Low Temperature Aluminum Dissolution (LTAD) Real Waste Testing of the November 2017 Tank 51 Slurry Sample

Low Temperature Aluminum Dissolution (LTAD) will be performed on Tank 51 sludge prior to sending Sludge Batch 10 to the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), such that a sizable fraction of the insoluble aluminum will be dissolved and removed. During LTAD, the free hydroxide concentration and temperature of the sludge slurry are both raised, resulting in significantly increased aluminum solubility, which facilitates aluminum removal via decanting of the liquid phase. This Research and Development task will provide input information regarding the expected gas generation rates under the bounding temperature and free hydroxide conditions of the upcoming Tank 51 LTAD evolution. It will also provide information on the expected fraction of insoluble aluminum that will dissolve as a function of temperature and time, as well as the expected chemical and phys ical properties of the Tank 51 sludge slurry, prior to and following the LTAD operations.