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[en] Methods were scoped for converting the sodium-bearing waste stored at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant into granular, free flowing solids by fluidized-bed calcination at 500⁰C. The most promising methods were addition of aluminum nitrate or aluminum nitrate, hydrofluoric acid, and calcium nitrate to sodium-bearing waste prior to calcination. These will be used as alternates to a method consisting of adding calcium nitrate to a blend of zirconium fluoride and sodium-bearing wastes prior to calcination. Problems could develop in calcining such a blend, storing the resulting calcine, or in obtaining enough zirconium fluoride waste to blend with sodium-bearing waste

[en] A process has been designed for the recovery of curium from purex waste. Curium and americium are separated from the lanthanides by a TALSPEAK extraction process using differential extraction. Equations were derived for the estimation of the economically optimum conditions for the extraction using laboratory batch extraction data. The preparation of feed for the extraction involves the removal of nitric acid from the Purex waste by vaporization under reduced pressure, the leaching of soluble nitrates from the resulting cake, and the oxalate precipitation of a pure lanthanide-actinide fraction. Final separation of the curium from americium is done by ion-exchange. The steps of the process, except ion-exchange, were tested on a laboratory scale and workable conditions were determined

[en] This annotated bibliography of 447 references contains scientific, technical, economic, and regulatory information relevant to low-level radioactive waste technology. The bibliography focuses on environmental transport, disposal site, and waste treatment studies. The publication covers both domestic and foreign literature for the period 1952 to 1979. Major chapters selected are Chemical and Physical Aspects; Container Design and Performance; Disposal Site; Environmental Transport; General Studies and Reviews; Geology, Hydrology and Site Resources; Regulatory and Economic Aspects; Transportation Technology; Waste Production; and Waste Treatment. Specialized data fields have been incorporated into the data file to improve the ease and accuracy of locating pertinent references. Specific radionuclides for which data are presented are listed in the Measured Radionuclides field, and specific parameters which affect the migration of these radionuclides are presented in the Measured Parameters field. In addition, each document referenced in this bibliography has been assigned a relevance number to facilitate sorting the documents according to their pertinence to low-level radioactive waste technology. The documents are rated 1, 2, 3, or 4, with 1 indicating direct applicability to low-level radioactive waste technology and 4 indicating that a considerable amount of interpretation is required for the information presented to be applied. The references within each chapter are arranged alphabetically by leading author, corporate affiliation, or title of the document. Indexes are provide for (1) author(s), (2) keywords, (3) subject category, (4) title, (5) geographic location, (6) measured parameters, (7) measured radionuclides, and (8) publication description

[en] The report falls under the headings: introduction; the nature of radioactive wastes; how to manage radioactive wastes; packaging of radioactive wastes (supervised storage; disposal); waste form evaluation and test requirements (supervised storage; disposal); conclusions. (U.K.)

[en] Compositions and properties of glasses developed for vitrification of TRU incinerator ashes are presented. The effects on glasses of variations in the ash are explored. Preliminary experience with engineering-scale melting tests is reported

[en] The waste gases with a temperature of more than 500⁰C are led to a replaceable solid bed filter with a filling of ceramic bodies. The ceramic bodies consist mainly of Al₂O₃, ZrO₂ and SiO₂ and are molten on the surface, which fixes the dust to them. (DG)

[en] The arc saw is one of the key components of the Contaminated Equipment Volume Reduction (CEVR) Program. This report describes the progress of the arc saw from its inception to its current developmental status. History of the arc saw and early contributors are discussed. Particular features of the arc saw and their advantages for CEVR are detailed. Development of the arc saw including theory of operation, pertinent experimental results, plans for the large arc saw and advanced control systems are covered. Associated topics such as potential applications for the arc saw and other arc saw installations in the world is also touched upon

[en] This paper summarizes work in progress at Pacific Northwest Laboratory to develop vibratory finishing into a large-scale decontamination system that can minimize the volume of surface-contaminated metallic and nonmetallic waste requiring geologic disposal. Vibratory finishing is a mass finishing process used in the metal finishing industry to debur, clean and improve surface finishes. The process combines a mechanical scrubbing action of a solid medium with the cleaning action of a liquid compound. The process takes place in a vibrating tub. Tests have demonstrated the ability to rapidly reduce contamination levels of transuranic-contaminated waste to substantially less than 10 nCi/g, the current limit for transuranic waste. The process is effective on a wide range of materials including stainless steel, Plexiglas, Neoprene, and Hypalon, the principal materials in Hanford glove boxes

[en] Metastable liquid-liquid separation in glasses can often cause significant changes in physical and chemical properties of the original homogeneous glass. In some technical borosilicate glasses this phenomenon is used to change the chemical durability of the glass. For potential nuclear-waste-glasses the slow cooling through the temperature range 550⁰C - 700⁰C may lead to such a liquid-liquid phase separation. In order to investigate the susceptibility of phase separation of nuclear-waste-glasses, two KBS model glasses, ABS-39 and ABS-41, were investigated. Two of the subsequent reports are concerned with this problem. The third report also takes into consideration the effects of MoO₃ on the immiscibility gap. The maximum amount of MoO₃ that can be dissolved in ABS-39 and ABS 41 is also determined. (Auth.)