Modifying the rheological properties of melter feed for the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant

Selected high-level nuclear wastes from the Hanford Site may be vitrified in the future Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) by Rockwell Hanford Company, the contractor responsible for reprocessing and waste management at the Hanford Site. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), which is operated for the Department of Energy by Battelle Memorial Institute, is responsible for providing technical support for the HWVP. In this capacity, PNL performed rheological evaluations of simulated HWVP feed in order to determine which processing factors could be modified, to best optimize the vitrification process. To accomplish this goal, a simulated HWVP feed was first created and characterized. Researchers then evaluated how the chemical and physical form of the glass-forming additives affected the rheological properties and melting behavior of melter feed prepared with the simulated HWVP feed. The effects of adding formic acid to the waste were also evaluated. Finally, the maximum melter feed concentration with acceptable rheological properties was determined