significant implications, especially for the low-Z elements comprising glass matrices [5-7]. The NEXAFS measurements were performed at Beamline 6.3.1, an entrance-slitless bend-magnet beamline operating from 200 eV to 2000 eV with a Hettrick-Underwood varied-line-space (VLS) grating monochromator, of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) at LBNL. Complete characterization and optimization of this beamline was conducted to enable high-performance measurements

Molecular environmental science using synchrotron radiation:Chemistry and physics of waste form materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindle, Dennis W.; Shuh, David K.

2005-02-28

Production of defense-related nuclear materials has generated large volumes of complex chemical wastes containing a mixture of radionuclides. The disposition of these wastes requires conversion of the liquid and solid-phase components into durable, solid forms suitable for long-term immobilization [1]. Specially formulated glass compositions, many of which have been derived from glass developed for commercial purposes, and ceramics such as pyrochlores and apatites, will be the main recipients for these wastes. The performance characteristics of waste-form glasses and ceramics are largely determined by the loading capacity for the waste constituents (radioactive and non-radioactive) and the resultant chemical and radiation resistance of the waste-form package to leaching (durability). There are unique opportunities for the use of near-edge soft-x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to investigate speciation of low-Z elements forming the backbone of waste-form glasses and ceramics. Although nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is the primary technique employed to obtain speciation information from low-Z elements in waste forms, NMR is incompatible with the metallic impurities contained in real waste and is thus limited to studies of idealized model systems. In contrast, NEXAFS can yield element-specific speciation information from glass constituents without sensitivity to paramagnetic species. Development and use of NEXAFS for eventual studies of real waste glasses has significant implications, especially for the low-Z elements comprising glass matrices [5-7]. The NEXAFS measurements were performed at Beamline 6.3.1, an entrance-slitless bend-magnet beamline operating from 200 eV to 2000 eV with a Hettrick-Underwood varied-line-space (VLS) grating monochromator, of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) at LBNL. Complete characterization and optimization of this beamline was conducted to enable high-performance measurements.

Future directions for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's low-level waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Starmer, R.J.

1986-01-01

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act envisioned that all states would be able to dispose of commercial low-level waste generated within their borders by 1986, either individually or through interstate compacts. Based on the current status of state and compact efforts, it is clear that no new disposal sites will be available by 1986 or for some period thereafter. In the short-term, there is uncertainty that the existing disposal sites will remain open after January 1, 1986, or if restrictions will apply after that time. If restrictions occur, storage, treatment or even curtailed generation may result for individual waste producers. Other uncertainties clouding implementation of the Policy Act include the final configuration of regional compacts - in the northeast in particular - clear assignment of responsibility for disposal of classes of waste, the method of disposal - shallow land burial or alternatives - that will be employed for low-level waste, and regulation of mixed wastes, wastes which have both radioactive and non-radioactive hazardous constituents. The NRC strategy for low-level waste management aims to resolve or reduce these uncertainties, and to encourage transition to a stable, national system based on timely state action. NRC will continue development of regulatory and technical guidance for disposal site licensing and build on its capabilities to address specific areas of state concern, such as alternatives to shallow land burial, and site characterization and modeling. NRC also plans to expand state and compact outreach efforts to help ensure that our technical work is properly focused. The authors will also be directly assisting those states and compacts on technical matters they confront in actual disposal site development and licensing

Treatment studies of plutonium-bearing INEEL waste surrogates in a bench-scale arc furnace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, C.J.

1997-05-01

Since 1989, the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) at the Idaho National Environmental and Engineering Laboratory (INEEL) has been included on the National Priority List for remediation. Arc- and plasma-heated furnaces are being considered for converting the radioactive mixed waste buried in the SDA to a stabilized-vitreous form. Nonradioactive, surrogate SDA wastes have been melted during tests in these types of furnaces, but data are needed on the behavior of transuranic (TRU) constituents, primarily plutonium, during thermal treatment. To begin collecting this data, plutonium-spiked SDA surrogates were processed in a bench-scale arc furnace to quantify the fate of the plutonium and other hazardous and nonhazardous metals. Test conditions included elevating the organic, lead, chloride, and sodium contents of the surrogates. Blends having higher organic contents caused furnace power levels to fluctuate. An organic content corresponding to 50% INEEL soil in a soil-waste blend was the highest achievable before power fluctuations made operating conditions unacceptable. The glass, metal, and off-gas solids produced from each surrogate blend tested were analyzed for elemental (including plutonium) content and the partitioning of each element to the corresponding phase was calculated

Treatment studies of plutonium-bearing INEEL waste surrogates in a bench-scale arc furnace

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freeman, C.J.

1997-05-01

Since 1989, the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) at the Idaho National Environmental and Engineering Laboratory (INEEL) has been included on the National Priority List for remediation. Arc- and plasma-heated furnaces are being considered for converting the radioactive mixed waste buried in the SDA to a stabilized-vitreous form. Nonradioactive, surrogate SDA wastes have been melted during tests in these types of furnaces, but data are needed on the behavior of transuranic (TRU) constituents, primarily plutonium, during thermal treatment. To begin collecting this data, plutonium-spiked SDA surrogates were processed in a bench-scale arc furnace to quantify the fate of the plutonium and other hazardous and nonhazardous metals. Test conditions included elevating the organic, lead, chloride, and sodium contents of the surrogates. Blends having higher organic contents caused furnace power levels to fluctuate. An organic content corresponding to 50% INEEL soil in a soil-waste blend was the highest achievable before power fluctuations made operating conditions unacceptable. The glass, metal, and off-gas solids produced from each surrogate blend tested were analyzed for elemental (including plutonium) content and the partitioning of each element to the corresponding phase was calculated.

Polyoxometalates for radioactive waste treatment. 1998 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pope, M.T.

1998-01-01

'This research is directed towards the use of polyoxoanions of the early transition metals (primarily tungsten) as possible sequestrants and storage matrices for lanthanide, actinide, and technetium species. The latter substances are important radioactive components of tank wastes from spent commercial nuclear fuel, but are present in low proportion by mass. Technetium is a particularly troublesome component because it is highly mobile in groundwater and is volatilized in vitrification processes currently under examination for long-term storage. Scientific goals: synthesis and characterization of new and selective polyoxotungstate complexes of Ln 3+ , An 4+ , UO 2 2+ ; exploration of stable polyoxoanions containing Tc (using, in the first instance, Re as a nonradioactive surrogate); thermal conversion of polytungstate complexes to tungsten bronze materials for their evaluation as inert storage matrices. This report summarizes the results after 20 months of a 3-year project.'

Characterisation of bitumenised waste in SFR 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettersson, Michael; Elert, M.

2001-06-01

The waste deposited in the Final Repository for Radioactive Operational Waste, SFR, consists in part of waste solidified in bitumen. Bitumen is considered to have favourable chemical and physical properties to act as a fixation material for radioactive waste. However, during interim storage and subsequent disposal bitumen's properties may change. This may influence the stability of the bitumen matrix to retain radionuclides. This report discusses different processes affecting the long-term performance of bitumenised waste, and an evaluation of these properties in waste deposited in SFR 1 is made. The possible effect of a bitumen barrier on the release rate of radionuclides from SFR 1 is assessed. Based on leaching experiments reviewed in this study, it could take some thousand years, possibly more, to release all radionuclides in a 200-litre drum. The results are, however, extrapolated from experiments performed during a short period of time. Long- term deteriorating effects and the effect of a low temperature on the bitumen matrix are not very well documented. The literature focuses principally on bitumenised evaporator concentrate, but the bitumenised waste deposited in SFR 1 consists mainly of ion exchange resins. There are indications that the non-radioactive waste products usually investigated overestimate bitumen's ability to retain waste. Radiolytic effects has been estimated in this work to be negligible for waste categories F.17, F.20 and B.20 deposited in SFR 1, but for categories B.05, B.06 and F.18 the possibility of increased water uptake rate due to radiolysis can not be excluded. A more reasonable assumption is that bitumen will act as an effective barrier for radionuclide release during a time span from some hundreds to thousand of years. Generally, the majority of the inventory of radionuclides in SFR 1 is not solidified in bitumen. By taking the bitumen barrier into account in the modelling of release of radio- nuclides from SFR 1, the total

Characterisation of bitumenised waste in SFR 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pettersson, Michael; Elert, M. [Kemakta Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

2001-06-01

The waste deposited in the Final Repository for Radioactive Operational Waste, SFR, consists in part of waste solidified in bitumen. Bitumen is considered to have favourable chemical and physical properties to act as a fixation material for radioactive waste. However, during interim storage and subsequent disposal bitumen's properties may change. This may influence the stability of the bitumen matrix to retain radionuclides. This report discusses different processes affecting the long-term performance of bitumenised waste, and an evaluation of these properties in waste deposited in SFR 1 is made. The possible effect of a bitumen barrier on the release rate of radionuclides from SFR 1 is assessed. Based on leaching experiments reviewed in this study, it could take some thousand years, possibly more, to release all radionuclides in a 200-litre drum. The results are, however, extrapolated from experiments performed during a short period of time. Long- term deteriorating effects and the effect of a low temperature on the bitumen matrix are not very well documented. The literature focuses principally on bitumenised evaporator concentrate, but the bitumenised waste deposited in SFR 1 consists mainly of ion exchange resins. There are indications that the non-radioactive waste products usually investigated overestimate bitumen's ability to retain waste. Radiolytic effects has been estimated in this work to be negligible for waste categories F.17, F.20 and B.20 deposited in SFR 1, but for categories B.05, B.06 and F.18 the possibility of increased water uptake rate due to radiolysis can not be excluded. A more reasonable assumption is that bitumen will act as an effective barrier for radionuclide release during a time span from some hundreds to thousand of years. Generally, the majority of the inventory of radionuclides in SFR 1 is not solidified in bitumen. By taking the bitumen barrier into account in the modelling of release of radio- nuclides from SFR 1, the

Remaining Sites Verification Package for the 128-F-2, 100-F Burning Pit Waste Site. Attachment to Waste Site Reclassification Form 2008-031

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capron, J.M.

2008-01-01

The 128-F-2 waste site consisted of multiple burn and debris filled pits located directly east of the 107-F Retention Basin and approximately 30.5 m east of the northeast corner of the 100-F Area perimeter road that runs along the riverbank. The burn pits were used for incinerating nonradioactive, combustible materials from 1945 to 1965. In accordance with this evaluation, the verification sampling results support a reclassification of this site to Interim Closed Out. The current site conditions achieve the remedial action objectives and the corresponding remedial action goals established in the Remaining Sites ROD. The results of verification sampling show that residual contaminant concentrations do not preclude any future uses and allow for unrestricted use of shallow zone soils. The results also demonstrate that residual contaminant concentrations are protective of groundwater and the Columbia River

Subsurface Planar Vitrification Treatment of Problematic TRU Wastes: Status of a Technology Demonstration Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morse, M.K.; Nowack, B.R.; Thompson, L.E.

2006-01-01

This paper provides a status of the In Situ Transuranic Waste Delineation and Removal Project in which the GeoMelt R Subsurface Planar Vitrification TM (SPV TM ) process is being evaluated for the in situ treatment of burial sites containing remote handled mixed transuranic (TRU) waste. The GeoMelt R SPV TM process was invented and patented by Geosafe Corporation. AMEC holds the exclusive worldwide license to use this technology. The current project is part of a three-phase demonstration program to evaluate the effectiveness of the GeoMelt R SPV TM process to treat waste contained in vertical pipe units (VPUs) and caissons that were used for the disposal of remote handled transuranic wastes located at Hanford's 618-10 and 618-11 burial grounds. This project is being performed for the US Department of Energy (DOE) for use at the Hanford site and other DOE installations. The Phase I evaluation determined that removal and treatment of the 618-10/11 VPUs are beyond what can be safely accomplished using conventional excavation methods. Accordingly, a careful stepwise non-intrusive delineation approach and treatment using the GeoMelt R SPV TM technology, followed by removal, characterization, and disposal of the resulting inert vitrified mass was identified as the preferred alternative. Phase II of the project, which started in July 2004, included a full-scale non-radioactive demonstration of AMEC's GeoMelt R SPV TM process on a mock VPU configured to match the actual VPUs. The non-radioactive demonstration (completed in May 2005) was performed to confirm the approach and design before proceeding to a radioactive ('hot') demonstration on an actual VPU. This demonstration took approximately 130 hours, processed the entire mock VPU, and resulted in a vitrified monolith weighing an estimated 90 tonnes. [1] Plans for a radioactive demonstration on an actual VPU are being developed for CY 2006. In addition to demonstrating GeoMelt R SPV TM , delineation techniques are being

Design of a mixing system for simulated high-level nuclear waste melter feed slurries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, M.E.; McCarthy, D.; Muhlstein, K.D.

1986-03-01

The Nuclear Waste Treatment Program development program consists of coordinated nonradioactive and radioactive testing combined with numerical modeling of the process to provide a complete basis for design and operation of a vitrification facility. The radioactive demonstration tests of equipment and processes are conducted before incorporation in radioactive pilot-scale melter systems for final demonstration. The mixing system evaluation described in this report was conducted as part of the nonradioactive testing. The format of this report follows the sequence in which the design of a large-scale mixing system is determined. The initial program activity was concerned with gaining an understanding of the theoretical foundation of non-Newtonian mixing systems. Section 3 of this report describes the classical rheological models that are used to describe non-Newtonian mixing systems. Since the results obtained here are only valid for the slurries utilized, Section 4, Preparation of Simulated Hanford and West Valley Slurries, describes how the slurries were prepared. The laboratory-scale viscometric and physical property information is summarized in Section 5, Laboratory Rheological Evaluations. The bench-scale mixing evaluations conducted to define the effects of the independent variables described above on the degree of mixing achieved with each slurry are described in Section 6. Bench-scale results are scaled-up to establish engineering design requirements for the full-scale mixing system in Section 7. 24 refs., 37 figs., 44 tabs

ANL technical support program for DOE Environmental Restoration and Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bates, J.K.; Bradley, C.R.; Buck, E.C.; Cunnane, J.C.; Dietz, N.L.; Ebert, W.L.; Emery, J.W.; Feng, X.; Gerding, T.J.; Gong, M.; Hoh, J.C.; Mazer, J.J.; Wronkiewicz, D.J.; Bourcier, W.L.; Morgan, L.E.; Newton, L.; Nielsen, J.K.; Phillips, B.L.; Ewing, R.C.; Wang, L.; Li, H.; Tomozawa, M.

1993-05-01

A program was established for DOE Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) to evaluate factors that are anticipated to affect waste glass reaction during repository disposal, especially in an unsaturated environment typical of what may be expected for the proposed Yucca Mountain repository site. This report covers progress in FY 1992 on the following tasks: 1. A compendium of the characteristics of high-level nuclear waste borosilicate glass has been written. 2. A critical review of important parameters that affect the reactivity of glass in an unsaturated environment is being prepared. 3. A series of tests has been started to evaluate the reactivity of fully radioactive glasses in a high-level waste repository environment and compare it to the reactivity of synthetic, nonradioactive glasses of similar composition. 4. The effect of radiation upon the durability of waste glasses at a high glass surface area-to-liquid volume (SA/V) ratio and a high gas-to-liquid volume ratio will be assessed. These tests address both vapor and high SA/V liquid conditions. 5. A series of tests is being performed to compare the extent of reaction of nuclear waste glasses at various SAN ratios. Such differences in the SAN ratio may significantly affect glass durability. 6. A series of natural analogue tests is being analyzed to demonstrate a meaningful relationship between experimental and natural alteration conditions. 7. Analytical electron microscopy (AEM), infrared spectroscopys and nuclear resonant profiling are being used to assess the glass/water reaction pathway by identifying intermediate phases that appear on the reacting glass. Additionally, colloids from the leach solutions are being studied using AEM. 8. A technical review of AEM results is being provided. 9. A study of water diffusion involving nuclear waste glasses is being performed. 10. A mechanistically based model is being developed to predict the performance of glass over repository-relevant time periods

Pilot-scale grout production test with a simulated low-level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fow, C.L.; Mitchell, D.H.; Treat, R.L.; Hymas, C.R.

1987-05-01

Plans are underway at the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, to convert the low-level fraction of radioactive liquid wastes to a grout form for permanent disposal. Grout is a mixture of liquid waste and grout formers, including portland cement, fly ash, and clays. In the plan, the grout slurry is pumped to subsurface concrete vaults on the Hanford Site, where the grout will solidify into large monoliths, thereby immobilizing the waste. A similar disposal concept is being planned at the Savannah River Laboratory site. The underground disposal of grout was conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory between 1966 and 1984. Design and construction of grout processing and disposal facilities are underway. The Transportable Grout Facility (TGF), operated by Rockwell Hanford Operations (Rockwell) for the Department of Energy (DOE), is scheduled to grout Phosphate/Sulfate N Reactor Operations Waste (PSW) in FY 1988. Phosphate/Sulfate Waste is a blend of two low-level waste streams generated at Hanford's N Reactor. Other wastes are scheduled to be grouted in subsequent years. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is verifying that Hanford grouts can be safely and efficiently processed. To meet this objective, pilot-scale grout process equipment was installed. On July 29 and 30, 1986, PNL conducted a pilot-scale grout production test for Rockwell. During the test, 16,000 gallons of simulated nonradioactive PSW were mixed with grout formers to produce 22,000 gallons of PSW grout. The grout was pumped at a nominal rate of 15 gpm (about 25% of the nominal production rate planned for the TGF) to a lined and covered trench with a capacity of 30,000 gallons. Emplacement of grout in the trench will permit subsequent evaluation of homogeneity of grout in a large monolith. 12 refs., 34 figs., 5 tabs

Summary of available waste forecast data for the Environmental Restoration Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-08-01

This report identifies patterns of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Environmental Restoration (ER) waste generation that are predicted by the current ER Waste Generation Forecast data base. It compares the waste volumes to be generated with the waste management capabilities of current and proposed treatment, storage, or disposal (TSD) facilities. The scope of this report is limited to wastes generated during activities funded by the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Restoration (EM-40) and excludes wastes from the decontamination and decommissioning of facilities. Significant quantities of these wastes are expected to be generated during ER activities. This report has been developed as a management tool supporting communication and coordination of waste management activities at ORNL. It summarizes the available data for waste that will be generated as a result of remediation activities under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Operations Office and identifies areas requiring continued waste management planning and coordination. Based on the available data, it is evident that most remedial action wastes leaving the area of contamination can be managed adequately with existing and planned ORR waste management facilities if attention is given to waste generation scheduling and the physical limitations of particular TSD facilities. Limited use of off-site commercial TSD facilities is anticipated, provided the affected waste streams can be shown to satisfy the requirements of the performance objective for certification of non-radioactive hazardous waste and the waste acceptance criteria of the off-site facilities. Ongoing waste characterization will be required to determine the most appropriate TSD facility for each waste stream

EXPERIMENTS ON CAKE DEVELOPMENT IN CROSSFLOW FILTRATION FOR HIGH LEVEL WASTE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duignan, M.; Nash, C.

2011-04-14

Crossflow filtration is a key process step in many operating and planned waste treatment facilities to separate undissolved solids from supernate slurries. This separation technology generally has the advantage of self cleaning through the action of wall shear stress, which is created by the flow of waste slurry through the filter tubes. However, the ability of filter wall self cleaning depends on the slurry being filtered. Many of the alkaline radioactive wastes are extremely challenging to filtration, e.g., those containing compounds of aluminum and iron, which have particles whose size and morphology reduces permeability. Low filter flux can be a bottleneck in waste processing facilities such as the Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site and the Waste Treatment Plant at the Hanford Site. Any improvement to the filtration rate would lead directly to increased throughput of the entire process. To date, increased rates are generally realized by either increasing the crossflow filter axial flowrate, which is limited by pump capacity, or by increasing filter surface area, which is limited by space and increases the required pump load. In the interest of accelerating waste treatment processing, DOE has funded studies to better understand filtration with the goal of improving filter fluxes in existing crossflow equipment. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was included in those studies, with a focus on startup techniques and filter cake development. This paper discusses those filter studies. SRNL set up both dead-end and crossflow filter tests to better understand filter performance based on filter media structure, flow conditions, and filter cleaning. Using non-radioactive simulated wastes, which were both chemically and physically similar to the actual radioactive wastes, the authors performed several tests to demonstrate increases in filter performance. With the proper use of filter flow conditions filter flow rates can be increased

Supplemental Immobilization of Hanford Low-Activity Waste: Cast Stone Screening Tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westsik, Joseph H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Piepel, Gregory F. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lindberg, Michael J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Heasler, Patrick G. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Mercier, Theresa M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Russell, Renee L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Cozzi, Alex [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Daniel, William E. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Eibling, Russell E. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Hansen, E. K. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Reigel, Marissa M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Swanberg, David J. [Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), Aiken, SC (United States)

2013-09-30

More than 56 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste are stored in 177 underground storage tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is being constructed to treat the wastes and immobilize them in a glass waste form. The WTP includes a pretreatment facility to separate the wastes into a small volume of high-level waste (HLW) containing most of the radioactivity and a larger volume of low-activity waste (LAW) containing most of the nonradioactive chemicals. The HLW will be converted to glass in the HLW vitrification facility for ultimate disposal at an offsite federal repository. At least a portion (~35%) of the LAW will be converted to glass in the LAW vitrification facility and will be disposed of onsite at the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). The pretreatment and HLW vitrification facilities will have the capacity to treat and immobilize the wastes destined for each facility. However, a second LAW immobilization facility will be needed for the expected volume of LAW requiring immobilization. A cementitious waste form known as Cast Stone is being considered to provide the required additional LAW immobilization capacity. The Cast Stone waste form must be acceptable for disposal in the IDF. The Cast Stone waste form and immobilization process must be tested to demonstrate that the final Cast Stone waste form can comply with the waste acceptance criteria for the disposal facility and that the immobilization processes can be controlled to consistently provide an acceptable waste form product. Further, the waste form must be tested to provide the technical basis for understanding the long-term performance of the waste form in the disposal environment. These waste form performance data are needed to support risk assessment and performance assessment (PA) analyses of the long-term environmental impact of the waste disposal in the IDF

Hanford Low-Activity Waste Processing: Demonstration of the Off-Gas Recycle Flowsheet - 13443

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramsey, William G.; Esparza, Brian P. [Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC, Richland, WA 99532 (United States)

2013-07-01

Vitrification of Hanford Low-Activity Waste (LAW) is nominally the thermal conversion and incorporation of sodium salts and radionuclides into borosilicate glass. One key radionuclide present in LAW is technetium-99. Technetium-99 is a low energy, long-lived beta emitting radionuclide present in the waste feed in concentrations on the order of 1-10 ppm. The long half-life combined with a high solubility in groundwater results in technetium-99 having considerable impact on performance modeling (as potential release to the environment) of both the waste glass and associated secondary waste products. The current Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) process flowsheet calls for the recycle of vitrification process off-gas condensates to maximize the portion of technetium ultimately immobilized in the waste glass. This is required as technetium acts as a semi-volatile specie, i.e. considerable loss of the radionuclide to the process off-gas stream can occur during the vitrification process. To test the process flowsheet assumptions, a prototypic off-gas system with recycle capability was added to a laboratory melter (on the order of 1/200 scale) and testing performed. Key test goals included determination of the process mass balance for technetium, a non-radioactive surrogate (rhenium), and other soluble species (sulfate, halides, etc.) which are concentrated by recycling off-gas condensates. The studies performed are the initial demonstrations of process recycle for this type of liquid-fed melter system. This paper describes the process recycle system, the waste feeds processed, and experimental results. Comparisons between data gathered using process recycle and previous single pass melter testing as well as mathematical modeling simulations are also provided. (authors)

Foaming and Antifoaming in Radioactive Waste Pretreatment and Immobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasan, Darsh T.

2002-01-01

Radioactive waste treatment processes usually involve concentration of radionuclides before waste can be immobilized by storing it in stable solid form. Foaming is observed at various stages of waste processing like sludge chemical processing and melter operations. Hence, the objective of this research was to study the mechanisms that produce foaming during nuclear waste treatment, to identify key parameters which aggravate foaming, and to identify effective ways to eliminate or mitigate foaming. Experimental and theoretical investigations of the surface phenomenon, suspension rheology, and bubble generation and interactions that lead to the formation of foam during waste processing were pursued under this EMSP project. Advanced experimental techniques including a novel capillary force balance in conjunction with the combined differential and common interferometry were developed to characterize particle-particle interactions at the foam lamella surfaces as well as inside the foam lamella. Laboratory tests were conducted using a non-radioactive simulant slurry containing high levels of noble metals and mercury similar to the High-Level Waste. We concluded that foaminess of the simulant sludge was due to the presence of colloidal particles such as aluminum, iron, and manganese. We have established the two major mechanisms of formation and stabilization of foams containing such colloidal particles: (1) structural and depletion forces; and (2) steric stabilization due to the adsorbed particles at the surfaces of the foam lamella. Based on this mechanistic understanding of foam generation and stability, an improved antifoam agent was developed by us, since commercial antifoam agents were found to be ineffective in the aggressive physical and chemical environment present in the sludge processing. The improved antifoamer was subsequently tested in a pilot plant at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and was found to be effective. Also, in the SRTC experiment, the irradiated

Hot-wall corrosion testing of simulated high level nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandler, G.T.; Zapp, P.E.; Mickalonis, J.I.

1995-01-01

Three materials of construction for steam tubes used in the evaporation of high level radioactive waste were tested under heat flux conditions, referred to as hot-wall tests. The materials were type 304L stainless steel alloy C276, and alloy G3. Non-radioactive acidic and alkaline salt solutions containing halides and mercury simulated different high level waste solutions stored or processed at the United States Department of Energy's Savannah River Site. Alloy C276 was also tested for corrosion susceptibility under steady-state conditions. The nickel-based alloys C276 and G3 exhibited excellent corrosion resistance under the conditions studied. Alloy C276 was not susceptible to localized corrosion and had a corrosion rate of 0.01 mpy (0.25 μm/y) when exposed to acidic waste sludge and precipitate slurry at a hot-wall temperature of 150 degrees C. Type 304L was susceptible to localized corrosion under the same conditions. Alloy G3 had a corrosion rate of 0.1 mpy (2.5 μm/y) when exposed to caustic high level waste evaporator solution at a hot-wall temperature of 220 degrees C compared to 1.1 mpy (28.0 μ/y) for type 304L. Under extreme caustic conditions (45 weight percent sodium hydroxide) G3 had a corrosion rate of 0.1 mpy (2.5 μm/y) at a hot-wall temperature of 180 degrees C while type 304L had a high corrosion rate of 69.4 mpy (1.8 mm/y)

Report on the joint USA-Germany drop test program for a vitrified high level waste cask

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golliher, K.G.; Witt, C.R.; Wieser, K.E.

1993-01-01

A series of full-scale drop tests was performed on a ductile iron transport cask in a cooperative program between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Bundesantalt fuer Materialpruefung (BAM) in Germany. The tests, which were performed at BAM's test facility located near Lehre, Germany, were performed on a prototype cask designed for transport of Vitrified High Level Waste (VHLW) canisters. The VHLW cask is a right circular cylinder with a diameter of 1156 mm and a height of 3454 cm, and weighs approximately 24.6 kg including its payload of a single VHLW canister. The drop tests were performed with a non-radioactive, prototype VHLW canister in the cavity. (J.P.N.)

Rhenium solubility in borosilicate nuclear waste glass: implications for the processing and immobilization of technetium-99.

Science.gov (United States)

McCloy, John S; Riley, Brian J; Goel, Ashutosh; Liezers, Martin; Schweiger, Michael J; Rodriguez, Carmen P; Hrma, Pavel; Kim, Dong-Sang; Lukens, Wayne W; Kruger, Albert A

2012-11-20

The immobilization of technetium-99 ((99)Tc) in a suitable host matrix has proven to be a challenging task for researchers in the nuclear waste community around the world. In this context, the present work reports on the solubility and retention of rhenium, a nonradioactive surrogate for (99)Tc, in a sodium borosilicate glass. Glasses containing target Re concentrations from 0 to 10,000 ppm [by mass, added as KReO(4) (Re(7+))] were synthesized in vacuum-sealed quartz ampules to minimize the loss of Re from volatilization during melting at 1000 °C. The rhenium was found as Re(7+) in all of the glasses as observed by X-ray absorption near-edge structure. The solubility of Re in borosilicate glasses was determined to be ~3000 ppm (by mass) using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. At higher rhenium concentrations, additional rhenium was retained in the glasses as crystalline inclusions of alkali perrhenates detected with X-ray diffraction. Since (99)Tc concentrations in a glass waste form are predicted to be wastes, assuming Tc as Tc(7+) and similarities between Re(7+) and Tc(7+) behavior in this glass system.

Corrosivity of solutions from evaporation of radioactive liquid wastes. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Payer, H.; Kolic, E.S.; Boyd, W.K.

1977-01-01

New double-shell storage tanks are constructed with ASTM A-516 Grade 65 steel. This study had two main objectives: To characterize the corrosivity of synthetic nonradioactive terminal waste solutions to ASTM A-516 Grade 65 steel and to determine the severity of stress-corrosion cracking of carbon steel in terminal waste solutions. The information developed provides guidance in the characterization of the aggressiveness of actual terminal liquors and in the design and operation of fail-safe tanks. Corrosion behavior was measured over a range of oxidizing conditions by the potentiodynamic polarization technique. Oxidizing conditions in a solution likely to promote general corrosion, pitting or stress-corrosion cracking (SCC) were identified. Absolute stress-corrosion cracking susceptibility was determined by constant strain rate procedure for ASTM A-516 Grade 65 steel for conditions identified by polarization experiments as likely to promote SCC. Based on the results of this study, terminal waste storage tanks are safe from stress-corrosion cracking under freely corroding conditions. Corrosion potential of steel in solutions within anticipated compositions is at the positive end of the critical range for stress-corrosion cracking, and no conditions were observed which would lower the potential to more negative values within the cracking range under freely corroding conditions. Measurement of corrosion potential and hydroxide concentration provides a means to extend these results to compositions outside of the composition range studied

Detection of Sleeping Beauty transposition in the genome of host cells by non-radioactive Southern blot analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aravalli, Rajagopal N., E-mail: aravalli@umn.edu [Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, MMC 292, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Park, Chang W. [Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, MMC 36, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Steer, Clifford J., E-mail: steer001@umn.edu [Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, MMC 36, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States)

2016-08-26

The Sleeping Beauty transposon (SB-Tn) system is being used widely as a DNA vector for the delivery of therapeutic transgenes, as well as a tool for the insertional mutagenesis in animal models. In order to accurately assess the insertional potential and properties related to the integration of SB it is essential to determine the copy number of SB-Tn in the host genome. Recently developed SB100X transposase has demonstrated an integration rate that was much higher than the original SB10 and that of other versions of hyperactive SB transposases, such as HSB3 or HSB17. In this study, we have constructed a series of SB vectors carrying either a DsRed or a human β-globin transgene that was encompassed by cHS4 insulator elements, and containing the SB100X transposase gene outside the SB-Tn unit within the same vector in cis configuration. These SB-Tn constructs were introduced into the K-562 erythroid cell line, and their presence in the genomes of host cells was analyzed by Southern blot analysis using non-radioactive probes. Many copies of SB-Tn insertions were detected in host cells regardless of transgene sequences or the presence of cHS4 insulator elements. Interestingly, the size difference of 2.4 kb between insulated SB and non-insulated controls did not reflect the proportional difference in copy numbers of inserted SB-Tns. We then attempted methylation-sensitive Southern blots to assess the potential influence of cHS4 insulator elements on the epigenetic modification of SB-Tn. Our results indicated that SB100X was able to integrate at multiple sites with the number of SB-Tn copies larger than 6 kb in size. In addition, the non-radioactive Southern blot protocols developed here will be useful to detect integrated SB-Tn copies in any mammalian cell type.

Detection of Sleeping Beauty transposition in the genome of host cells by non-radioactive Southern blot analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aravalli, Rajagopal N.; Park, Chang W.; Steer, Clifford J.

2016-01-01

The Sleeping Beauty transposon (SB-Tn) system is being used widely as a DNA vector for the delivery of therapeutic transgenes, as well as a tool for the insertional mutagenesis in animal models. In order to accurately assess the insertional potential and properties related to the integration of SB it is essential to determine the copy number of SB-Tn in the host genome. Recently developed SB100X transposase has demonstrated an integration rate that was much higher than the original SB10 and that of other versions of hyperactive SB transposases, such as HSB3 or HSB17. In this study, we have constructed a series of SB vectors carrying either a DsRed or a human β-globin transgene that was encompassed by cHS4 insulator elements, and containing the SB100X transposase gene outside the SB-Tn unit within the same vector in cis configuration. These SB-Tn constructs were introduced into the K-562 erythroid cell line, and their presence in the genomes of host cells was analyzed by Southern blot analysis using non-radioactive probes. Many copies of SB-Tn insertions were detected in host cells regardless of transgene sequences or the presence of cHS4 insulator elements. Interestingly, the size difference of 2.4 kb between insulated SB and non-insulated controls did not reflect the proportional difference in copy numbers of inserted SB-Tns. We then attempted methylation-sensitive Southern blots to assess the potential influence of cHS4 insulator elements on the epigenetic modification of SB-Tn. Our results indicated that SB100X was able to integrate at multiple sites with the number of SB-Tn copies larger than 6 kb in size. In addition, the non-radioactive Southern blot protocols developed here will be useful to detect integrated SB-Tn copies in any mammalian cell type.

PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF ZEOLITE-CONTAINING WASTE FORMS PRODUCED FROM METAKAOLINITE AND CALCINED HLW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pareizs, J. M.; Jantzenm, C.M.

2000-01-01

Natural and synthetic zeolites are extremely versatile materials. They can adsorb a variety of liquids and gases, and also take part in cation exchange reactions. Zeolites have the ability to sequester ions in lattice positions or within their networks of channels and voids. The zeolites can host alkali, alkaline earth and a variety of higher valance cations. As such they may be a viable alternative for immobilization of low activity waste (LAW) salts and calcines. The process for synthesizing zeolites is well documented for pure starting materials. A reactive aluminosilicate is reacted with an alkaline hydroxide at low temperature (<300 C) to form a zeolite. Processing time and temperature and specific reactants determine the type of zeolite formed. Zeolites are easy to make, and can be synthesized from a wide variety of natural and man made materials. However, relatively little is known about the process if one of the starting materials is a poorly characterized complex mixture of oxides (waste) containing nearly every element in the periodic table. The purpose of this work is to develop a clearer understanding of the advantages and limitations of producing a zeolite waste form from radioactive waste. Dr. M. W. Grutzeck at the Pennsylvania State University is investigating the production of a zeolite waste form using nonradioactive simulants. Dr. C. M. Jantzen and J. M. Pareizs at the Savannah River Technology Center will use the results from simulant work as a starting point for producing a zeolite waste form from an actual Savannah River Site radioactive waste stream

Physical, chemical, and structural evolution of zeolite-containing waste forms produced from metakaolinite and calcined HLW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pareizs, J.M.

2000-01-01

Natural and synthetic zeolites are extremely versatile materials. They can adsorb a variety of liquids and gases, and also take part in cation exchange reactions. Zeolites have the ability to sequester ions in lattice positions or within their networks of channels and voids. The zeolites can host alkali, alkaline earth and a variety of higher valence cations. As such they may be a viable alternative for immobilization of low activity waste (LAW) salts and calcines. The process for synthesizing zeolites is well documented for pure starting materials. A reactive aluminosilicate is reacted with an alkaline hydroxide at low temperature to form a zeolite. Processing time and temperature and specific reactants determine the type of zeolite formed. Zeolites are easy to make, and can be synthesized from a wide variety of natural and man made materials. However, relatively little is known about the process if one of the starting materials is a poorly characterized complex mixture of oxides (waste) containing nearly every element in the periodic table. The purpose of this work is to develop a clearer understanding of the advantages and limitations of producing a zeolite waste form from radioactive waste. Dr. M. W. Grutzeck at the Pennsylvania State University is investigating the production of a zeolite waste form using non-radioactive simulants. Dr. C. M. Jantzen and J. M. Pareizs at the Savannah River Technology Center will use the results from simulant work as a starting point for producing a zeolite waste form from an actual Savannah River Site radioactive waste stream