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Initial Demonstration of the Vitrification of High-Level Nuclear Waste Sludge Containing an Organic Cs-Loaded Ion-Exchange Resin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 1992

N. E. Bibler ,
J. P. Bibler ,
M. K. Andrews  and
C. M. Jantzen
N. E. Bibler
Affiliation:
Westinghouse Savannah River Co, Aiken, SC, 29802
J. P. Bibler
Affiliation:
Westinghouse Savannah River Co, Aiken, SC, 29802
M. K. Andrews
Affiliation:
Westinghouse Savannah River Co, Aiken, SC, 29802
C. M. Jantzen
Affiliation:
Westinghouse Savannah River Co, Aiken, SC, 29802
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Abstract

When immobilizing into borosilicate glass the radionuclides in the caustic high-level radioactive wastes stored in the USA, the soluble fission product Cs-137 has to be removed from supernates of the wastes. In the current processes zeolites or an organic precipitant will be used to remove the Cs. These are then treated further and mixed with the radioactive sludges and vitrified into a borosilicate glass. This paper describes the vitrification of a mixture resulting from using a new process to remove Cs from the caustic supernate. A resorcinol based organic ion exchange resin is used. This resin was then mixed with sludge and frit and vitrified. Using an organic ion exchange resin rather than zeolite or the organic precipitant has certain advantages. For example, use of the zeolite increases the amount of glass to be made and use of the organic precipitant produces benzene as a secondary waste stream. Results in the paper indicate that a mixture of the resin, sludge and frit can be successfully vitrified in a joule-heated, slurry fed melter. However, when resin is present in the feed, the glass becomes less durable due to the increased amount of Fe(II) caused by reduction of Fe(III) in the melt. Based on the durabilities of other waste glasses, this glass is still suitable as a canistered wasteform.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 294: Symposium V – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XVI , 1992 , 81
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

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References

REFERENCES

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