Waste form development for use with ORNL waste treatment facility sludge

A sludge that simulates Water Softening Sludge number 5 (WSS number 5 filtercake) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was prepared and evaluated for its thermal behavior, volume reduction, stabilization, surface area and compressive strength properties. Compaction of the surrogate waste and the calcium oxide (produced by calcination) in the presence of paraffin resulted in cylindrical molds with various degrees of stability. This work has demonstrated that surrogate WSS number 5 at ORNL can be successfully stabilized by blending it with about 35 percent paraffin and compacting the mixture at 8000 psi. This compressive strength of the waste form is sufficient for temporary storage of the waste while long-term storage waste forms are developed. Considering the remarkable similarity between the surrogate and the actual filtercake, the findings of this project should be useful for treating the sludge generated by the waste treatment facility at ORNL