French nuclear waste vitrification. State of the art and future developments

The feasibility of the French vitrification process has demonstrated at industrial scale for disposal of very high-level radioactive liquid wastes. The CEA has acquired extensive experience in the area of waste containment materials, and has developed an effective melting technology. Three major objectives were assigned to the French vitrification research and development program: specify the chemical composition of the glass according to the composition of the waste solutions; characterize glass as a containment medium; and implement the technology necessary to fabricate the containment glass under both non-radioactive and radioactive conditions. A two-steps continuous vitrification process is implemented by COGEMA in the Marcoule Vitrification Facility and in two vitrification units at La Hague. A new cold crucible direct-induction melting technology is now being developed. It will allow new containment matrices to be produced in facilities with larger capacities. The technology may be applied to nuclear wastes, but also to toxic inorganic industrial wastes. (J.S.). 3 figs., 2 tabs