Comparison of Dow Corning 544 antifoam to IIT747 antifoam in the 1/240 SRAT

The Defense Waste Processing Facility requested that the Immobilization Technology Section compare the relative foaming tendencies of sludge simulant during simulated Chemical Processing Cell operations (HLW-DWPF-TTR-99-0012). Dow Corning 544 antifoam, currently used in DWPF, was compared to a new antifoam formulation developed at the Illinois Institute of Technology. A task plan was written and approved. The task plan deliverables included a recommendation on the choice of antifoam, an evaluation of the influence of solids concentration on foaming, an evaluation on the effect of boil-up rate on foaming, an estimate of the mass of steam stripped to remove 90 percent of the mercury, and a determination of the fate of mercury. Additional parameters to be investigated during experimentation included the maximum foam height observed, hydrogen generation rates, and nitrite destruction rates