scholarly journals Synroc development—Past and present applications

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric R. Vance ◽  
Dorji T. Chavara ◽  
Daniel J. Gregg
Keyword(s):  
Glass Ceramic ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Process Technology ◽  
Technology Platform ◽  
Ceramic Waste ◽  
Waste Forms ◽  
Produce Glass ◽  
Waste Loading

ABSTRACTSynroc has evolved over the last 40 years from the titanate full-ceramics developed in the late 1970s to a technology platform that can be applied to produce glass, glass–ceramic, and ceramic waste forms and where there are distinct advantages in terms of waste loading and suppressing volatile losses.A first of a kind Synroc plant for immobilizing intermediate level waste arising from Mo-99 production is currently in detailed engineering at ANSTO.Since the year 2000, Synroc has evolved from the titanate full-ceramics developed in the late 1970s to a technology platform that can be applied to produce glass, glass–ceramic, and ceramic waste forms and where there are distinct advantages in terms of waste loading and suppressing volatile losses. Furthermore recent efforts have focused strongly on waste form development for plutonium-bearing wastes in the UK, for different options for the immobilization of Idaho calcines and most recently developing an engineered waste form for the intermediate level wastes arising from 99Mo production, for the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). A variety of other studies are currently in progress, including engineered waste forms for spent fuel and investigating the proliferation risks for titanate-based waste forms containing highly enriched uranium or plutonium. This paper also attempts to give some perspective on Synroc waste forms and process technology development in the nuclear waste management industry.

Progress on Ongoing Waste form HIP projects at ANSTO

MRS Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (20) ◽  
pp. 1059-1064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric R. Vance ◽  
Dorji T. Chavara ◽  
Daniel J. Gregg
Keyword(s):  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Hot Isostatic Pressing ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
Process Technology ◽  
Ceramic Waste ◽  
Waste Forms ◽  
Produce Glass ◽  
Form Development ◽  
Year 2000

Abstract:Since the year 2000, Synroc has evolved from the titanate full-ceramic waste forms developed in the late 1970s to a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) technology platform that can be applied to produce glass, glass–ceramic, and ceramic waste forms and where there are distinct advantages over vitrification in terms of, for example, waste loading and suppressing volatile losses. This paper describes recent progress on waste form development for intermediate-level wastes from 99Mo production at ANSTO, spent nuclear fuel, fluoride pyroprocessing wastes and 129I. The microstructures and aqueous dissolution results are presented where applicable. This paper provides perspective on Synroc waste forms and recent process technology development in the nuclear waste management industry.

Synroc tailored waste forms for actinide immobilization

2017 ◽  
Vol 105 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Gregg ◽  
Eric R. Vance
Keyword(s):  
Glass Ceramic ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
Borosilicate Glasses ◽  
Process Technology ◽  
Treatment Technology ◽  
Ceramic Waste ◽  
Waste Forms ◽  
Glass Matrices ◽  
Key Aspects

AbstractSince the end of the 1970s, Synroc at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has evolved from a focus on titanate ceramics directed at PUREX waste to a platform waste treatment technology to fabricate tailored glass–ceramic and ceramic waste forms for different types of actinide, high- and intermediate level wastes. The particular emphasis for Synroc is on wastes which are problematic for glass matrices or existing vitrification process technologies. In particular, nuclear wastes containing actinides, notably plutonium, pose a unique set of requirements for a waste form, which Synroc ceramic and glass-ceramic waste forms can be tailored to meet. Key aspects to waste form design include maximising the waste loading, producing a chemically durable product, maintaining flexibility to accommodate waste variations, a proliferation resistance to prevent theft and diversion, and appropriate process technology to produce waste forms that meet requirements for actinide waste streams. Synroc waste forms incorporate the actinides within mineral phases, producing products which are much more durable in water than baseline borosilicate glasses. Further, Synroc waste forms can incorporate neutron absorbers and

A Single Phase ([Nzp]) Ceramic Radioactive Waste Form

1982 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rustum Roy ◽  
L.J. Yang ◽  
J. Alamo ◽  
E.R. Vance
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Single Phase ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
Chemical Model ◽  
Crystal Chemical ◽  
Ceramic Waste ◽  
Molar Ratios ◽  
Loading Level ◽  
Waste Forms ◽  
Waste Loading

ABSTRACTIt has been shown that between 10 and 20% of a simulated PW–4b radwaste composition can be incorporated into a single nhase with the NZP (= ‘MaZr2 P3 o12’) structure. By changing the P/Na and Zr/Na molar ratios (i.e., adjusting the crystal chemical model of where each ion is located in the structure) it has been possible to outline a very ‘forgiving’ compositional regime both at the 10% and the 20% waste loading level within which one obtains one ([NZP]) or two ([NZP] and [monazite]) phases. We have also succeeded in substituting Tio2 for Zro2 in making a TiO2-rich [NTP] waste form analogous to the [NZ]] materials.Thus we have succeeded in creating monophasic and diphasic ceramic waste forms which can be sintered below 1000° C. Only preliminary leach data have been obtained at 25° and 300°C, and they place this material with good ceramic forms.

Geopolymers as Candidates for the Immobilisation of Low- and Intermediate-Level Waste

2006 ◽  
Vol 985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Vance ◽  
Eric Vance ◽  
Satoshi Kiyama ◽  
Zaynab Aly ◽  
Patrick Yee
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Material ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Waste Forms ◽  
Phosphate Compound ◽  
Waste Loading ◽  
Saturation Effects ◽  
High Level ◽  
B Test

AbstractGeopolymers should be serious waste form candidates for intermediate level waste (ILW), insofar as they are more durable than Portland cement and can pass the PCT-B test for high-level waste. Thus an alkaline ILW could be considered to be satisfactorily immobilised in a geopolymer formulation. However a simulated Hanford tank waste was found to fail the PCT-B criterion even for a waste loading as low as 5 wt%, very probably due to the formation of a soluble sodium phosphate compound(s). This suggests that it could be worth developing a “mixed” GP waste form in which the amorphous material can immobilise cations and a zeolitic component to immobilise anions. The PCT -B test is demonstrably subject to significant saturation effects, especially for relatively soluble waste forms.

A Description of the Ceramic Waste Form Production Process from the Demonstration Phase of the Electrometallurgical Treatment of EBR-II Spent Fuel

2001 ◽  
Vol 134 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael F. Simpson ◽  
K. Michael Goff ◽  
Stephen G. Johnson ◽  
Kenneth J. Bateman ◽  
Terry J. Battisti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production Process ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Ceramic Waste

Aging Studies of Pu-238 and -239 Containing Calcium Phosphate Ceramic Waste-forms

2013 ◽  
Vol 1518 ◽  
pp. 73-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley K. Fong ◽  
Brian L. Metcalfe ◽  
Randall D. Scheele ◽  
Denis M. Strachan
Keyword(s):  
Calcium Phosphate ◽  
Accelerated Aging ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
Calcium Phosphate Ceramic ◽  
Ceramic Waste ◽  
Waste Forms ◽  
Aging Studies ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Pyrochemical Reprocessing

ABSTRACTA calcium phosphate ceramic waste-form has been developed at AWE for the immobilisation of chloride containing wastes arising from the pyrochemical reprocessing of plutonium. In order to determine the long term durability of the waste-form, aging trials have been carried out at PNNL. Ceramics were prepared using Pu-239 and -238, these were characterised by PXRD at regular intervals and Single Pass Flow Through (SPFT) tests after approximately 5 yrs.While XRD indicated some loss of crystallinity in the Pu-238 samples after exposure to 2.8 x 1018 α decays, SPFT tests indicated that accelerated aging had not had a detrimental effect on the durability of Pu-238 samples compared to Pu-239 waste-forms.

HIPed Tailored Pyrochlore-Rich Glass-Ceramic Waste Forms for the Immobilization of Nuclear Waste

2008 ◽  
Vol 1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melody Lyn Carter ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Yingjie Zhang ◽  
Andrew L Gillen ◽  
Eric R Vance
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Glass Ceramic ◽  
Glass Ceramics ◽  
Spectroscopic Characterization ◽  
Chemical Durability ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Crystalline Phases ◽  
Waste Forms ◽  
Ceramic Samples

AbstractHot isostatically pressed (HIPed) glass-ceramics for the immobilization of uranium-rich intermediate-level wastes and Hanford K-basin sludges were designed. These were based on pyrochlore-structured Ca(1-x)U(1+y)Ti2O7 in glass, together with minor crystalline phases. Detailed microstructural, diffraction and spectroscopic characterization of selected glass-ceramic samples has been performed, and chemical durability is adequate, as measured by both MCC-1 and PCT-B leach tests.

Cold crucible induction melter studies for making glass ceramic waste forms: A feasibility assessment

2014 ◽  
Vol 444 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 481-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarrod Crum ◽  
Vince Maio ◽  
John McCloy ◽  
Clark Scott ◽  
Brian Riley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glass Ceramic ◽  
Cold Crucible ◽  
Ceramic Waste ◽  
Feasibility Assessment ◽  
Waste Forms

scholarly journals Using Center Hole Heat Transfer to Reduce Formation Times for Ceramic Waste Forms From Pyroprocessing

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth J. Bateman ◽  
Charles W. Solbrig
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Liquid Aluminum ◽  
Glass Frit ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
Electric Heater ◽  
Heating Process ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Noticeable Effect ◽  
Flowing Liquid ◽  
Ceramic Waste

The waste produced from processing spent fuel from the EBR II reactor must be processed into a waste form suitable for long term storage in Yucca Mountain. The method chosen produces zeolite granules mixed with glass frit, which must then be converted into a solid. This is accomplished by loading it into a can and heating to 900 C in a furnace regulated at 915 C. During heatup to 900 C, the zeolite and glass frit react and consolidate to produce a sodalite monolith. The resultant ceramic waste form (CWF) is then cooled. The waste form is 52 cm in diameter and initially 300 cm long but consolidates to 150 cm in length during the heating process. After cooling it is then inserted in a 5-DHLW/DOE SNF Long Canister. Without intervention, the waste takes 82 hours to heat up to 900 C in a furnace designed to geometrically fit the cylindrical waste form. This paper investigates the reduction in heating times possible with four different methods of additional heating through a center hole. The hole size is kept small to maximize the amount of CWF that is processed in a single run. A hole radius of 1.82 cm was selected which removes only 1% of the CWF. A reference computation was done with a specified inner hole surface temperature of 915 C to provide a benchmark for the amount of improvement which can be made. It showed that the heatup time can potentially be reduced to 43 hours with center hole heating. The first method, simply pouring high temperature liquid aluminum into the hole, did not produce any noticeable effect on reducing heat up times. The second method, flowing liquid aluminum through the hole, works well as long as the velocity is high enough (2.5 cm/sec) to prevent solidification of the aluminum during the initial front movement of the aluminum into the center hole. The velocity can be reduced to 1 cm/sec after the initial front has traversed the ceramic. This procedure reduces the formation time to near that of the reference case. The third method, flowing a gas through the center hole, also works well as long as the product of heat capacity and velocity of the gas is equivalent to that of the flowing aluminum, and the velocity is high enough to produce an intermediate size heat transfer coefficient. The fourth method, using an electric heater, works well and heater sizes between 500 to 1000 Watts are adequate. These later three methods all can reduce the heatup time to 44 hours allowing production to be doubled and a more uniform heating.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document