Potential Waste Management Improvements Through Development Research - 23510

The Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), managed by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC (CNS), has been working closely with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to invest in and significantly improve the condition of the aging infrastructure on this and other NNSA sites across the country. Y-12 in collaboration with sites across the Nuclear Security Enterprise has been accelerating its efforts to modernize processing methods and equipment to fill new and refurbished facilities with improved capabilities as they come on line. This has created an opportunity to deploy more efficient processes that will improve system agility, reliability, efficiency, and safety with the added benefit of reducing waste generation at the source. Two such technologies are Direct Casting (DC) and Electron Beam Cold Hearth Melting (EBCHM). Direct Casting is the process of directly casting a material into a near net shape for subsequent heat treatment and machining. This technology provides the potential for a simplified forming process to augment or replace aging operations. In comparison to wrought processing, DC requires fewer processing steps, less equipment and tooling, shorter lead times, and waste reductions of more than 20 metric tons per year. Likewise, EBCHM has the ability to augment the current Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM)-Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR)-VAR capability and increase throughput and responsiveness by recycling scrap material and direct alloying of feedstock. The EBCHM process utilizes an electron beam gun to melt the metal of interest in a water-cooled copper hearth. Once molten, the metal is subsequently allowed to flow out of the hearth into an ingot puller that can be configured to the desired shape. This technology offers several potential advantages over the current VIM/VAR/VAR ingot production process one of which being less waste. These two significant changes in the processing cycle will have a major impact on reducing radioactive waste destined for the landfill. A description of processing changes will be provided to give an appreciation of the scope of these technology changes. (authors)