Electrochemical probing of high-level radioactive waste tanks containing washed sludge and precipitates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bickford, D.F.; Congdon, J.W.; Oblath, S.B.

1986-12-01

At the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Plant, corrosion of carbon steel storage tanks containing alkaline, high-level radioactive waste is controlled by specification of limits on waste composition and temperature. Processes for the preparation of waste for final disposal will result in waste with low corrosion inhibitor concentrations and, in some cases, high aromatic organic concentrations, neither of which are characteristic of previous operations. Laboratory tests, conducted to determine minimum corrosion inhibitor levels indicated pitting of carbon steel near the waterline for proposed storage conditions. In situ electrochemical measurements of full-scale radioactive process demonstrations have been conducted to assessmore » the validity of laboratory tests. Probes included pH, Eh (potential relative to a standard hydrogen electrode), tank potential, and alloy coupons. In situ results are compared to those of the laboratory tests, with particular regard given to simulated solution composition. Transition metal hydroxide sludge contains strong passivating species for carbon steel. Washed precipitate contains organic species that lower solution pH and tend to reduce passivating films, requiring higher inhibitor concentrations than the 0.01 molar nitrite required for reactor fuel reprocessing wastes. Periodic agitation, to keep the organic phase suspended, or cathodic protection are possible alternatives to higher nitrite inhibitor concentrations.« less

DESIGN ANALYSIS FOR THE DEFENSE HIGH-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL CONTAINER

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

G. Radulesscu; J.S. Tang

The purpose of ''Design Analysis for the Defense High-Level Waste Disposal Container'' analysis is to technically define the defense high-level waste (DHLW) disposal container/waste package using the Waste Package Department's (WPD) design methods, as documented in ''Waste Package Design Methodology Report'' (CRWMS M&O [Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System Management and Operating Contractor] 2000a). The DHLW disposal container is intended for disposal of commercial high-level waste (HLW) and DHLW (including immobilized plutonium waste forms), placed within disposable canisters. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-managed spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in disposable canisters may also be placed in a DHLW disposal container alongmore » with HLW forms. The objective of this analysis is to demonstrate that the DHLW disposal container/waste package satisfies the project requirements, as embodied in Defense High Level Waste Disposal Container System Description Document (SDD) (CRWMS M&O 1999a), and additional criteria, as identified in Waste Package Design Sensitivity Report (CRWMS M&Q 2000b, Table 4). The analysis briefly describes the analytical methods appropriate for the design of the DHLW disposal contained waste package, and summarizes the results of the calculations that illustrate the analytical methods. However, the analysis is limited to the calculations selected for the DHLW disposal container in support of the Site Recommendation (SR) (CRWMS M&O 2000b, Section 7). The scope of this analysis is restricted to the design of the codisposal waste package of the Savannah River Site (SRS) DHLW glass canisters and the Training, Research, Isotopes General Atomics (TRIGA) SNF loaded in a short 18-in.-outer diameter (OD) DOE standardized SNF canister. This waste package is representative of the waste packages that consist of the DHLW disposal container, the DHLW/HLW glass canisters, and the DOE-managed SNF in disposable canisters. The intended use of this analysis

Predictive modeling of crystal accumulation in high-level waste glass melters processing radioactive waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matyáš, Josef; Gervasio, Vivianaluxa; Sannoh, Sulaiman E.

We present that the effectiveness of high-level waste vitrification at Hanford's Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant may be limited by precipitation/accumulation of spinel crystals [(Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn)(Fe, Cr) 2O 4] in the glass discharge riser of Joule-heated ceramic melters during idling. These crystals do not affect glass durability; however, if accumulated in thick layers, they can clog the melter and prevent discharge of molten glass into canisters. To address this problem, an empirical model was developed that can predict thicknesses of accumulated layers as a function of glass composition. This model predicts well the accumulation of single crystals and/ormore » small-scale agglomerates, but excessive agglomeration observed in high-Ni-Fe glass resulted in an underprediction of accumulated layers, which gradually worsened over time as an increased number of agglomerates formed. In conclusion, the accumulation rate of ~53.8 ± 3.7 μm/h determined for this glass will result in a ~26 mm-thick layer after 20 days of melter idling.« less

Predictive modeling of crystal accumulation in high-level waste glass melters processing radioactive waste

DOE PAGES

Matyáš, Josef; Gervasio, Vivianaluxa; Sannoh, Sulaiman E.; ...

2017-08-30

We present that the effectiveness of high-level waste vitrification at Hanford's Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant may be limited by precipitation/accumulation of spinel crystals [(Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn)(Fe, Cr) 2O 4] in the glass discharge riser of Joule-heated ceramic melters during idling. These crystals do not affect glass durability; however, if accumulated in thick layers, they can clog the melter and prevent discharge of molten glass into canisters. To address this problem, an empirical model was developed that can predict thicknesses of accumulated layers as a function of glass composition. This model predicts well the accumulation of single crystals and/ormore » small-scale agglomerates, but excessive agglomeration observed in high-Ni-Fe glass resulted in an underprediction of accumulated layers, which gradually worsened over time as an increased number of agglomerates formed. In conclusion, the accumulation rate of ~53.8 ± 3.7 μm/h determined for this glass will result in a ~26 mm-thick layer after 20 days of melter idling.« less

Long-term high-level waste technology. Composite report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cornman, W. R.

1981-12-01

Research and development studies on the immobilization of high-level wastes from the chemical reprocessing of nuclear reactor fuels are summarized. The reports are grouped under the following tasks: (1) program management and support; (2) waste preparation; (3) waste fixation; and (4) final handling. Some of the highlights are: leaching properties were obtained for titanate and tailored ceramic materials being developed at ICPP to immobilize zirconia calcine; comparative leach tests, hot-cell tests, and process evaluations were conducted of waste form alternatives to borosilicate glass for the immobilization of SRP high-level wastes, experiments were run at ANL to qualify neutron activation analysis and radioactive tracers for measuring leach rates from simulated waste glasses; comparative leach test samples of SYNROC D were prepared, characterized, and tested at LLNL; encapsulation of glass marbles with lead or lead alloys was demonstrated on an engineering scale at PNL; a canister for reference Commercial HLW was designed at PNL; a study of the optimization of salt-crete was completed at SRL; a risk assessment showed that an investment for tornado dampers in the interim storage building of the DWPF is unjustified.

World first in high level waste vitrification - A review of French vitrification industrial achievements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brueziere, J.; Chauvin, E.; Piroux, J.C.

2013-07-01

AREVA has more than 30 years experience in operating industrial HLW (High Level radioactive Waste) vitrification facilities (AVM - Marcoule Vitrification Facility, R7 and T7 facilities). This vitrification technology was based on borosilicate glasses and induction-heating. AVM was the world's first industrial HLW vitrification facility to operate in-line with a reprocessing plant. The glass formulation was adapted to commercial Light Water Reactor fission products solutions, including alkaline liquid waste concentrates as well as platinoid-rich clarification fines. The R7 and T7 facilities were designed on the basis of the industrial experience acquired in the AVM facility. The AVM vitrification process wasmore » implemented at a larger scale in order to operate the R7 and T7 facilities in-line with the UP2 and UP3 reprocessing plants. After more than 30 years of operation, outstanding record of operation has been established by the R7 and T7 facilities. The industrial startup of the CCIM (Cold Crucible Induction Melter) technology with enhanced glass formulation was possible thanks to the close cooperation between CEA and AREVA. CCIM is a water-cooled induction melter in which the glass frit and the waste are melted by direct high frequency induction. This technology allows the handling of highly corrosive solutions and high operating temperatures which permits new glass compositions and a higher glass production capacity. The CCIM technology has been implemented successfully at La Hague plant.« less

High-level radioactive waste management alternatives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1974-05-01

A summary of a comprehensive overview study of potential alternatives for long-term management of high-level radioactive waste is presented. The concepts studied included disposal in geologic formations, disposal in seabeds, disposal in ice caps, disposal into space, and elimination by transmutation. (TFD)

Plant species potentially suitable for cover on low-level solid nuclear waste disposal sites: a literature review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brenkert, A.L.; Parr, P.D.; Taylor, F.G.

This report reviews available literature on soil conditions, hydrology, and climatological data and suggests plant species suitable for covering the low-level nuclear waste disposal areas in the White Oak Creek Watershed within the Oak Ridge Reservation. Literature on naturally invading species and secondary succession, on plant species used for reclamation of coal spoils and roadsides, and on horticultural species is reviewed. The potential of plant species to take up, or mine, the waste through deep rooting is assessed. The effects of vegetation cover on the water balance in a watershed are reviewed. Several conclusions are presented concerning the management ofmore » vegetation cover on low-level solid waste disposal areas. 163 references, 2 figures, 9 tables.« less

Space augmentation of military high-level waste disposal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

English, T.; Lees, L.; Divita, E.

1979-01-01

Space disposal of selected components of military high-level waste (HLW) is considered. This disposal option offers the promise of eliminating the long-lived radionuclides in military HLW from the earth. A space mission which meets the dual requirements of long-term orbital stability and a maximum of one space shuttle launch per week over a period of 20-40 years, is a heliocentric orbit about halfway between the orbits of earth and Venus. Space disposal of high-level radioactive waste is characterized by long-term predictability and short-term uncertainties which must be reduced to acceptably low levels. For example, failure of either the Orbit Transfer Vehicle after leaving low earth orbit, or the storable propellant stage failure at perihelion would leave the nuclear waste package in an unplanned and potentially unstable orbit. Since potential earth reencounter and subsequent burn-up in the earth's atmosphere is unacceptable, a deep space rendezvous, docking, and retrieval capability must be developed.

Alternatives Generation and Analysis for Heat Removal from High Level Waste Tanks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

WILLIS, W.L.

This document addresses the preferred combination of design and operational configurations to provide heat removal from high-level waste tanks during Phase 1 waste feed delivery to prevent the waste temperature from exceeding tank safety requirement limits. An interim decision for the preferred method to remove the heat from the high-level waste tanks during waste feed delivery operations is presented herein.

Crystal accumulation in the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant high level waste melter: Summary of FY2016 experiements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fox, K.; Fowley, M.; Miller, D.

2016-12-01

Five experiments were completed with the full-scale, room temperature Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) high-level waste (HLW) melter riser test system to observe particle flow and settling in support of a crystal tolerant approach to melter operation. A prototypic pour rate was maintained based on the volumetric flow rate. Accumulation of particles was observed at the bottom of the riser and along the bottom of the throat after each experiment. Measurements of the accumulated layer thicknesses showed that the settled particles at the bottom of the riser did not vary in thickness during pouring cycles or idle periods.more » Some of the settled particles at the bottom of the throat were re-suspended during subsequent pouring cycles, and settled back to approximately the same thickness after each idle period. The cause of the consistency of the accumulated layer thicknesses is not year clear, but was hypothesized to be related to particle flow back to the feed tank. Additional experiments reinforced the observation of particle flow along a considerable portion of the throat during idle periods. Limitations of the system are noted in this report and may be addressed via future modifications. Follow-on experiments will be designed to evaluate the impact of pouring rate on particle re-suspension, the influence of feed tank agitation on particle accumulation, and the effect of changes in air lance positioning on the accumulation and re-suspension of particles at the bottom of the riser. A method for sampling the accumulated particles will be developed to support particle size distribution analyses. Thicker accumulated layers will be intentionally formed via direct addition of particles to select areas of the system to better understand the ability to continue pouring and re-suspend particles. Results from the room temperature system will be correlated with observations and data from the Research Scale Melter (RSM) at Pacific Northwest National

10 CFR 72.108 - Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor... RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Siting Evaluation Factors § 72.108 Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste transportation. The...

10 CFR 72.108 - Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor... RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Siting Evaluation Factors § 72.108 Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste transportation. The...

Crystallization in high-level waste glass: A review of glass theory and noteworthy literature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christian, J. H.

2015-08-18

There is a fundamental need to continue research aimed at understanding nepheline and spinel crystal formation in high-level waste (HLW) glass. Specifically, the formation of nepheline solids (K/NaAlSiO 4) during slow cooling of HLW glass can reduce the chemical durability of the glass, which can cause a decrease in the overall durability of the glass waste form. The accumulation of spinel solids ((Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn)(Fe, Cr) 2O 4), while not detrimental to glass durability, can cause an array of processing problems inside HLW glass melters. In this review, the fundamental differences between glass and solid-crystals are explained using kinetic,more » thermodynamic, and viscosity arguments, and several highlights of glass-crystallization research, as it pertains to high-level waste vitrification, are described. In terms of mitigating spinel in the melter and both spinel and nepheline formation in the canister, the complexity of HLW glass and the intricate interplay between thermal, chemical, and kinetic factors further complicates this understanding. However, new experiments seeking to elucidate the contributing factors of crystal nucleation and growth in waste glass, and the compilation of data from older experiments, may go a long way towards helping to achieve higher waste loadings while developing more efficient processing strategies. Higher waste loadings and more efficient processing strategies will reduce the overall HLW Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) vitrification facilities mission life.« less

Special Analysis for Disposal of High-Concentration I-129 Waste in the Intermediate-Level Vaults at the E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collard, L.B.

2000-09-26

This revision was prepared to address comments from DOE-SR that arose following publication of revision 0. This Special Analysis (SA) addresses disposal of wastes with high concentrations of I-129 in the Intermediate-Level (IL) Vaults at the operating, low-level radioactive waste disposal facility (the E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility or LLWF) on the Savannah River Site (SRS). This SA provides limits for disposal in the IL Vaults of high-concentration I-129 wastes, including activated carbon beds from the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF), based on their measured, waste-specific Kds.

Strategic Minimization of High Level Waste from Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, Michael F.; Benedict, Robert W.

The pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuel results in two high-level waste streams--ceramic and metal waste. Ceramic waste contains active metal fission product-loaded salt from the electrorefining, while the metal waste contains cladding hulls and undissolved noble metals. While pyroprocessing was successfully demonstrated for treatment of spent fuel from Experimental Breeder Reactor-II in 1999, it was done so without a specific objective to minimize high-level waste generation. The ceramic waste process uses “throw-away” technology that is not optimized with respect to volume of waste generated. In looking past treatment of EBR-II fuel, it is critical to minimize waste generation for technologymore » developed under the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). While the metal waste cannot be readily reduced, there are viable routes towards minimizing the ceramic waste. Fission products that generate high amounts of heat, such as Cs and Sr, can be separated from other active metal fission products and placed into short-term, shallow disposal. The remaining active metal fission products can be concentrated into the ceramic waste form using an ion exchange process. It has been estimated that ion exchange can reduce ceramic high-level waste quantities by as much as a factor of 3 relative to throw-away technology.« less

10 CFR 72.128 - Criteria for spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., reactor-related greater than Class C waste, and other radioactive waste storage and handling. 72.128... STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design Criteria § 72.128 Criteria for spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, reactor...

10 CFR 72.128 - Criteria for spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., reactor-related greater than Class C waste, and other radioactive waste storage and handling. 72.128... STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design Criteria § 72.128 Criteria for spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, reactor...

ROAD MAP FOR DEVELOPMENT OF CRYSTAL-TOLERANT HIGH LEVEL WASTE GLASSES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fox, K.; Peeler, D.; Herman, C.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is building a Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford Site in Washington to remediate 55 million gallons of radioactive waste that is being temporarily stored in 177 underground tanks. Efforts are being made to increase the loading of Hanford tank wastes in glass while meeting melter lifetime expectancies and process, regulatory, and product quality requirements. This road map guides the research and development for formulation and processing of crystaltolerant glasses, identifying near- and long-term activities that need to be completed over the period from 2014 to 2019. The primary objectivemore » is to maximize waste loading for Hanford waste glasses without jeopardizing melter operation by crystal accumulation in the melter or melter discharge riser. The potential applicability to the Savannah River Site (SRS) Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) will also be addressed in this road map. The planned research described in this road map is motivated by the potential for substantial economic benefits (significant reductions in glass volumes) that will be realized if the current constraints (T1% for WTP and TL for DWPF) are approached in an appropriate and technically defensible manner for defense waste and current melter designs. The basis of this alternative approach is an empirical model predicting the crystal accumulation in the WTP glass discharge riser and melter bottom as a function of glass composition, time, and temperature. When coupled with an associated operating limit (e.g., the maximum tolerable thickness of an accumulated layer of crystals), this model could then be integrated into the process control algorithms to formulate crystal-tolerant high-level waste (HLW) glasses targeting high waste loadings while still meeting process related limits and melter lifetime expectancies. The modeling effort will be an iterative process, where model form and a broader range of conditions, e

Glass Property Models, Constraints, and Formulation Approaches for Vitrification of High-Level Nuclear Wastes at the US Hanford Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Dong-Sang

2015-03-02

The legacy nuclear wastes stored in underground tanks at the US Department of Energy’s Hanford site is planned to be separated into high-level waste and low-activity waste fractions and vitrified separately. Formulating optimized glass compositions that maximize the waste loading in glass is critical for successful and economical treatment and immobilization of nuclear wastes. Glass property-composition models have been developed and applied to formulate glass compositions for various objectives for the past several decades. The property models with associated uncertainties and combined with composition and property constraints have been used to develop preliminary glass formulation algorithms designed for vitrification processmore » control and waste form qualification at the planned waste vitrification plant. This paper provides an overview of current status of glass property-composition models, constraints applicable to Hanford waste vitrification, and glass formulation approaches that have been developed for vitrification of hazardous and highly radioactive wastes stored at the Hanford site.« less

Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant technical manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larson, D.E.; Watrous, R.A.; Kruger, O.L.

1996-03-01

A key element of the Hanford waste management strategy is the construction of a new facility, the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP), to vitrify existing and future liquid high-level waste produced by defense activities at the Hanford Site. The HWVP mission is to vitrify pretreated waste in borosilicate glass, cast the glass into stainless steel canisters, and store the canisters at the Hanford Site until they are shipped to a federal geological repository. The HWVP Technical Manual (Manual) documents the technical bases of the current HWVP process and provides a physical description of the related equipment and the plant. Themore » immediate purpose of the document is to provide the technical bases for preparation of project baseline documents that will be used to direct the Title 1 and Title 2 design by the A/E, Fluor. The content of the Manual is organized in the following manner. Chapter 1.0 contains the background and context within which the HWVP was designed. Chapter 2.0 describes the site, plant, equipment and supporting services and provides the context for application of the process information in the Manual. Chapter 3.0 provides plant feed and product requirements, which are primary process bases for plant operation. Chapter 4.0 summarizes the technology for each plant process. Chapter 5.0 describes the engineering principles for designing major types of HWVP equipment. Chapter 6.0 describes the general safety aspects of the plant and process to assist in safe and prudent facility operation. Chapter 7.0 includes a description of the waste form qualification program and data. Chapter 8.0 indicates the current status of quality assurance requirements for the Manual. The Appendices provide data that are too extensive to be placed in the main text, such as extensive tables and sets of figures. The Manual is a revision of the 1987 version.« less

Case for retrievable high-level nuclear waste disposal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roseboom, Eugene H.

1994-01-01

Plans for the nation's first high-level nuclear waste repository have called for permanently closing and sealing the repository soon after it is filled. However, the hydrologic environment of the proposed site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, should allow the repository to be kept open and the waste retrievable indefinitely. This would allow direct monitoring of the repository and maintain the options for future generations to improve upon the disposal methods or use the uranium in the spent fuel as an energy resource.

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ``comprehensive overview of the issues.`` This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educatedmore » layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages sew be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list.« less

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ``comprehensive overview of the issues.`` This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educatedmore » layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages will be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list.« less

Spent Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by SSEB in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ``comprehensive overview of the issues.`` This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or nomore » background in nuclear waste Issues. In addition. this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages will be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list.« less

Maintenance of CO2 level in a BLSS by controlling solid waste treatment unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Yingying; Li, Leyuan; Liu, Hong; Fu, Yuming; Xie, Beizhen; Hu, Dawei; Liu, Dianlei; Dong, Chen; Liu, Guanghui

A bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) is an artificial closed ecosystem for providing basic human life support for long-duration, far-distance space explorations such as lunar bases. In such a system, the circulation of gases is one of the main factor for realizing a higher closure degree. O2 produced by higher plants goes to humans, as well as microorganisms for the treatment of inedible plant biomass and human wastes; CO2 produced by the crew and microorganisms is provided for plant growth. During this process, an excessively high CO2 level will depress plant growth and may be harmful to human health; and if the CO2 level is too low, plant growth will also be affected. Thus, keeping the balance between CO2 and O2 levels is a crucial problem. In this study, a high-efficiency, controllable solid waste treatment unit is constructed, which adopts microbial fermentation of the mixture of inedible biomass and human wastes. CO2 production during the fermentation process is controlled by adjusting fermentation temperature, aeration rate, moisture, etc., so as to meet the CO2 requirement of plants

Advanced High-Level Waste Glass Research and Development Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peeler, David K.; Vienna, John D.; Schweiger, Michael J.

2015-07-01

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of River Protection (ORP) has implemented an integrated program to increase the loading of Hanford tank wastes in glass while meeting melter lifetime expectancies and process, regulatory, and product quality requirements. The integrated ORP program is focused on providing a technical, science-based foundation from which key decisions can be made regarding the successful operation of the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) facilities. The fundamental data stemming from this program will support development of advanced glass formulations, key process control models, and tactical processing strategies to ensure safe and successful operations formore » both the low-activity waste (LAW) and high-level waste (HLW) vitrification facilities with an appreciation toward reducing overall mission life. The purpose of this advanced HLW glass research and development plan is to identify the near-, mid-, and longer-term research and development activities required to develop and validate advanced HLW glasses and their associated models to support facility operations at WTP, including both direct feed and full pretreatment flowsheets. This plan also integrates technical support of facility operations and waste qualification activities to show the interdependence of these activities with the advanced waste glass (AWG) program to support the full WTP mission. Figure ES-1 shows these key ORP programmatic activities and their interfaces with both WTP facility operations and qualification needs. The plan is a living document that will be updated to reflect key advancements and mission strategy changes. The research outlined here is motivated by the potential for substantial economic benefits (e.g., significant increases in waste throughput and reductions in glass volumes) that will be realized when advancements in glass formulation continue and models supporting facility operations are implemented. Developing and applying

Towards increased waste loading in high level waste glasses: Developing a better understanding of crystallization behavior

DOE PAGES

Marra, James C.; Kim, Dong -Sang

2014-12-18

A number of waste components in US defense high level radioactive wastes (HLW) have proven challenging for current Joule heated ceramic melter (JCHM) operations and have limited the ability to increase waste loadings beyond already realized levels. Many of these ''troublesome'' waste species cause crystallization in the glass melt that can negatively impact product quality or have a deleterious effect on melter processing. Thus, recent efforts at US Department of Energy laboratories have focused on understanding crystallization behavior within HLW glass melts and investigating approaches to mitigate the impacts of crystallization so that increases in waste loading can be realized.more » Advanced glass formulations have been developed to highlight the unique benefits of next-generation melter technologies such as the Cold Crucible Induction Melter (CCIM). Crystal-tolerant HLW glasses have been investigated to allow sparingly soluble components such as chromium to crystallize in the melter but pass out of the melter before accumulating. The Hanford site AZ-101 tank waste composition represents a waste group that is waste loading limited primarily due to high concentrations of Fe 2O 3 (with higher Al 2O 3). Systematic glass formulation development utilizing slightly higher process temperatures and higher tolerance to spinel crystals demonstrated that an increase in waste loading of more than 20% could be achieved for this waste composition, and by extension higher loadings for wastes in the same group.« less

75 FR 1615 - Amended Record of Decision: Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-12

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Amended Record of Decision: Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition...-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental Impact Statement. This document corrects an... Record of Decision: Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities [[Page 1616

Conflicting Expertise and Uncertainty: Quality Assurance in High-Level Radioactive Waste Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Michael R.; McCabe, Amy Snyder

1991-01-01

Dynamics of a large, expensive, and controversial surface and underground evaluation of a radioactive waste management program at the Yucca Mountain power plant are reviewed. The use of private contractors in the quality assurance study complicates the evaluation. This case study illustrates high stakes evaluation problems. (SLD)

A One System Integrated Approach to Simulant Selection for Hanford High Level Waste Mixing and Sampling Tests - 13342

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thien, Mike G.; Barnes, Steve M.

2013-07-01

The Hanford Tank Operations Contractor (TOC) and the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) contractor are both engaged in demonstrating mixing, sampling, and transfer system capabilities using simulated Hanford High-Level Waste (HLW) formulations. This represents one of the largest remaining technical issues with the high-level waste treatment mission at Hanford. Previous testing has focused on very specific TOC or WTP test objectives and consequently the simulants were narrowly focused on those test needs. A key attribute in the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Recommendation 2010-2 is to ensure testing is performed with a simulant that represents the broadmore » spectrum of Hanford waste. The One System Integrated Project Team is a new joint TOC and WTP organization intended to ensure technical integration of specific TOC and WTP systems and testing. A new approach to simulant definition has been mutually developed that will meet both TOC and WTP test objectives for the delivery and receipt of HLW. The process used to identify critical simulant characteristics, incorporate lessons learned from previous testing, and identify specific simulant targets that ensure TOC and WTP testing addresses the broad spectrum of Hanford waste characteristics that are important to mixing, sampling, and transfer performance are described. (authors)« less

Water-level data from wells in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, southeastern New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richey, S.F.

1987-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey monitored water levels in wells in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a storage facility constructed in bedded salts in which defense-associated transuranic wastes will be deposited, in southeastern New Mexico during 1977 to 1985. A variety of methods was used to measure water levels. The particular method utilized at a given time depended on several factors, including the amount of condensation in the well, well-head configuration, depth to water, rate of water level change, and availability of equipment. The five methods utilized were: air line, Lynes pressure sentry system, M-scope, steel tape, and winch. (Lantz-PTT)

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) conceptual design report. Part I: executive summary. Part II: facilities and system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-06-01

The pilot plant is developed for ERDA low-level contact-handled transuranic waste, ERDA remote-handled intermediate-level transuranic waste, and for high-level waste experiments. All wastes placed in the WIPP arrive at the site processed and packaged; no waste processing is done at the WIPP. All wastes placed into the WIPP are retrievable. The proposed site for WIPP lies 26 miles east of Carlsbad, New Mexico. This document includes the executive summary and a detailed description of the facilities and systems. (DLC)

Development of a High Level Waste Tank Inspection System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Appel, D.K.; Loibl, M.W.; Meese, D.C.

1995-03-21

The Westinghouse Savannah River Technology Center was requested by it`s sister site, West Valley Nuclear Service (WVNS), to develop a remote inspection system to gather wall thickness readings of their High Level Waste Tanks. WVNS management chose to take a proactive approach to gain current information on two tanks t hat had been in service since the early 70`s. The tanks contain high level waste, are buried underground, and have only two access ports to an annular space between the tank and the secondary concrete vault. A specialized remote system was proposed to provide both a visual surveillance and ultrasonicmore » thickness measurements of the tank walls. A magnetic wheeled crawler was the basis for the remote delivery system integrated with an off-the-shelf Ultrasonic Data Acquisition System. A development program was initiated for Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) to design, fabricate, and test a remote system based on the Crawler. The system was completed and involved three crawlers to perform the needed tasks, an Ultrasonic Crawler, a Camera Crawler, and a Surface Prep Crawler. The crawlers were computer controlled so that their operation could be done remotely and their position on the wall could be tracked. The Ultrasonic Crawler controls were interfaced with ABB Amdata`s I-PC, Ultrasonic Data Acquisition System so that thickness mapping of the wall could be obtained. A second system was requested by Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC), to perform just ultrasonic mapping on their similar Waste Storage Tanks; however, the system needed to be interfaced with the P-scan Ultrasonic Data Acquisition System. Both remote inspection systems were completed 9/94. Qualifications tests were conducted by WVNS prior to implementation on the actual tank and tank development was achieved 10/94. The second inspection system was deployed at WSRC 11/94 with success, and the system is now in continuous service inspecting the remaining high level waste tanks

Source term evaluation model for high-level radioactive waste repository with decay chain build-up.

PubMed

Chopra, Manish; Sunny, Faby; Oza, R B

2016-09-18

A source term model based on two-component leach flux concept is developed for a high-level radioactive waste repository. The long-lived radionuclides associated with high-level waste may give rise to the build-up of activity because of radioactive decay chains. The ingrowths of progeny are incorporated in the model using Bateman decay chain build-up equations. The model is applied to different radionuclides present in the high-level radioactive waste, which form a part of decay chains (4n to 4n + 3 series), and the activity of the parent and daughter radionuclides leaching out of the waste matrix is estimated. Two cases are considered: one when only parent is present initially in the waste and another where daughters are also initially present in the waste matrix. The incorporation of in situ production of daughter radionuclides in the source is important to carry out realistic estimates. It is shown that the inclusion of decay chain build-up is essential to avoid underestimation of the radiological impact assessment of the repository. The model can be a useful tool for evaluating the source term of the radionuclide transport models used for the radiological impact assessment of high-level radioactive waste repositories.

Lead-iron phosphate glass as a containment medium for the disposal of high-level nuclear wastes

DOEpatents

Boatner, L.A.; Sales, B.C.

1984-04-11

Disclosed are lead-iron phosphate glasses containing a high level of Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ for use as a storage medium for high-level radioactive nuclear waste. By combining lead-iron phosphate glass with various types of simulated high-level nuclear waste

High-level waste borosilicate glass: A compendium of corrosion characteristics. Volume 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cunnane, J.C.; Bates, J.K.; Bradley, C.R.

The objective of this document is to summarize scientific information pertinent to evaluating the extent to which high-level waste borosilicate glass corrosion and the associated radionuclide release processes are understood for the range of environmental conditions to which waste glass may be exposed in service. Alteration processes occurring within the bulk of the glass (e.g., devitrification and radiation-induced changes) are discussed insofar as they affect glass corrosion.This document is organized into three volumes. Volumes I and II represent a tiered set of information intended for somewhat different audiences. Volume I is intended to provide an overview of waste glass corrosion,more » and Volume 11 is intended to provide additional experimental details on experimental factors that influence waste glass corrosion. Volume III contains a bibliography of glass corrosion studies, including studies that are not cited in Volumes I and II. Volume I is intended for managers, decision makers, and modelers, the combined set of Volumes I, II, and III is intended for scientists and engineers working in the field of high-level waste.« less

Chem I Supplement. Chemistry Related to Isolation of High-Level Nuclear Waste.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Darleane C.; Choppin, Gregory R.

1986-01-01

Discusses some of the problems associated with the safe disposal of high-level nuclear wastes. Describes several waste disposal plans developed by various nations. Outlines the multiple-barrier concept of isolation in deep geological questions associated with the implementation of such a method. (TW)

SIMULANT DEVELOPMENT FOR SAVANNAH RIVER SITE HIGH LEVEL WASTE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stone, M; Russell Eibling, R; David Koopman, D

2007-09-04

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the Savannah River Site vitrifies High Level Waste (HLW) for repository internment. The process consists of three major steps: waste pretreatment, vitrification, and canister decontamination/sealing. The HLW consists of insoluble metal hydroxides (primarily iron, aluminum, magnesium, manganese, and uranium) and soluble sodium salts (carbonate, hydroxide, nitrite, nitrate, and sulfate). The HLW is processed in large batches through DWPF; DWPF has recently completed processing Sludge Batch 3 (SB3) and is currently processing Sludge Batch 4 (SB4). The composition of metal species in SB4 is shown in Table 1 as a function of the ratiomore » of a metal to iron. Simulants remove radioactive species and renormalize the remaining species. Supernate composition is shown in Table 2.« less

Corrosion Management of the Hanford High-Level Nuclear Waste Tanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beavers, John A.; Sridhar, Narasi; Boomer, Kayle D.

2014-03-01

The Hanford site is located in southeastern Washington State and stores more than 200,000 m3 (55 million gallons) of high-level radioactive waste resulting from the production and processing of plutonium. The waste is stored in large carbon steel tanks that were constructed between 1943 and 1986. The leak and structurally integrity of the more recently constructed double-shell tanks must be maintained until the waste can be removed from the tanks and encapsulated in glass logs for final disposal in a repository. There are a number of corrosion-related threats to the waste tanks, including stress-corrosion cracking, pitting corrosion, and corrosion at the liquid-air interface and in the vapor space. This article summarizes the corrosion management program at Hanford to mitigate these threats.

Separating and stabilizing phosphate from high-level radioactive waste: process development and spectroscopic monitoring.

PubMed

Lumetta, Gregg J; Braley, Jenifer C; Peterson, James M; Bryan, Samuel A; Levitskaia, Tatiana G

2012-06-05

Removing phosphate from alkaline high-level waste sludges at the Department of Energy's Hanford Site in Washington State is necessary to increase the waste loading in the borosilicate glass waste form that will be used to immobilize the highly radioactive fraction of these wastes. We are developing a process which first leaches phosphate from the high-level waste solids with aqueous sodium hydroxide, and then isolates the phosphate by precipitation with calcium oxide. Tests with actual tank waste confirmed that this process is an effective method of phosphate removal from the sludge and offers an additional option for managing the phosphorus in the Hanford tank waste solids. The presence of vibrationally active species, such as nitrate and phosphate ions, in the tank waste processing streams makes the phosphate removal process an ideal candidate for monitoring by Raman or infrared spectroscopic means. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were acquired for all phases during a test of the process with actual tank waste. Quantitative determination of phosphate, nitrate, and sulfate in the liquid phases was achieved by Raman spectroscopy, demonstrating the applicability of Raman spectroscopy for the monitoring of these species in the tank waste process streams.

Behavior of radioactive iodine and technetium in the spray calcination of high-level waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, C. A.; Farnsworth, R. K.

1981-08-01

The Remote Laboratory-Scale Waste Treatment Facility (RLSWTF) was designed and built as a part of the High-Level Waste Immobilization Program (now the High-Level Waste Process Development Program) at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. In facility, installed in a radiochemical cell, is described in which installed in a radiochemical cell is described in which small volumes of radioactive liquid wastes can be solidified, the process off gas can be analyzed, and the methods for decontaminating this off gas can be tested. During the spray calcination of commercial high-level liquid waste spiked with Tc-99 and I-131 and 31 wt% loss of I-131 past the sintered-metal filters. These filters and venturi scrubber were very efficient in removing particulates and Tc-99 from the the off-gas stream. Liquid scrubbers were not efficient in removing I-131 as 25% of the total lost went to the building off-gas system. Therefore, solid adsorbents are needed to remove iodine. For all future operations where iodine is present, a silver zeolite adsorber is to be used.

Burning high-level TRU waste in fusion fission reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yaosong

2016-09-01

Recently, the concept of actinide burning instead of a once-through fuel cycle for disposing spent nuclear fuel seems to get much more attention. A new method of burning high-level transuranic (TRU) waste combined with Thorium-Uranium (Th-U) fuel in the subcritical reactors driven by external fusion neutron sources is proposed in this paper. The thorium-based TRU fuel burns all of the long-lived actinides via a hard neutron spectrum while outputting power. A one-dimensional model of the reactor concept was built by means of the ONESN_BURN code with new data libraries. The numerical results included actinide radioactivity, biological hazard potential, and much higher burnup rate of high-level transuranic waste. The comparison of the fusion-fission reactor with the thermal reactor shows that the harder neutron spectrum is more efficient than the soft. The Th-U cycle produces less TRU, less radiotoxicity and fewer long-lived actinides. The Th-U cycle provides breeding of 233U with a long operation time (>20 years), hence significantly reducing the reactivity swing while improving safety and burnup.

High-level waste tank farm set point document

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anthony, J.A. III

1995-01-15

Setpoints for nuclear safety-related instrumentation are required for actions determined by the design authorization basis. Minimum requirements need to be established for assuring that setpoints are established and held within specified limits. This document establishes the controlling methodology for changing setpoints of all classifications. The instrumentation under consideration involve the transfer, storage, and volume reduction of radioactive liquid waste in the F- and H-Area High-Level Radioactive Waste Tank Farms. The setpoint document will encompass the PROCESS AREA listed in the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) (DPSTSA-200-10 Sup 18) which includes the diversion box HDB-8 facility. In addition to the PROCESS AREASmore » listed in the SAR, Building 299-H and the Effluent Transfer Facility (ETF) are also included in the scope.« less

(Low-level radioactive waste management techniques)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Hoesen, S.D.; Kennerly, J.M.; Williams, L.C.

1988-08-08

The US team consisting of representatives of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Savannah River plant (SRP), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), and the Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations participated in a training program on French low-level radioactive waste (LLW) management techniques. Training in the rigorous waste characterization, acceptance and certification procedures required in France was provided at Agence Nationale pour les Gestion des Dechets Radioactif (ANDRA) offices in Paris.

Microbial contamination level of air in animal waste utilization plants.

PubMed

Chmielowiec-Korzeniowska, Anna; Tymczyna, Leszek; Drabik, Agata; Krzosek, Łukasz

2016-01-01

The aim of this research was evaluation of microbial contamination of air within and in the vicinity of animal waste disposal plants. Air samples were analyzed to determine total bacterial and fungal counts as well as microbial species composition. Measurements of climate conditions (temperature, humidity, air motion) and total dust concentration were also performed. Total numbers of bacteria and fungi surpassed the threshold limit values for production halls. The most abundant bacteria detected were those consisting of physiological microflora of animal dermis and mucosa. Fungal species composition proved to be most differentiated in the air beyond the plant area. Aspergillus versicolor, a pathogenic and allergenic filamentous fungus, was isolated only inside the rendering plant processing hall. The measurement results showed a low sanitary-hygienic state of air in the plant processing halls and substantial air pollution in its immediate vicinity.

Lead iron phosphate glass as a containment medium for disposal of high-level nuclear waste

DOEpatents

Boatner, Lynn A.; Sales, Brian C.

1989-01-01

Lead-iron phosphate glasses containing a high level of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 for use as a storage medium for high-level radioactive nuclear waste. By combining lead-iron phosphate glass with various types of simulated high-level nuclear waste, a highly corrosion resistant, homogeneous, easily processed glass can be formed. For corroding solutions at 90.degree. C., with solution pH values in the range between 5 and 9, the corrosion rate of the lead-iron phosphate nuclear waste glass is at least 10.sup.2 to 10.sup.3 times lower than the corrosion rate of a comparable borosilicate nuclear waste glass. The presence of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 in forming the lead-iron phosphate glass is critical. Lead-iron phosphate nuclear waste glass can be prepared at temperatures as low as 800.degree. C., since they exhibit very low melt viscosities in the 800.degree. to 1050.degree. C. temperature range. These waste-loaded glasses do not readily devitrify at temperatures as high as 550.degree. C. and are not adversely affected by large doses of gamma radiation in H.sub.2 O at 135.degree. C. The lead-iron phosphate waste glasses can be prepared with minimal modification of the technology developed for processing borosilicate glass nuclear wasteforms.

Iso standardization of theoretical activity evaluation method for low and intermediate level activated waste generated at nuclear power plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Makoto Kashiwagi; Garamszeghy, Mike; Lantes, Bertrand

Disposal of low-and intermediate-level activated waste generated at nuclear power plants is being planned or carried out in many countries. The radioactivity concentrations and/or total quantities of long-lived, difficult-to-measure nuclides (DTM nuclides), such as C-14, Ni-63, Nb-94, α emitting nuclides etc., are often restricted by the safety case for a final repository as determined by each country's safety regulations, and these concentrations or amounts are required to be known and declared. With respect to waste contaminated by contact with process water, the Scaling Factor method (SF method), which is empirically based on sampling and analysis data, has been applied asmore » an important method for determining concentrations of DTM nuclides. This method was standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and published in 2007 as ISO21238 'Scaling factor method to determine the radioactivity of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste packages generated at nuclear power plants' [1]. However, for activated metal waste with comparatively high concentrations of radioactivity, such as may be found in reactor control rods and internal structures, direct sampling and radiochemical analysis methods to evaluate the DTM nuclides are limited by access to the material and potentially high personnel radiation exposure. In this case, theoretical calculation methods in combination with empirical methods based on remote radiation surveys need to be used to best advantage for determining the disposal inventory of DTM nuclides while minimizing exposure to radiation workers. Pursuant to this objective a standard for the theoretical evaluation of the radioactivity concentration of DTM nuclides in activated waste, is in process through ISO TC85/SC5 (ISO Technical Committee 85: Nuclear energy, nuclear technologies, and radiological protection; Subcommittee 5: Nuclear fuel cycle). The project team for this ISO standard was formed in 2011 and is

FERRATE TREATMENT FOR REMOVING CHROMIUM FROM HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE TANK WASTE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sylvester, Paul; Rutherford, Andy; Gonzalez-Martin, Anuncia

2000-12-01

A method has been developed for removing chromium from alkaline high-level radioactive tank waste. Removing chromium from these wastes is critical in reducing the volume of waste requiring expensive immobilization and deep geologic disposition. The method developed is based on the oxidation of insoluble chromium(III) compounds to soluble chromate using ferrate. The tests conducted with a simulated Hanford tank sludge indicate that the chromium removal with ferrate is more efficient at 5 M NaOH than at 3 M NaOH. Chromium removal increases with increasing Fe(VI)/Cr(III) molar ratio, but the chromium removal tends to level out for Fe(VI)/Cr(III) greater than 10.more » Increasing temperature leads to better chromium removal, but higher temperatures also led to more rapid ferrate decomposition. Tests with radioactive Hanford tank waste generally confirmed the simulant results. In all cases examined, ferrate enhanced the chromium removal, with a typical removal of around 60-70% of the total chromium present in the washed sludge solids. The ferrate leachate solutions did not contain significant concentrations of transuranic elements, so these solutions could be handled as low-activity waste.« less

Specifying the Concept of Future Generations for Addressing Issues Related to High-Level Radioactive Waste.

PubMed

Kermisch, Celine

2016-12-01

The nuclear community frequently refers to the concept of "future generations" when discussing the management of high-level radioactive waste. However, this notion is generally not defined. In this context, we have to assume a wide definition of the concept of future generations, conceived as people who will live after the contemporary people are dead. This definition embraces thus each generation following ours, without any restriction in time. The aim of this paper is to show that, in the debate about nuclear waste, this broad notion should be further specified and to clarify the related implications for nuclear waste management policies. Therefore, we provide an ethical analysis of different management strategies for high-level waste in the light of two principles, protection of future generations-based on safety and security-and respect for their choice. This analysis shows that high-level waste management options have different ethical impacts across future generations, depending on whether the memory of the waste and its location is lost, or not. We suggest taking this distinction into account by introducing the notions of "close future generations" and "remote future generations", which has important implications on nuclear waste management policies insofar as it stresses that a retrievable disposal has fewer benefits than usually assumed.

Socioeconomic studies of high-level nuclear waste disposal.

PubMed Central

White, G F; Bronzini, M S; Colglazier, E W; Dohrenwend, B; Erikson, K; Hansen, R; Kneese, A V; Moore, R; Page, E B; Rappaport, R A

1994-01-01

The socioeconomic investigations of possible impacts of the proposed repository for high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, have been unprecedented in several respects. They bear on the public decision that sooner or later will be made as to where and how to dispose permanently of the waste presently at military weapons installations and that continues to accumulate at nuclear power stations. No final decision has yet been made. There is no clear precedent from other countries. The organization of state and federal studies is unique. The state studies involve more disciplines than any previous efforts. They have been carried out in parallel to federal studies and have pioneered in defining some problems and appropriate research methods. A recent annotated bibliography provides interested scientists with a compact guide to the 178 published reports, as well as to relevant journal articles and related documents. PMID:7971963

High temperature abatement of acid gases from waste incineration. Part I: experimental tests in full scale plants.

PubMed

Biganzoli, Laura; Racanella, Gaia; Rigamonti, Lucia; Marras, Roberto; Grosso, Mario

2015-02-01

In recent years, several waste-to-energy plants in Italy have experienced an increase of the concentration of acid gases (HCl, SO2 and HF) in the raw gas. This is likely an indirect effect of the progressive decrease of the amount of treated municipal waste, which is partially replaced by commercial waste. The latter is characterised by a higher variability of its chemical composition because of the different origins, with possible increase of the load of halogen elements such as chlorine (Cl) and fluorine (F), as well as of sulphur (S). A new dolomitic sorbent was then tested in four waste-to-energy plants during standard operation as a pre-cleaning stage, to be directly injected at high temperature in the combustion chamber. For a sorbent injection of about 6 kg per tonne of waste, the decrease of acid gases concentration downstream the boiler was in the range of 7-37% (mean 23%) for HCl, 34-95% (mean 71%) for SO2 and 39-80% (mean 63%) for HF. This pre-abatement of acid gases allowed to decrease the feeding rate of the traditional low temperature sorbent (sodium bicarbonate in all four plants) by about 30%. Furthermore, it was observed by the plant operators that the sorbent helps to keep the boiler surfaces cleaner, with a possible reduction of the fouling phenomena and a consequent increase of the specific energy production. A preliminary quantitative estimate was carried out in one of the four plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Yucca Mountain, Nevada - A proposed geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levich, R.A.; Stuckless, J.S.

2006-01-01

Yucca Mountain in Nevada represents the proposed solution to what has been a lengthy national effort to dispose of high-level radioactive waste, waste which must be isolated from the biosphere for tens of thousands of years. This chapter reviews the background of that national effort and includes some discussion of international work in order to provide a more complete framework for the problem of waste disposal. Other chapters provide the regional geologic setting, the geology of the Yucca Mountain site, the tectonics, and climate (past, present, and future). These last two chapters are integral to prediction of long-term waste isolation. ?? 2007 Geological Society of America. All rights reserved.

Ferrate treatment for removing chromium from high-level radioactive tank waste.

PubMed

Sylvester, P; Rutherford, L A; Gonzalez-Martin, A; Kim, J; Rapko, B M; Lumetta, G J

2001-01-01

A method has been developed for removing chromium from alkaline high-level radioactive tank waste. Removing chromium from these wastes is critical in reducing the volume of waste requiring expensive immobilization and deep geologic disposition. The method developed is based on the oxidation of insoluble chromium(III) compounds to soluble chromate using ferrate. This method could be generally applicable to removing chromium from chromium-contaminated solids, when coupled with a subsequent reduction of the separated chromate back to chromium(III). The tests conducted with a simulated Hanford tank sludge indicate that the chromium removal with ferrate is more efficient at 5 M NaOH than at 3 M NaOH. Chromium removal increases with increasing Fe(VI)/Cr(II) molar ratio, but the chromium removal tends to level out for Fe(VI)/ Cr(III) greaterthan 10. Increasingtemperature leadsto better chromium removal, but higher temperatures also led to more rapid ferrate decomposition. Tests with radioactive Hanford tank waste generally confirmed the simulant results. In all cases examined, ferrate enhanced the chromium removal, with a typical removal of around 60-70% of the total chromium present in the washed sludge solids. The ferrate leachate solutions did not contain significant concentrations of transuranic elements, so these solutions could be disposed as low-activity waste.

Mercury Phase II Study - Mercury Behavior across the High-Level Waste Evaporator System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bannochie, C. J.; Crawford, C. L.; Jackson, D. G.

2016-06-17

The Mercury Program team’s effort continues to develop more fundamental information concerning mercury behavior across the liquid waste facilities and unit operations. Previously, the team examined the mercury chemistry across salt processing, including the Actinide Removal Process/Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit (ARP/MCU), and the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) flowsheets. This report documents the data and understanding of mercury across the high level waste 2H and 3H evaporator systems.

Deriving a Planting Medium from Solid Waste Compost and Construction, Demolition and Excavation Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farajalla, Nadim; Assaf, Eleni; Bashour, Issam; Talhouk, Salma

2014-05-01

Lebanon's very high population density has been increasing since the end of the war in the early 1990s reaching 416.36 people per square kilometer. Furthermore, the influx of refugees from conflicts in the region has increased the resident population significantly. All these are exerting pressure on the country's natural resources, pushing the Lebanese to convert more forest and agricultural land into roads, buildings and houses. This has led to a building boom and rapid urbanization which in turn has created a demand for construction material - mainly rock, gravel, sand, etc. nearly all of which were locally acquired through quarrying to the tune of three million cubic meters annually. This boom has been followed by a war with Israel in 2006 which resulted in thousands of tonnes of debris. The increase in population has also led to an increase in solid waste generation with 1.57 million tonnes of solid waste generated in Lebanon per year. The combination of construction, demolition and excavation (CDE) waste along with the increase in solid waste generation has put a major stress on the country and on the management of its solid waste problem. Compounding this problem are the issues of quarries closure and rehabilitation and a decrease in forest and vegetative cover. The on-going research reported in this paper aims to provide an integrated solution to the stated problem by developing a "soil mix" derived from a mélange of the organic matter of the solid waste (compost), the CDE waste, and soil. In this mix, native and indicator plants are planted (in pots) from which the most productive mix will be selected for further testing at field level in later experiments. The plant species used are Matiolla, a native Lebanese plant and Zea mays, which is commonly known used as an indicator plant due to its sensitivity to environmental conditions. To ensure sustainability and environmental friendliness of the mix, its physical and chemical characteristics are monitored

Granite disposal of U.S. high-level radioactive waste.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freeze, Geoffrey A.; Mariner, Paul E.; Lee, Joon H.

This report evaluates the feasibility of disposing U.S. high-level radioactive waste in granite several hundred meters below the surface of the earth. The U.S. has many granite formations with positive attributes for permanent disposal. Similar crystalline formations have been extensively studied by international programs, two of which, in Sweden and Finland, are the host rocks of submitted or imminent repository license applications. This report is enabled by the advanced work of the international community to establish functional and operational requirements for disposal of a range of waste forms in granite media. In this report we develop scoping performance analyses, basedmore » on the applicable features, events, and processes (FEPs) identified by international investigators, to support generic conclusions regarding post-closure safety. Unlike the safety analyses for disposal in salt, shale/clay, or deep boreholes, the safety analysis for a mined granite repository depends largely on waste package preservation. In crystalline rock, waste packages are preserved by the high mechanical stability of the excavations, the diffusive barrier of the buffer, and favorable chemical conditions. The buffer is preserved by low groundwater fluxes, favorable chemical conditions, backfill, and the rigid confines of the host rock. An added advantage of a mined granite repository is that waste packages would be fairly easy to retrieve, should retrievability be an important objective. The results of the safety analyses performed in this study are consistent with the results of comprehensive safety assessments performed for sites in Sweden, Finland, and Canada. They indicate that a granite repository would satisfy established safety criteria and suggest that a small number of FEPs would largely control the release and transport of radionuclides. In the event the U.S. decides to pursue a potential repository in granite, a detailed evaluation of these FEPs would be needed to

75 FR 61228 - Board Meeting: Technical Lessons Gained From High-Level Nuclear Waste Disposal Efforts

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-04

... NUCLEAR WASTE TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD Board Meeting: Technical Lessons Gained From High-Level... Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987, the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board will meet in Dulles... of Energy on technical issues and to review the technical validity of DOE activities related to...

Emissions model of waste treatment operations at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schindler, R.E.

1995-03-01

An integrated model of the waste treatment systems at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) was developed using a commercially-available process simulation software (ASPEN Plus) to calculate atmospheric emissions of hazardous chemicals for use in an application for an environmental permit to operate (PTO). The processes covered by the model are the Process Equipment Waste evaporator, High Level Liquid Waste evaporator, New Waste Calcining Facility and Liquid Effluent Treatment and Disposal facility. The processes are described along with the model and its assumptions. The model calculates emissions of NO{sub x}, CO, volatile acids, hazardous metals, and organic chemicals. Some calculatedmore » relative emissions are summarized and insights on building simulations are discussed.« less

High level radioactive waste vitrification process equipment component testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siemens, D. H.; Health, W. C.; Larson, D. E.; Craig, S. N.; Berger, D. N.; Goles, R. W.

1985-04-01

Remote operability and maintainability of vitrification equipment were assessment under shielded cell conditions. The equipment tested will be applied to immobilize high level and transuranic liquid waste slurries that resulted from plutonium production for defense weapons. Equipment tested included: a turntable for handling waste canisters under the melter; a removable discharge cone in the melter overflow section; a thermocouple jumper that extends into a shielded cell; remote instrument and electrical connectors; remote, mechanical, and heat transfer aspects of the melter glass overflow section; a reamer to clean out plugged nozzles in the melter top; a closed circuit camera to view the melter interior; and a device to retrieve samples of the glass product. A test was also conduucted to evaluate liquid metals for use in a liquid metal sealing system.

Glass Property Data and Models for Estimating High-Level Waste Glass Volume

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vienna, John D.; Fluegel, Alexander; Kim, Dong-Sang

2009-10-05

This report describes recent efforts to develop glass property models that can be used to help estimate the volume of high-level waste (HLW) glass that will result from vitrification of Hanford tank waste. The compositions of acceptable and processable HLW glasses need to be optimized to minimize the waste-form volume and, hence, to save cost. A database of properties and associated compositions for simulated waste glasses was collected for developing property-composition models. This database, although not comprehensive, represents a large fraction of data on waste-glass compositions and properties that were available at the time of this report. Glass property-composition modelsmore » were fit to subsets of the database for several key glass properties. These models apply to a significantly broader composition space than those previously publised. These models should be considered for interim use in calculating properties of Hanford waste glasses.« less

CEMENTITIOUS GROUT FOR CLOSING SRS HIGH LEVEL WASTE TANKS - #12315

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Langton, C.; Burns, H.; Stefanko, D.

2012-01-10

In 1997, the first two United States Department of Energy (US DOE) high level waste tanks (Tanks 17-F and 20-F: Type IV, single shell tanks) were taken out of service (permanently closed) at the Savannah River Site (SRS). In 2012, the DOE plans to remove from service two additional Savannah River Site (SRS) Type IV high-level waste tanks, Tanks 18-F and 19-F. These tanks were constructed in the late 1950's and received low-heat waste and do not contain cooling coils. Operational closure of Tanks 18-F and 19-F is intended to be consistent with the applicable requirements of the Resource Conservationmore » and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and will be performed in accordance with South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). The closure will physically stabilize two 4.92E+04 cubic meter (1.3 E+06 gallon) carbon steel tanks and isolate and stabilize any residual contaminants left in the tanks. The closure will also fill, physically stabilize and isolate ancillary equipment abandoned in the tanks. A Performance Assessment (PA) has been developed to assess the long-term fate and transport of residual contamination in the environment resulting from the operational closure of the F-Area Tank Farm (FTF) waste tanks. Next generation flowable, zero-bleed cementitious grouts were designed, tested, and specified for closing Tanks 18-F and 19-F and for filling the abandoned equipment. Fill requirements were developed for both the tank and equipment grouts. All grout formulations were required to be alkaline with a pH of 12.4 and chemically reduction potential (Eh) of -200 to -400 to stabilize selected potential contaminants of concern. This was achieved by including Portland cement and Grade 100 slag in the mixes, respectively. Ingredients and proportions of cementitious reagents were selected and adjusted, respectively, to support the mass placement strategy developed by

I-NERI-2007-004-K, DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NEW HIGH-LEVEL WASTE FORMS FOR ACHIEVING WASTE MINIMIZATION FROM PYROPROCESSING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

S.M. Frank

Work describe in this report represents the final year activities for the 3-year International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (I-NERI) project: Development and Characterization of New High-Level Waste Forms for Achieving Waste Minimization from Pyroprocessing. Used electrorefiner salt that contained actinide chlorides and was highly loaded with surrogate fission products was processed into three candidate waste forms. The first waste form, a high-loaded ceramic waste form is a variant to the CWF produced during the treatment of Experimental Breeder Reactor-II used fuel at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The two other waste forms were developed by researchers at the Korean Atomicmore » Energy Research Institute (KAERI). These materials are based on a silica-alumina-phosphate matrix and a zinc/titanium oxide matrix. The proposed waste forms, and the processes to fabricate them, were designed to immobilize spent electrorefiner chloride salts containing alkali, alkaline earth, lanthanide, and halide fission products that accumulate in the salt during the processing of used nuclear fuel. This aspect of the I-NERI project was to demonstrate 'hot cell' fabrication and characterization of the proposed waste forms. The outline of the report includes the processing of the spent electrorefiner salt and the fabrication of each of the three waste forms. Also described is the characterization of the waste forms, and chemical durability testing of the material. While waste form fabrication and sample preparation for characterization must be accomplished in a radiological hot cell facility due to hazardous radioactivity levels, smaller quantities of each waste form were removed from the hot cell to perform various analyses. Characterization included density measurement, elemental analysis, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and the Product Consistency Test, which is a leaching method to measure chemical durability. Favorable results from this demonstration

Inclusion of human mineralized exometabolites and fish wastes as a source of higher plant mineral nutrition in BTLSS mass exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirova, Natalia; Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Ushakova, Sofya; Anischenko, Olesya; Trifonov, Sergey V.

Human exometabolites inclusion into an intrasystem mass exchange will allow increasing of a closure level of a biological-technical life support system (BTLSS). Previously at the IBP SB RAS it was shown that human mineralized exometabolites could be incorporated in the BTLSS mass exchange as a mineral nutrition source for higher plants. However, it is not known how that combined use of human mineralized exometabolites and fish wastes in the capacity of nutrient medium, being a part of the BTLSS consumer wastes, will affect the plant productivity. Several wheat vegetations were grown in an uneven-aged conveyor on a neutral substrate. A mixture of human mineralized exometabolites and fish wastes was used as a nutrient solution in the experiment treatment and human mineralized exometabolites were used in the control. Consequently, a high wheat yield in the experiment treatment practically equal to the control yield was obtained. Thus, mineralized fish wastes can be an additional source of macro-and micronutrients for plants, and use of such wastes for the plant mineral nutrition allows increasing of BTLSS closure level.

Natural geochemical analogues of the near field of high-level nuclear waste repositories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Apps, J.A.

1995-09-01

United States practice has been to design high-level nuclear waste (HLW) geological repositories with waste densities sufficiently high that repository temperatures surrounding the waste will exceed 100{degrees}C and could reach 250{degrees}C. Basalt and devitrified vitroclastic tuff are among the host rocks considered for waste emplacement. Near-field repository thermal behavior and chemical alteration in such rocks is expected to be similar to that observed in many geothermal systems. Therefore, the predictive modeling required for performance assessment studies of the near field could be validated and calibrated using geothermal systems as natural analogues. Examples are given which demonstrate the need for refinementmore » of the thermodynamic databases used in geochemical modeling of near-field natural analogues and the extent to which present models can predict conditions in geothermal fields.« less

Glasses for immobilization of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laverov, N. P.; Omel'yanenko, B. I.; Yudintsev, S. V.; Stefanovsky, S. V.; Nikonov, B. S.

2013-03-01

Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) for recovery of fissionable elements is a precondition of long-term development of nuclear energetics. Solution of this problem is hindered by the production of a great amount of liquid waste; 99% of its volume is low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW). The volume of high-level radioactive waste (HLW), which is characterized by high heat release, does not exceed a fraction of a percent. Solubility of glasses at an elevated temperature makes them unfit for immobilization of HLW, the insulation of which is ensured only by mineral-like matrices. At the same time, glasses are a perfect matrix for LILW, which are distinguished by low heat release. The solubility of borosilicate glass at a low temperature is so low that even a glass with relatively low resistance enables them to retain safety of under-ground LILW depositories without additional engineering barriers. The optimal technology of liquid confinement is their concentration and immobilization in borosilicate glasses, which are disposed in shallow-seated geological repositories. The vitrification of 1 m3 liquid LILW with a salt concentration of ˜300 kg/m3 leaves behind only 0.2 m3 waste, that is, 4-6 times less than by bitumen impregnation and 10 times less than by cementation. Environmental and economic advantages of LILW vitrification result from (1) low solubility of the vitrified LILW in natural water; (2) significant reduction of LILW volume; (3) possibility to dispose the vitrified waste without additional engineering barriers under shallow conditions and in diverse geological media; (4) the strength of glass makes its transportation and storage possible; and finally (5) reliable longterm safety of repositories. When the composition of the glass matrix for LILW is being chosen, attention should be paid to the factors that ensure high technological and economic efficiency of vitrification. The study of vitrified LILW from the Kursk nuclear power plant

The pollution characteristics of odor, volatile organochlorinated compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from plastic waste recycling plants.

PubMed

Tsai, Chung-Jung; Chen, Mei-Lien; Chang, Keng-Fu; Chang, Fu-Kuei; Mao, I-Fang

2009-02-01

Plastic waste treatment trends toward recycling in many countries; however, the melting process in the facilities which adopt material recycling method for treating plastic waste may emit toxicants and cause sensory annoyance. The objectives of this study were to analyze the pollution characteristics of the emissions from the plastic waste recycling plants, particularly in harmful volatile organochlorinated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), odor levels and critical odorants. Ten large recycling plants were selected for analysis of odor concentration (OC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PAHs inside and outside the plants using olfactometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector, respectively. The olfactometric results showed that the melting processes used for treating polyethylene/polypropylene (PE/PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic waste significantly produced malodor, and the odor levels at downwind boundaries were 100-229 OC, which all exceeded Taiwan's EPA standard of 50 OC. Toluene, ethylbenzene, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, methyl methacrylate and acrolein accounted for most odors compared to numerous VOCs. Sixteen organochlorinated compounds were measured in the ambient air emitted from the PVC plastic waste recycling plant and total concentrations were 245-553 microg m(-3); most were vinyl chloride, chloroform and trichloroethylene. Concentrations of PAHs inside the PE/PP plant were 8.97-252.16 ng m(-3), in which the maximum level were 20-fold higher than the levels detected from boundaries. Most of these recycling plants simply used filter to treat the melting fumes, and this could not efficiently eliminate the gaseous compounds and malodor. Improved exhaust air pollution control were strongly recommended in these industries.

Application of high temperature phase change materials for improved efficiency in waste-to-energy plants.

PubMed

Dal Magro, Fabio; Xu, Haoxin; Nardin, Gioacchino; Romagnoli, Alessandro

2018-03-01

This study reports the thermal analysis of a novel thermal energy storage based on high temperature phase change material (PCM) used to improve efficiency in waste-to-energy plants. Current waste-to-energy plants efficiency is limited by the steam generation cycle which is carried out with boilers composed by water-walls (i.e. radiant evaporators), evaporators, economizers and superheaters. Although being well established, this technology is subjected to limitations related with high temperature corrosion and fluctuation in steam production due to the non-homogenous composition of solid waste; this leads to increased maintenance costs and limited plants availability and electrical efficiency. The proposed solution in this paper consists of replacing the typical refractory brick installed in the combustion chamber with a PCM-based refractory brick capable of storing a variable heat flux and to release it on demand as a steady heat flux. By means of this technology it is possible to mitigate steam production fluctuation, to increase temperature of superheated steam over current corrosion limits (450°C) without using coated superheaters and to increase the electrical efficiency beyond 34%. In the current paper a detailed thermo-mechanical analysis has been carried out in order to compare the performance of the PCM-based refractory brick against the traditional alumina refractory bricks. The PCM considered in this paper is aluminium (and its alloys) whereas its container consists of high density ceramics (such as Al 2 O 3 , AlN and Si 3 N 4 ); the different coefficient of linear thermal expansion for the different materials requires a detailed thermo-mechanical analysis to be carried out to ascertain the feasibility of the proposed technology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rhenium volatilisation as caesium perrhenate from simulated vitrified high level waste from a melter crucible

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, T.A.; Short, R.J.; Gribble, N.R.

2013-07-01

The Waste Vitrification Plant (WVP) converts Highly Active Liquor (HAL) from spent nuclear fuel reprocessing into a stable vitrified product. Recently WVP have been experiencing accumulation of solids in their primary off gas (POG) system leading to potential blockages. Chemical analysis of the blockage material via Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has shown it to exclusively consist of caesium, technetium and oxygen. The solids are understood to be caesium pertechnetate (CsTcO{sub 4}), resulting from the volatilisation of caesium and technetium from the high level waste glass melt. Using rhenium as a chemical surrogate for technetium, a series of full scalemore » experiments have been performed in order to understand the mechanism of rhenium volatilisation as caesium perrhenate (CsReO{sub 4}), and therefore technetium volatilisation as CsTcO{sub 4}. These experiments explored the factors governing volatilisation rates from the melt, potential methods of minimising the amount of volatilisation, and various strategies for mitigating the deleterious effects of the volatile material on the POG. This paper presents the results from those experiments, and discusses potential methods to minimise blockages that can be implemented on WVP, so that the frequency of the CsTcO{sub 4} blockages can be reduced or even eradicated altogether. (authors)« less

High Level Waste System Impacts from Small Column Ion Exchange Implementation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCabe, D. J.; Hamm, L. L.; Aleman, S. E.

2005-08-18

The objective of this task is to identify potential waste streams that could be treated with the Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) and perform an initial assessment of the impact of doing so on the High-Level Waste (HLW) system. Design of the SCIX system has been performed as a backup technology for decontamination of High-Level Waste (HLW) at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The SCIX consists of three modules which can be placed in risers inside underground HLW storage tanks. The pump and filter module and the ion exchange module are used to filter and decontaminate the aqueous tank wastesmore » for disposition in Saltstone. The ion exchange module contains Crystalline Silicotitanate (CST in its engineered granular form is referred to as IONSIV{reg_sign} IE-911), and is selective for removal of cesium ions. After the IE-911 is loaded with Cs-137, it is removed and the column is refilled with a fresh batch. The grinder module is used to size-reduce the cesium-loaded IE-911 to make it compatible with the sludge vitrification system in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). If installed at the SRS, this SCIX would need to operate within the current constraints of the larger HLW storage, retrieval, treatment, and disposal system. Although the equipment has been physically designed to comply with system requirements, there is also a need to identify which waste streams could be treated, how it could be implemented in the tank farms, and when this system could be incorporated into the HLW flowsheet and planning. This document summarizes a preliminary examination of the tentative HLW retrieval plans, facility schedules, decontamination factor targets, and vitrified waste form compatibility, with recommendations for a more detailed study later. The examination was based upon four batches of salt solution from the currently planned disposition pathway to treatment in the SCIX. Because of differences in capabilities between the SRS baseline and SCIX, these four

Melter feed viscosity during conversion to glass: Comparison between low-activity waste and high-level waste feeds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, Tongan; Chun, Jaehun; Dixon, Derek R.

During nuclear waste vitrification, a melter feed (generally a slurry-like mixture of a nuclear waste and various glass forming and modifying additives) is charged into the melter where undissolved refractory constituents are suspended together with evolved gas bubbles from complex reactions. Knowledge of flow properties of various reacting melter feeds is necessary to understand their unique feed-to-glass conversion processes occurring within a floating layer of melter feed called a cold cap. The viscosity of two low-activity waste (LAW) melter feeds were studied during heating and correlated with volume fractions of undissolved solid phase and gas phase. In contrast to themore » high-level waste (HLW) melter feed, the effects of undissolved solid and gas phases play comparable roles and are required to represent the viscosity of LAW melter feeds. This study can help bring physical insights to feed viscosity of reacting melter feeds with different compositions and foaming behavior in nuclear waste vitrification.« less

Limited Bacterial Diversity within a Treatment Plant Receiving Antibiotic-Containing Waste from Bulk Drug Production.

PubMed

Marathe, Nachiket P; Shetty, Sudarshan A; Shouche, Yogesh S; Larsson, D G Joakim

2016-01-01

Biological treatment of waste water from bulk drug production, contaminated with high levels of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, can lead to massive enrichment of antibiotic resistant bacteria, resistance genes and associated mobile elements, as previously shown. Such strong selection may be boosted by the use of activated sludge (AS) technology, where microbes that are able to thrive on the chemicals within the wastewater are reintroduced at an earlier stage of the process to further enhance degradation of incoming chemicals. The microbial community structure within such a treatment plant is, however, largely unclear. In this study, Illumina-based 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was applied to investigate the bacterial communities of different stages from an Indian treatment plant operated by Patancheru Environment Technology Limited (PETL) in Hyderabad, India. The plant receives waste water with high levels of fluoroquinolones and applies AS technology. A total of 1,019,400 sequences from samples of different stages of the treatment process were analyzed. In total 202, 303, 732, 652, 947 and 864 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained at 3% distance cutoff in the equilibrator, aeration tanks 1 and 2, settling tank, secondary sludge and old sludge samples from PETL, respectively. Proteobacteria was the most dominant phyla in all samples with Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria being the dominant classes. Alcaligenaceae and Pseudomonadaceae, bacterial families from PETL previously reported to be highly multidrug resistant, were the dominant families in aeration tank samples. Despite regular addition of human sewage (approximately 20%) to uphold microbial activity, the bacterial diversity within aeration tanks from PETL was considerably lower than corresponding samples from seven, regular municipal waste water treatment plants. The strong selection pressure from antibiotics present may be one important factor in structuring the microbial community in PETL

Limited Bacterial Diversity within a Treatment Plant Receiving Antibiotic-Containing Waste from Bulk Drug Production

PubMed Central

Shouche, Yogesh S.; Larsson, D. G. Joakim

2016-01-01

Biological treatment of waste water from bulk drug production, contaminated with high levels of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, can lead to massive enrichment of antibiotic resistant bacteria, resistance genes and associated mobile elements, as previously shown. Such strong selection may be boosted by the use of activated sludge (AS) technology, where microbes that are able to thrive on the chemicals within the wastewater are reintroduced at an earlier stage of the process to further enhance degradation of incoming chemicals. The microbial community structure within such a treatment plant is, however, largely unclear. In this study, Illumina-based 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was applied to investigate the bacterial communities of different stages from an Indian treatment plant operated by Patancheru Environment Technology Limited (PETL) in Hyderabad, India. The plant receives waste water with high levels of fluoroquinolones and applies AS technology. A total of 1,019,400 sequences from samples of different stages of the treatment process were analyzed. In total 202, 303, 732, 652, 947 and 864 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained at 3% distance cutoff in the equilibrator, aeration tanks 1 and 2, settling tank, secondary sludge and old sludge samples from PETL, respectively. Proteobacteria was the most dominant phyla in all samples with Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria being the dominant classes. Alcaligenaceae and Pseudomonadaceae, bacterial families from PETL previously reported to be highly multidrug resistant, were the dominant families in aeration tank samples. Despite regular addition of human sewage (approximately 20%) to uphold microbial activity, the bacterial diversity within aeration tanks from PETL was considerably lower than corresponding samples from seven, regular municipal waste water treatment plants. The strong selection pressure from antibiotics present may be one important factor in structuring the microbial community in PETL

Crystallization in high-level waste glass: A review of glass theory and noteworthy literature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christian, J. H.

2015-08-01

There is a fundamental need to continue research aimed at understanding nepheline and spinel crystal formation in high-level waste (HLW) glass. Specifically, the formation of nepheline solids (K/NaAlSiO₄) during slow cooling of HLW glass can reduce the chemical durability of the glass, which can cause a decrease in the overall durability of the glass waste form. The accumulation of spinel solids ((Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn)(Fe,Cr)₂O₄), while not detrimental to glass durability, can cause an array of processing problems inside of HLW glass melters. In this review, the fundamental differences between glass and solid-crystals are explained using kinetic, thermodynamic, and viscositymore » arguments, and several highlights of glass-crystallization research, as it pertains to high-level waste vitrification, are described. In terms of mitigating spinel in the melter and both spinel and nepheline formation in the canister, the complexity of HLW glass and the intricate interplay between thermal, chemical, and kinetic factors further complicates this understanding. However, new experiments seeking to elucidate the contributing factors of crystal nucleation and growth in waste glass, and the compilation of data from older experiments, may go a long way towards helping to achieve higher waste loadings while developing more efficient processing strategies.« less

The future of high-level nuclear waste disposal, state sovereignty and the tenth amendment: Nevada v. Watkins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swazo, S.

The federal government`s monopoly over America`s nuclear energy production began during World War II with the birth of the Atomic Age. During the next thirty years, nuclear waste inventories increased with minor congressional concern. In the early 1970s, the need for federal legislation to address problems surrounding nuclear waste regulation, along with federal efforts to address these problems, became critical. Previous federal efforts had completely failed to address nuclear waste disposal. In 1982, Congress enacted the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) to deal with issues of nuclear waste management and disposal, and to set an agenda for the development ofmore » two national high-level nuclear waste repositories. This article discusses the legal challenge to the NWPA in the Nevada v. Watkins case. This case illustrates the federalism problems faced by the federal government in trying to site the nation`s only high-level nuclear waste repository within a single state.« less

High-level waste borosilicate glass: A compendium of corrosion characteristics. Volume 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cunnane, J.C.; Bates, J.K.; Bradley, C.R.

1994-03-01

The objective of this document is to summarize scientific information pertinent to evaluating the extent to which high-level waste borosilicate glass corrosion and the associated radionuclide release processes are understood for the range of environmental conditions to which waste glass may be exposed in service. Alteration processes occurring within the bulk of the glass (e.g., devitrification and radiation-induced changes) are discussed insofar as they affect glass corrosion. Volume III contains a bibliography of glass corrosion studies, including studies that are not cited in Volumes I and II.

Metal uptake by native plants and revegetation potential of mining sulfide-rich waste-dumps.

PubMed

Gomes, Patrícia; Valente, Teresa; Pamplona, Jorge; Braga, Maria Amália Sequeira; Pissarra, José; Gil, José António Grande; de la Torre, Maria Luisa

2014-01-01

Waste dumps resulting from metal exploitation create serious environmental damage, providing soil and water degradation over long distances. Phytostabilization can be used to remediate these mining sites. The present study aims to evaluate the behavior of selected plant species (Erica arborea, Ulex europaeus, Agrostis delicatula, and Cytisus multiflorus) that grow spontaneously in three sulfide-rich waste-dumps (Lapa Grande, Cerdeirinha, and Penedono, Portugal). These sites represent different geological, climatic and floristic settings. The results indicate distinctive levels and types of metal contamination: Penedono presents highest sulfate and metal contents, especially As, with low levels of Fe. In contrast, at Lapa Grande and Cerdeirinha Fe, Mn, and Zn are the dominant metals. In accordance, each waste dump develops a typical plant community, providing a specific vegetation inventory. At Penedono, Agrostis delicatula accumulates As, Pb, Cu, Mn, and Zn, showing higher bioaccumulation factors (BF) for Mn (32.1) and As (24.4). At Cerdeirinha, Ulex europaeus has the highest BF for Pb (984), while at Lapa Grande, Erica arborea presents high BF for Mn (9.8) and Pb (8.1). Regarding TF, low values were obtained for most of the metals, especially As (TF < 1). Therefore, the results obtained from representative plant species suggest appropriate behavior for phytostabilization measures.

Elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in plants, air, and soils at an E-waste site in Southern China and enantioselective biotransformation of chiral PCBs in plants.

PubMed

Chen, She-Jun; Tian, Mi; Zheng, Jing; Zhu, Zhi-Cheng; Luo, Yong; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Mai, Bi-Xian

2014-04-01

E-waste that contains polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is moved across national boundaries, often from industrialized countries in the northern hemisphere, where the items were formerly used, to subtropical and tropical regions in southeastern Asia and Africa. As a result, there is a high likelihood that PCBs will be released into the environment from a primary source due to the elevated temperatures encountered in these low-latitude regions. In the present study, PCBs and enantiomer fractions (EFs) of chiral PCBs (PCB 84, 95, 132, 136, 149, and 183) were analyzed in air, eucalyptus leaves, pine needles, and soil at an e-waste site and a rural site in southern China. The concentrations of PCBs at the e-waste site ranged from 7825 to 76330 pg/m(3), 27.5 to 1993 ng/g, and 24.2 to 12045 ng/g in the air (gas plus particle), plant leaves, and soils, respectively. The atmospheric PCB composition profiles in the present study indicated relatively high abundances of penta- and hexa-PCBs, which were different from those previously observed in the air across China. The Clausius-Clapeyron regression analysis indicated that evaporation from local contaminated surfaces constitutes a primary emission source of PCBs in the air at the e-waste site. The chiral signatures of PCBs in the air at the e-waste site were essentially racemic (mean EFs = (0.484 ± 0.022)-(0.499 ± 0.004) in the gaseous phase) except for PCB 84 (0.420 ± 0.050), indicating that racemic sources dominate the PCB emission in the air. PCB chiral signatures in the soils ((0.422 ± 0.038)-(0.515 ± 0.016)) were similar to those in the air except for PCB 95. However, the chiral PCBs in the plants (especially the eucalyptus leaves) had significantly nonracemic residues ((0.368 ± 0.075)-(0.561 ± 0.045)) compared to those in the air and soil. This finding suggests that enantioselective biotransformation of these atropisomeric PCBs was very likely to occur in the plant leaves, possibly due to metabolism by cytochrome

Estimation and characterization of decontamination and decommissioning solid waste expected from the Plutonium Finishing Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Millar, J.S.; Pottmeyer, J.A.; Stratton, T.J.

1995-01-01

Purpose of the study was to estimate the amounts of equipment and other materials that are candidates for removal and subsequent processing in a solid waste facility when the Hanford Plutonium Finishing Plant is decontaminated and decommissioned. (Building structure and soil are not covered.) Results indicate that {approximately}5,500 m{sup 3} of solid waste is expected to result from the decontamination and decommissioning of the Pu Finishing Plant. The breakdown of the volumes and percentages of waste by category is 1% dangerous solid waste, 71% low-level waste, 21% transuranic waste, 7% transuranic mixed waste.

Role of Congress in the High Level Radioactive Waste Odyssey: The Wisdom and Will of the Congress - 13096

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vieth, Donald L.; Voegele, Michael D.

2013-07-01

Congress has had a dual role with regard to high level radioactive waste, being involved in both its creation and its disposal. A significant amount of time has passed between the creation of the nation's first high level radioactive waste and the present day. The pace of addressing its remediation has been highly irregular. Congress has had to consider the technical, regulatory, and political issues and all have had specific difficulties. It is a true odyssey framed by an imperative and accountability, by a sense of urgency, by an ability or inability to finish the job and by consequences. Congressmore » had set a politically acceptable course by 1982. However, President Obama intervened in the process after he took office in January 2009. Through the efforts of his Administration, by the end of 2012, the US government has no program to dispose of high level radioactive waste and no reasonable prospect of a repository for high level radioactive waste. It is not obvious how the US government program will be reestablished or who will assume responsibility for leadership. The ultimate criteria for judging the consequences are 1) the outcome of the ongoing NRC's Nuclear Waste Confidence Rulemaking and 2) the concomitant permissibility of nuclear energy supplying electricity from operating reactors in the US. (authors)« less

[Mercury Distribution Characteristics and Atmospheric Mercury Emission Factors of Typical Waste Incineration Plants in Chongqing].

PubMed

Duan, Zhen-ya; Su, Hai-tao; Wang, Feng-yang; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Shu-xiao; Yu, Bin

2016-02-15

Waste incineration is one of the important atmospheric mercury emission sources. The aim of this article is to explore the atmospheric mercury pollution level of waste incineration industry from Chongqing. This study investigated the mercury emissions from a municipal solid waste incineration plant and a medical waste incineration plant in Chongqing. The exhaust gas samples in these two incineration plants were obtained using USA EPA 30B method. The mercury concentrations in the fly ash and bottom ash samples were analyzed. The results indicated that the mercury concentrations of the municipal solid waste and medical waste incineration plant in Chongqing were (26.4 +/- 22.7) microg x m(-3) and (3.1 +/- 0.8) microg x m(-3) in exhaust gas respectively, (5279.2 +/- 798.0) microg x kg(-1) and (11,709.5 +/- 460.5) microg x kg(-1) in fly ash respectively. Besides, the distribution proportions of the mercury content from municipal solid waste and medical waste in exhaust gas, fly ash, and bottom ash were 34.0%, 65.3%, 0.7% and 32.3%, 67.5%, 0.2% respectively; The mercury removal efficiencies of municipal solid waste and medical waste incineration plants were 66.0% and 67.7% respectively. The atmospheric mercury emission factors of municipal solid waste and medical waste incineration plants were (126.7 +/- 109.0) microg x kg(-1) and (46.5 +/- 12.0) microg x kg(-1) respectively. Compared with domestic municipal solid waste incineration plants in the Pearl River Delta region, the atmospheric mercury emission factor of municipal solid waste incineration plant in Chongqing was lower.

75 FR 70584 - Criteria for the Certification and Recertification of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant's...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

...With this document, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recertifies that the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) continues to comply with the ``Environmental Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High- Level and Transuranic (TRU) Radioactive Waste.'' EPA initially certified that WIPP met applicable regulatory requirements on May 18, 1998, and the first shipment of waste was received at WIPP on March 26, 1999. The first Compliance Recertification Application (CRA) was submitted by DOE to EPA on March 26, 2004, and the Agency's first recertification decision was issued on March 29, 2006.

Comparison of selected foreign plans and practices for spent fuel and high-level waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schneider, K.J.; Mitchell, S.J.; Lakey, L.T.

1990-04-01

This report describes the major parameters for management of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes in selected foreign countries as of December 1989 and compares them with those in the United States. The foreign countries included in this study are Belgium, Canada, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. All the countries are planning for disposal of spent fuel and/or high-level wastes in deep geologic repositories. Most countries (except Canada and Sweden) plan to reprocess their spent fuel and vitrify the resultant high-level liquid wastes; in comparison, the US plans direct disposal ofmore » spent fuel. The US is planning to use a container for spent fuel as the primary engineered barrier. The US has the most developed repository concept and has one of the earliest scheduled repository startup dates. The repository environment presently being considered in the US is unique, being located in tuff above the water table. The US also has the most prescriptive regulations and performance requirements for the repository system and its components. 135 refs., 8 tabs.« less

(Low-level waste disposal facility siting and site characterization)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mezga, L.J.; Ketelle, R.H.; Pin, F.G.

A US team consisting of representatives of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Savannah River Plant (SRP), Savannah river Laboratory (SRL), and the Department of Energy Office of Defense Waste and Byproducts Management participated in the fourth meeting held under the US/French Radioactive Waste Management Agreement between the US Department of Energy and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique. This meeting, held at Agence Nationale pour les Gestion des Dechets Radioactifs' (ANDRA's) Headquarters in Paris, was a detailed, technical topical workshop focusing on Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility Siting and Site Characterization.'' The meeting also included a visit to the Centre de lamore » Manche waste management facility operated by ANDRA to discuss and observe the French approach to low-level waste management. The final day of the meeting was spent at the offices of Societe Generale pour les Techniques Nouvelles (SGN) discussing potential areas of future cooperation and exchange. 20 figs.« less

Waste Management Strategy for Dismantling Waste to Reduce Costs for Power Plant Decommissioning - 13543

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larsson, Arne; Lidar, Per; Bergh, Niklas

2013-07-01

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants generates large volumes of radioactive or potentially radioactive waste. The proper management of the dismantling waste plays an important role for the time needed for the dismantling phase and thus is critical to the decommissioning cost. An efficient and thorough process for inventorying, characterization and categorization of the waste provides a sound basis for the planning process. As part of comprehensive decommissioning studies for Nordic NPPs, Westinghouse has developed the decommissioning inventories that have been used for estimations of the duration of specific work packages and the corresponding costs. As part of creating the designmore » basis for a national repository for decommissioning waste, the total production of different categories of waste packages has also been predicted. Studsvik has developed a risk based concept for categorization and handling of the generated waste using six different categories with a span from extremely small risk for radiological contamination to high level waste. The two companies have recently joined their skills in the area of decommissioning on selected market in a consortium named 'ndcon' to further strengthen the proposed process. Depending on the risk for radiological contamination or the radiological properties and other properties of importance for waste management, treatment routes are proposed with well-defined and proven methods for on-site or off-site treatment, activity determination and conditioning. The system is based on a graded approach philosophy aiming for high confidence and sustainability, aiming for re-use and recycling where found applicable. The objective is to establish a process where all dismantled material has a pre-determined treatment route. These routes should through measurements, categorization, treatment, conditioning, intermediate storage and final disposal be designed to provide a steady, un-disturbed flow of material to avoid interruptions

Geopolymerisation of silt generated from construction and demolition waste washing plants.

PubMed

Lampris, C; Lupo, R; Cheeseman, C R

2009-01-01

Recycling plants that size, sort and wash construction and demolition waste can produce high quality aggregate. However, they also produce up to 80ton per hour of filter cake waste containing fine (<63mum) silt particles that is classified as inert waste and normally landfilled. This research investigated the potential to form geopolymers containing silt, which would allow this problematic waste to be beneficially reused as aggregate. This would significantly improve the economic viability of recycling plants that wash wastes. Silt filter cakes have been collected from a number of aggregate washing plants operating in the UK. These were found to contain similar aluminosilicate crystalline phases. Geopolymer samples were produced using silt and silt mixed with either metakaolin or pulverised fuel ash (PFA). Silt geopolymers cured at room temperature had average 7-day compressive strengths of 18.7MPa, while partial substitution of silt by metakaolin or PFA increased average compressive strengths to 30.5 and 21.9MPa, respectively. Curing specimens for 24h at 105 degrees C resulted in a compressive strength of 39.7MPa and microstructural analysis confirmed the formation of dense materials. These strengths are in excess of those required for materials to be used as aggregate, particularly in unbound applications. The implications of this research for the management of waste silt at construction and demolition waste washing plants are discussed.

Ageing management program for the Spanish low and intermediate level waste disposal and spent fuel and high-level waste centralised storage facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuloaga, P.; Ordoñez, M.; Andrade, C.; Castellote, M.

2011-04-01

The generic design of the centralised spent fuel storage facility was approved by the Spanish Safety Authority in 2006. The planned operational life is 60 years, while the design service life is 100 years. Durability studies and surveillance of the behaviour have been considered from the initial design steps, taking into account the accessibility limitations and temperatures involved. The paper presents an overview of the ageing management program set in support of the Performance Assessment and Safety Review of El Cabril low and intermediate level waste (LILW) disposal facility. Based on the experience gained for LILW, ENRESA has developed a preliminary definition of the Ageing Management Plan for the Centralised Interim Storage Facility of spent Fuel and High Level Waste (HLW), which addresses the behaviour of spent fuel, its retrievability, the confinement system and the reinforced concrete structure. It includes tests plans and surveillance design considerations, based on the El Cabril LILW disposal facility.

Results of instrument reliability study for high-level nuclear-waste repositories. [Geotechnical parameters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogue, F.; Binnall, E.P.

1982-10-01

Reliable instrumentation will be needed to monitor the performance of future high-level waste repository sites. A study has been made to assess instrument reliability at Department of Energy (DOE) waste repository related experiments. Though the study covers a wide variety of instrumentation, this paper concentrates on experiences with geotechnical instrumentation in hostile repository-type environments. Manufacturers have made some changes to improve the reliability of instruments for repositories. This paper reviews the failure modes, rates, and mechanisms, along with manufacturer modifications and recommendations for additional improvements to enhance instrument performance. 4 tables.

Site Selection and Geological Research Connected with High Level Waste Disposal Programme in the Czech Republic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tomas, J.

2003-02-25

Attempts to solve the problem of high-level waste disposal including the spent fuel from nuclear power plants have been made in the Czech Republic for over the 10 years. Already in 1991 the Ministry of Environment entitled The Czech Geological Survey to deal with the siting of the locality for HLW disposal and the project No. 3308 ''The geological research of the safe disposal of high level waste'' had started. Within this project a sub-project ''A selection of perspective HLW disposal sites in the Bohemian Massif'' has been elaborated and 27 prospective areas were identified in the Czech Republic. Thismore » selection has been later narrowed to 8 areas which are recently studied in more detail. As a parallel research activity with siting a granitic body Melechov Massif in Central Moldanubian Pluton has been chosen as a test site and the 1st stage of research i.e. evaluation and study of its geological, hydrogeological, geophysical, tectonic and structural properties has been already completed. The Melechov Massif was selected as a test site after the recommendation of WATRP (Waste Management Assessment and Technical Review Programme) mission of IAEA (1993) because it represents an area analogous with the host geological environment for the future HLW and spent fuel disposal in the Czech Republic, i.e. variscan granitoids. It is necessary to say that this site would not be in a locality where the deep repository will be built, although it is a site suitable for oriented research for the sampling and collection of descriptive data using up to date and advanced scientific methods. The Czech Republic HLW and spent fuel disposal programme is now based on The Concept of Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management (''Concept'' hereinafter) which has been prepared in compliance with energy policy approved by Government Decree No. 50 of 12th January 2000 and approved by the Government in May 2002. Preparation of the Concept was required, amongst other reasons in

Regulatory control of low level radioactive waste in Taiwan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, T.D.S.; Chiou, Syh-Tsong

1996-12-31

The commercial operation of Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Unit One marked the beginning of Taiwan`s nuclear power program. There are now three NPPs, each consisting of two units, in operation. This represents a generating capacity of 5,144 MWe. Nuclear power plants are sharing some 30 percent of electricity supplies in Taiwan. As far as low level radwaste (LLRW) is concerned, Taiwan Power Company (TPC) is the principal producer, contributing more than 90 percent of total volume of waste arising in Taiwan. Small producers, other than nuclear industries, medicine, research institutes, and universities, are responsible for the remaining 10 percent.more » In the paper, the LLRW management policy, organizational scheme, regulatory control over waste treatment, storage, transportation and disposal are addressed. Added to the paper in the last is how this country is managing its Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) waste.« less

Impact of Raw and Bioaugmented Olive-Mill Wastewater and Olive-Mill Solid Waste on the Content of Photosynthetic Molecules in Tobacco Plants.

PubMed

Parrotta, Luigi; Campani, Tommaso; Casini, Silvia; Romi, Marco; Cai, Giampiero

2016-08-03

Disposal and reuse of olive-mill wastes are both an economic and environmental problem, especially in countries where the cultivation of olive trees is extensive. Microorganism-based bioaugmentation can be used to reduce the pollutant capacity of wastes. In this work, bioaugmentation was used to reduce the polyphenolic content of both liquid and solid wastes. After processing, bioaugmented wastes were tested on the root development of maize seeds and on photosynthesis-related molecules of tobacco plants. In maize, we found that bioaugmentation made olive-mill wastes harmless for seed germination. In tobacco, we analyzed the content of RuBisCO (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase) and of the photosynthetic pigments lutein, chlorophylls, and β-carotene. Levels of RuBisCO were negatively affected by untreated wastewater but increased if plants were treated with bioaugmented wastewater. On the contrary, levels of RuBisCO increased in the case of plants treated with raw olive-mill solid waste. Pigment levels showed dissimilar behavior because their concentration increased if plants were irrigated with raw wastewater or treated with raw olive-mill solid waste. Treatment with bioaugmented wastes restored pigment content. Findings show that untreated wastes are potentially toxic at the commencement of treatment, but plants can eventually adapt after an initial stress period. Bioaugmented wastes do not induce immediate damages, and plants rapidly recover optimal levels of photosynthetic molecules.

Treatment of low level radioactive liquid waste containing appreciable concentration of TBP degraded products.

PubMed

Valsala, T P; Sonavane, M S; Kore, S G; Sonar, N L; De, Vaishali; Raghavendra, Y; Chattopadyaya, S; Dani, U; Kulkarni, Y; Changrani, R D

2011-11-30

The acidic and alkaline low level radioactive liquid waste (LLW) generated during the concentration of high level radioactive liquid waste (HLW) prior to vitrification and ion exchange treatment of intermediate level radioactive liquid waste (ILW), respectively are decontaminated by chemical co-precipitation before discharge to the environment. LLW stream generated from the ion exchange treatment of ILW contained high concentrations of carbonates, tributyl phosphate (TBP) degraded products and problematic radio nuclides like (106)Ru and (99)Tc. Presence of TBP degraded products was interfering with the co-precipitation process. In view of this a modified chemical treatment scheme was formulated for the treatment of this waste stream. By mixing the acidic LLW and alkaline LLW, the carbonates in the alkaline LLW were destroyed and the TBP degraded products got separated as a layer at the top of the vessel. By making use of the modified co-precipitation process the effluent stream (1-2 μCi/L) became dischargeable to the environment after appropriate dilution. Based on the lab scale studies about 250 m(3) of LLW was treated in the plant. The higher activity of the TBP degraded products separated was due to short lived (90)Y isotope. The cement waste product prepared using the TBP degraded product was having good chemical durability and compressive strength. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mercury Reduction and Removal from High Level Waste at the Defense Waste Processing Facility - 12511

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Behrouzi, Aria; Zamecnik, Jack

2012-07-01

The Defense Waste Processing Facility processes legacy nuclear waste generated at the Savannah River Site during production of enriched uranium and plutonium required by the Cold War. The nuclear waste is first treated via a complex sequence of controlled chemical reactions and then vitrified into a borosilicate glass form and poured into stainless steel canisters. Converting the nuclear waste into borosilicate glass is a safe, effective way to reduce the volume of the waste and stabilize the radionuclides. One of the constituents in the nuclear waste is mercury, which is present because it served as a catalyst in the dissolutionmore » of uranium-aluminum alloy fuel rods. At high temperatures mercury is corrosive to off-gas equipment, this poses a major challenge to the overall vitrification process in separating mercury from the waste stream prior to feeding the high temperature melter. Mercury is currently removed during the chemical process via formic acid reduction followed by steam stripping, which allows elemental mercury to be evaporated with the water vapor generated during boiling. The vapors are then condensed and sent to a hold tank where mercury coalesces and is recovered in the tank's sump via gravity settling. Next, mercury is transferred from the tank sump to a purification cell where it is washed with water and nitric acid and removed from the facility. Throughout the chemical processing cell, compounds of mercury exist in the sludge, condensate, and off-gas; all of which present unique challenges. Mercury removal from sludge waste being fed to the DWPF melter is required to avoid exhausting it to the environment or any negative impacts to the Melter Off-Gas system. The mercury concentration must be reduced to a level of 0.8 wt% or less before being introduced to the melter. Even though this is being successfully accomplished, the material balances accounting for incoming and collected mercury are not equal. In addition, mercury has not been

Plant growth in amended molybdenum mine waste rock.

PubMed

Burney, Owen T; Redente, Edward F; Lambert, Charles E

2017-04-01

This greenhouse study examined the use of organic and inorganic soil amendments in waste rock material from the former Questa Molybdenum Mine in northern New Mexico to promote beneficial soil properties. Waste rock material was amended with 11 soil amendment treatments that included municipal composted biosolids, Biosol®, inorganic fertilizer, and two controls (pure waste rock and sand). Elymus trachycaulus and Robinia neomexicana growth performance and plant chemistry were assessed across all treatments over a period of 99 and 141 days, respectively. Even though waste rock material had more than 200 times the molybdenum concentration of native soils, adverse effects were not observed for either species. The two main limiting factors in this study were soil nutritional status and soil water retention. The biosolid amendment was found to provide the greatest buffer against these limiting factors due to significant increases in both nutrition and soil water retention. As a result, both species responded with the highest levels of biomass production and the least amount of required water demands. Use of organic amendments such as biosolids, even though short lived in the soil, may provide plants the necessary growth stimulus to become more resilient to the harsh conditions found on many mine reclamation sites.

Technology Readiness Assessment of a Large DOE Waste Processing Facility

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-12

Waste Generation at Hanford – Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant ( WTP ) Project • Motivation to Conduct TRA • TRA Approach • Actions to ensure...Hanford’s WTP will be the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant to treat Hanford’s underground tank waste Waste Treatment Plant ( WTP ) Major...Mass Maximize Activity WTP Flow Sheet – Key Process Flows Hanford Tank Waste 10 How is the Vitrified Waste Dispositioned? High Level Waste Canisters

Detection, composition and treatment of volatile organic compounds from waste treatment plants.

PubMed

Font, Xavier; Artola, Adriana; Sánchez, Antoni

2011-01-01

Environmental policies at the European and global level support the diversion of wastes from landfills for their treatment in different facilities. Organic waste is mainly treated or valorized through composting, anaerobic digestion or a combination of both treatments. Thus, there are an increasing number of waste treatment plants using this type of biological treatment. During waste handling and biological decomposition steps a number of gaseous compounds are generated or removed from the organic matrix and emitted. Different families of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) can be found in these emissions. Many of these compounds are also sources of odor nuisance. In fact, odors are the main source of complaints and social impacts of any waste treatment plant. This work presents a summary of the main types of VOC emitted in organic waste treatment facilities and the methods used to detect and quantify these compounds, together with the treatment methods applied to gaseous emissions commonly used in composting and anaerobic digestion facilities.

Detection, Composition and Treatment of Volatile Organic Compounds from Waste Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Font, Xavier; Artola, Adriana; Sánchez, Antoni

2011-01-01

Environmental policies at the European and global level support the diversion of wastes from landfills for their treatment in different facilities. Organic waste is mainly treated or valorized through composting, anaerobic digestion or a combination of both treatments. Thus, there are an increasing number of waste treatment plants using this type of biological treatment. During waste handling and biological decomposition steps a number of gaseous compounds are generated or removed from the organic matrix and emitted. Different families of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) can be found in these emissions. Many of these compounds are also sources of odor nuisance. In fact, odors are the main source of complaints and social impacts of any waste treatment plant. This work presents a summary of the main types of VOC emitted in organic waste treatment facilities and the methods used to detect and quantify these compounds, together with the treatment methods applied to gaseous emissions commonly used in composting and anaerobic digestion facilities. PMID:22163835

Progress and future direction for the interim safe storage and disposal of Hanford high-level waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kinzer, J.E.; Wodrich, D.D.; Bacon, R.F.

This paper describes the progress made at the largest environmental cleanup program in the United States. Substantial advances in methods to start interim safe storage of Hanford Site high-level wastes, waste characterization to support both safety- and disposal-related information needs, and proceeding with cost-effective disposal by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its Hanford Site contractors, have been realized. Challenges facing the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) Program, which is charged with the dual and parallel missions of interim safe storage and disposal of the high-level tank waste stored at the Hanford Site, are described. In these times ofmore » budget austerity, implementing an ongoing program that combines technical excellence and cost effectiveness is the near-term challenge. The technical initiatives and progress described in this paper are made more cost effective by DOE`s focus on work force productivity improvement, reduction of overhead costs, and reduction, integration and simplification of DOE regulations and operations requirements to more closely model those used in the private sector.« less

Solid Waste from the Operation and Decommissioning of Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Marilyn Ann; D'Arcy, Daniel; Lapsa, Melissa Voss

This baseline report examines the solid waste generated by the U.S. electric power industry, including both waste streams resulting from electricity generation and wastes resulting from the decommissioning of power plants. Coal and nuclear plants produce large volumes of waste during electricity generation, and this report describes the policies and procedures for handling these materials. Natural gas and oil-fired power plants face similar waste challenges. Renewables considered in this baseline report include hydropower, wind and solar.

Rooting depths of plants on low-level waste disposal sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foxx, T.S.; Tierney, G.D.; Williams, J.M.

1984-11-01

In 1981-1982 an extensive bibliographic study was done to reference rooting depths of native plants in the United States. The data base presently contains 1034 different rooting citations with approximately 12,000 data elements. For this report, data were analyzed for rooting depths related to species found on low-level waste (LLW) sites at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Average rooting depth and rooting frequencies were determined and related to present LLW maintenance. The data base was searched for information on rooting depths of 53 species found on LLW sites at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The study indicates 12 out of 13 grassesmore » found on LLW sites root below 91 cm. June grass (Koeleria cristata (L.) Pers.) (76 cm) was the shallowest rooting grass and side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.) was the deepest rooting grass (396 cm). Forbs were more variable in rooting depths. Indian paintbrush (Castelleja spp.) (30 cm) was the shallowest rooting forb and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was the deepest (>3900 cm). Trees and shrubs commonly rooted below 457 cm. The shallowest rooting tree was elm (Ulmus pumila L.) (127 cm) and the deepest was one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma (Engelm) Sarg.) (>6000 cm). Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa (D. Don) Endl.) rooted to 140 cm, whereas fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canecens (Pursh) Nutt.) rooted to 762 cm.« less

Acceptable knowledge document for INEEL stored transuranic waste -- Rocky Flats Plant waste. Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-01-23

This document and supporting documentation provide a consistent, defensible, and auditable record of acceptable knowledge for waste generated at the Rocky Flats Plant which is currently in the accessible storage inventory at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The inventory consists of transuranic (TRU) waste generated from 1972 through 1989. Regulations authorize waste generators and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities to use acceptable knowledge in appropriate circumstances to make hazardous waste determinations. Acceptable knowledge includes information relating to plant history, process operations, and waste management, in addition to waste-specific data generated prior to the effective date of the RCRAmore » regulations. This document is organized to provide the reader a comprehensive presentation of the TRU waste inventory ranging from descriptions of the historical plant operations that generated and managed the waste to specific information about the composition of each waste group. Section 2 lists the requirements that dictate and direct TRU waste characterization and authorize the use of the acceptable knowledge approach. In addition to defining the TRU waste inventory, Section 3 summarizes the historical operations, waste management, characterization, and certification activities associated with the inventory. Sections 5.0 through 26.0 describe the waste groups in the inventory including waste generation, waste packaging, and waste characterization. This document includes an expanded discussion for each waste group of potential radionuclide contaminants, in addition to other physical properties and interferences that could potentially impact radioassay systems.« less

Ceramization of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fiquet, O.; Berson, X.

1993-12-31

A ceramic conditioning is studied for a large variety of low and intermediate level wastes. These wastes arise from several waste streams coming from all process steps of the fuel cycle. The physical properties of ceramics can advantageously be used for radioactive waste immobilization. Their chemical durability can offer a barrier against external aggression. More over, some minerals have possible host sites in their crystal structure for heavy elements which can confer the best immobilization mechanism. The general route for development studies is described giving compositions and process choices. Investigations have been conducted on clay materials and on the processmore » parameters which condition the final product properties. Two practical examples are described concerning chemical precipitation sludge resulting from liquid waste treatment and chamot used as a fluidized bed in a graphite incinerator. Important process parameters are put in evidence and the possibility of a pilot plant development is briefly mentioned. Results of investigations are promising to define a new route of conditioning.« less

Baseline levels of bioaerosols and volatile organic compounds around a municipal waste incinerator prior to the construction of a mechanical-biological treatment plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vilavert, Lolita; Nadal, Marti; Inza, Isabel

New waste management programs are currently aimed at developing alternative treatment technologies such as mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) and composting plants. However, there is still a high uncertainty concerning the chemical and microbiological risks for human health, not only for workers of these facilities, but also for the population living in the neighborhood. A new MBT plant is planned to be constructed adjacently to a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain). In order to evaluate its potential impact and to differentiate the impacts of MSWI from those of the MBT when the latter is operative, a pre-operational surveymore » was initiated by determining the concentrations of 20 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols (total bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, fungi and Aspergillus fumigatus) in airborne samples around the MSWI. The results indicated that the current concentrations of bioaerosols (ranges: 382-3882, 18-790, 44-926, and <1-7 CFU/m{sup 3} for fungi at 25 deg. C, fungi at 37 deg. C, total bacteria, and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively) and VOCs (ranging from 0.9 to 121.2 {mu}g/m{sup 3}) are very low in comparison to reported levels in indoor and outdoor air in composting and MBT plants, as well in urban and industrial zones. With the exception of total bacteria, no correlations were observed between the environmental concentrations of biological agents and the direction/distance from the facility. However, total bacteria presented significantly higher levels downwind. Moreover, a non-significant increase of VOCs was detected in sites closer to the incinerator, which means that the MSWI could have a very minor impact on the surrounding environment.« less

Numerical Modeling of Thermal-Hydrology in the Near Field of a Generic High-Level Waste Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matteo, E. N.; Hadgu, T.; Park, H.

2016-12-01

Disposal in a deep geologic repository is one of the preferred option for long term isolation of high-level nuclear waste. Coupled thermal-hydrologic processes induced by decay heat from the radioactive waste may impact fluid flow and the associated migration of radionuclides. This study looked at the effects of those processes in simulations of thermal-hydrology for the emplacement of U. S. Department of Energy managed high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel. Most of the high-level waste sources have lower thermal output which would reduce the impact of thermal propagation. In order to quantify the thermal limits this study concentrated on the higher thermal output sources and on spent nuclear fuel. The study assumed a generic nuclear waste repository at 500 m depth. For the modeling a representative domain was selected representing a portion of the repository layout in order to conduct a detailed thermal analysis. A highly refined unstructured mesh was utilized with refinements near heat sources and at intersections of different materials. Simulations looked at different values for properties of components of the engineered barrier system (i.e. buffer, disturbed rock zone and the host rock). The simulations also looked at the effects of different durations of surface aging of the waste to reduce thermal perturbations. The PFLOTRAN code (Hammond et al., 2014) was used for the simulations. Modeling results for the different options are reported and include temperature and fluid flow profiles in the near field at different simulation times. References:G. E. Hammond, P.C. Lichtner and R.T. Mills, "Evaluating the Performance of Parallel Subsurface Simulators: An Illustrative Example with PFLOTRAN", Water Resources Research, 50, doi:10.1002/2012WR013483 (2014). Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under

WRAP low level waste (LLW) glovebox operational test report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kersten, J.K.

1998-02-19

The Low Level Waste (LLW) Process Gloveboxes are designed to: receive a 55 gallon drum in an 85 gallon overpack in the Entry glovebox (GBIOI); and open and sort the waste from the 55 gallon drum, place the waste back into drum and relid in the Sorting glovebox (GB 102). In addition, waste which requires further examination is transferred to the LLW RWM Glovebox via the Drath and Schraeder Bagiess Transfer Port (DO-07-201) or sent to the Sample Transfer Port (STC); crush the drum in the Supercompactor glovebox (GB 104); place the resulting puck (along with other pucks) into anothermore » 85 gallon overpack in the Exit glovebox (GB 105). The status of the waste items is tracked by the Data Management System (DMS) via the Plant Control System (PCS) barcode interface. As an item is moved from the entry glovebox to the exit glovebox, the Operator will track an items location using a barcode reader and enter any required data on the DMS console. The Operational Test Procedure (OTP) will perform evolution`s (described below) using the Plant Operating Procedures (POP) in order to verify that they are sufficient and accurate for controlled glovebox operation.« less

10 CFR Appendix D to Part 2 - Schedule for the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic Repository. D Appendix D to Part 2 Energy NUCLEAR... the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic... Completion of NMSS and Commission supervisory review; issuance of construction authorization; NWPA 3-year...

10 CFR Appendix D to Part 2 - Schedule for the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic Repository. D Appendix D to Part 2 Energy NUCLEAR... the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic... Completion of NMSS and Commission supervisory review; issuance of construction authorization; NWPA 3-year...

Improvement of Leaching Resistance of Low-level Waste Form in Korea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, J.Y.; Lee, B.C.; Kim, C.L.

2006-07-01

Low-level liquid concentrate wastes including boric acid have been immobilized with paraffin wax using concentrate waste drying system in Korean nuclear power plants since 1995. Small amount of low density polyethylene (LDPE) was added to increase the leaching resistance of the existing paraffin waste form and the influence of LDPE on the leaching behavior of waste form was investigated. It was observed that the leaching of nuclides immobilized within paraffin waste form remarkably reduced as the content of LDPE increased. The acceptance criteria of paraffin waste form associated with leachability index and compressive strength after the leaching test were successfullymore » satisfied with the help of LDPE. (authors)« less

Nucleation and crystal growth behavior of nepheline in simulated high-level waste glasses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fox, K.; Amoroso, J.; Mcclane, D.

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has been tasked with supporting glass formulation development and process control strategies in key technical areas, relevant to the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection (DOE-ORP) and related to high-level waste (HLW) vitrification at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Of specific interest is the development of predictive models for crystallization of nepheline (NaAlSiO4) in HLW glasses formulated at high alumina concentrations. This report summarizes recent progress by researchers at SRNL towards developing a predicative tool for quantifying nepheline crystallization in HLW glass canisters using laboratory experiments. In this work, differential scanningmore » calorimetry (DSC) was used to obtain the temperature regions over which nucleation and growth of nepheline occur in three simulated HLW glasses - two glasses representative of WTP projections and one glass representative of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) product. The DWPF glass, which has been studied previously, was chosen as a reference composition and for comparison purposes. Complementary quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical microscopy confirmed the validity of the methodology to determine nucleation and growth behavior as a function of temperature. The nepheline crystallization growth region was determined to generally extend from ~ 500 to >850 °C, with the maximum growth rates occurring between 600 and 700 °C. For select WTP glass compositions (high Al2O3 and B2O3), the nucleation range extended from ~ 450 to 600 °C, with the maximum nucleation rates occurring at ~ 530 °C. For the DWPF glass composition, the nucleation range extended from ~ 450 to 750 °C with the maximum nucleation rate occurring at ~ 640 °C. The nepheline growth at the peak temperature, as determined by XRD, was between 35 - 75 wt.% /hour. A maximum nepheline growth rate of ~ 0.1 mm/hour at 700 °C was measured for the DWPF

DOUBLE SHELL TANK (DST) INTEGRITY PROJECT HIGH LEVEL WASTE CHEMISTRY OPTIMIZATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

WASHENFELDER DJ

2008-01-22

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office (DOE) of River Protection (ORP) has a continuing program for chemical optimization to better characterize corrosion behavior of High-Level Waste (HLW). The DOE controls the chemistry in its HLW to minimize the propensity of localized corrosion, such as pitting, and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in nitrate-containing solutions. By improving the control of localized corrosion and SCC, the ORP can increase the life of the Double-Shell Tank (DST) carbon steel structural components and reduce overall mission costs. The carbon steel tanks at the Hanford Site are critical to the mission of safely managing stored HLWmore » until it can be treated for disposal. The DOE has historically used additions of sodium hydroxide to retard corrosion processes in HLW tanks. This also increases the amount of waste to be treated. The reactions with carbon dioxide from the air and solid chemical species in the tank continually deplete the hydroxide ion concentration, which then requires continued additions. The DOE can reduce overall costs for caustic addition and treatment of waste, and more effectively utilize waste storage capacity by minimizing these chemical additions. Hydroxide addition is a means to control localized and stress corrosion cracking in carbon steel by providing a passive environment. The exact mechanism that causes nitrate to drive the corrosion process is not yet clear. The SCC is less of a concern in the newer stress relieved double shell tanks due to reduced residual stress. The optimization of waste chemistry will further reduce the propensity for SCC. The corrosion testing performed to optimize waste chemistry included cyclic potentiodynamic volarization studies. slow strain rate tests. and stress intensity factor/crack growth rate determinations. Laboratory experimental evidence suggests that nitrite is a highly effective:inhibitor for pitting and SCC in alkaline nitrate environments. Revision of the corrosion control

Thermoelastic analysis of spent fuel and high level radioactive waste repositories in salt. A semi-analytical solution. [JUDITH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

St. John, C.M.

1977-04-01

An underground repository containing heat generating, High Level Waste or Spent Unreprocessed Fuel may be approximated as a finite number of heat sources distributed across the plane of the repository. The resulting temperature, displacement and stress changes may be calculated using analytical solutions, providing linear thermoelasticity is assumed. This report documents a computer program based on this approach and gives results that form the basis for a comparison between the effects of disposing of High Level Waste and Spent Unreprocessed Fuel.

An analysis of the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle with emphasis on high-level waste management, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The programs and plans of the U.S. government for the "back end of the nuclear fuel cycle" were examined to determine if there were any significant technological or regulatory gaps and inconsistencies. Particular emphasis was placed on analysis of high-level nuclear waste management plans, since the permanent disposal of radioactive waste has emerged as a major factor in the public acceptance of nuclear power. The implications of various light water reactor fuel cycle options were examined including throwaway, stowaway, uranium recycle, and plutonium plus uranium recycle. The results of this study indicate that the U.S. program for high-level waste management has significant gaps and inconsistencies. Areas of greatest concern include: the adequacy of the scientific data base for geological disposal; programs for the the disposal of spent fuel rods; interagency coordination; and uncertainties in NRC regulatory requirements for disposal of both commercial and military high-level waste.

PLUTONIUM/HIGH-LEVEL VITRIFIED WASTE BDBE DOSE CALCULATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D.C. Richardson

2003-03-19

In accordance with the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987, Yucca Mountain was designated as the site to be investigated as a potential repository for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. The Yucca Mountain site is an undeveloped area located on the southwestern edge of the Nevada Test Site (NTS), about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The site currently lacks rail service or an existing right-of-way. If the Yucca Mountain site is found suitable for the repository, rail service is desirable to the Office of Civilian Waste Management (OCRWM) Program because of the potential of rail transportation tomore » reduce costs and to reduce the number of shipments relative to highway transportation. A Preliminary Rail Access Study evaluated 13 potential rail spur options. Alternative routes within the major options were also developed. Each of these options was then evaluated for potential land use conflicts and access to regional rail carriers. Three potential routes having few land use conflicts and having access to regional carriers were recommended for further investigation. Figure 1-1 shows these three routes. The Jean route is estimated to be about 120 miles long, the Carlin route to be about 365 miles long, and Caliente route to be about 365 miles long. The remaining ten routes continue to be monitored and should any of the present conflicts change, a re-evaluation of that route will be made. Complete details of the evaluation of the 13 routes can be found in the previous study. The DOE has not identified any preferred route and recognizes that the transportation issues need a full and open treatment under the National Environmental Policy Act. The issue of transportation will be included in public hearings to support development of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) proceedings for either the Monitored Retrievable Storage Facility or the Yucca Mountain Project or both.« less

Evaluation of uranium removal by Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle from low level nuclear waste under laboratory conditions.

PubMed

Srivastava, Sudhakar; Bhainsa, K C

2016-02-01

The present study evaluated uranium (U) removal ability and tolerance to low level nuclear waste (LLNW) of an aquatic weed Hydrilla verticillata. Plants were screened for growth in 10%-50% waste treatments up to 3 d. Treatments of 20% and 50% waste imposed increasing toxicity with duration assessed in terms of change in fresh weight and in the levels of photosynthetic pigments and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. U concentration, however, did not show a progressive increase and was about 42 μg g(-1) dw from 20% to 50% waste at 3 d. This suggested that a saturation stage was reached with respect to U removal due to increasing toxicity. However, in another experiment with 10% waste and 10% waste+10 ppm U treatments, plants showed an increase in U concentration with the maximum level approaching 426 μg g(-1) dw at 3 d without showing any toxicity as compared to that at 20% and 50% waste treatments. Hence, plants possessed significant potential to take up U and toxicity of LLNW limited their U removal ability. This implies that the use of Hydrilla plants for U removal from LLNW is feasible at low concentrations and would require repeated harvesting at short intervals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An analysis of the technical status of high level radioactive waste and spent fuel management systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

English, T.; Miller, C.; Bullard, E.; Campbell, R.; Chockie, A.; Divita, E.; Douthitt, C.; Edelson, E.; Lees, L.

1977-01-01

The technical status of the old U.S. mailine program for high level radioactive nuclear waste management, and the newly-developing program for disposal of unreprocessed spent fuel was assessed. The method of long term containment for both of these waste forms is considered to be deep geologic isolation in bedded salt. Each major component of both waste management systems is analyzed in terms of its scientific feasibility, technical achievability and engineering achievability. The resulting matrix leads to a systematic identification of major unresolved technical or scientific questions and/or gaps in these programs.

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT OF CROSS-FLOW FILTRATION FOR HIGH LEVEL WASTE TREATMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duignan, M.; Nash, C.; Poirier, M.

2011-01-12

In the interest of accelerating waste treatment processing, the DOE has funded studies to better understand filtration with the goal of improving filter fluxes in existing cross-flow equipment. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was included in those studies, with a focus on start-up techniques, filter cake development, the application of filter aids (cake forming solid precoats), and body feeds (flux enhancing polymers). This paper discusses the progress of those filter studies. Cross-flow filtration is a key process step in many operating and planned waste treatment facilities to separate undissolved solids from supernate slurries. This separation technology generally has themore » advantage of self-cleaning through the action of wall shear stress created by the flow of waste slurry through the filter tubes. However, the ability of filter wall self-cleaning depends on the slurry being filtered. Many of the alkaline radioactive wastes are extremely challenging to filtration, e.g., those containing compounds of aluminum and iron, which have particles whose size and morphology reduce permeability. Unfortunately, low filter flux can be a bottleneck in waste processing facilities such as the Savannah River Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit and the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant. Any improvement to the filtration rate would lead directly to increased throughput of the entire process. To date increased rates are generally realized by either increasing the cross-flow filter axial flowrate, limited by pump capacity, or by increasing filter surface area, limited by space and increasing the required pump load. SRNL set up both dead-end and cross-flow filter tests to better understand filter performance based on filter media structure, flow conditions, filter cleaning, and several different types of filter aids and body feeds. Using non-radioactive simulated wastes, both chemically and physically similar to the actual radioactive wastes, the authors

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WASTE HEAT HORTICULTURE

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a study of the feasibility of using low grade (70 degrees F) waste heat from the condenser cooling water of the Vermont Yaknee nuclear plant for commercial food enhancement. The study addressed the possible impact of laws on the use of waste heat from ...

10 CFR Appendix D to Part 2 - Schedule for the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Schedule for the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic Repository. D Appendix D to Part 2 Energy NUCLEAR... for a High-Level Waste Geologic Repository. Day Regulation (10 CFR) Action 0 2.101(f)(8), 2.105(a)(5...

10 CFR Appendix D to Part 2 - Schedule for the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic Repository. D Appendix D to Part 2 Energy NUCLEAR.... D Appendix D to Part 2—Schedule for the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic Repository. Day Regulation (10 CFR) Action 0 2.101(f)(8), 2.105(a)(5...

10 CFR Appendix D to Part 2 - Schedule for the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic Repository. D Appendix D to Part 2 Energy NUCLEAR.... D Appendix D to Part 2—Schedule for the Proceeding on Consideration of Construction Authorization for a High-Level Waste Geologic Repository. Day Regulation (10 CFR) Action 0 2.101(f)(8), 2.105(a)(5...

Workshop on the role of natural analogs in geologic disposal of high-level nuclear waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murphy, W.M.

1995-09-01

A workshop on the Role of Natural Analogs in Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste (HLW) was held in San Antonio, Texas, on July 22-25, 1991. It was sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA). Invitations to the workshop were extended to a large number of individuals with a variety of technical and professional interests related to geologic disposal of nuclear waste and natural analog studies. The objective of the workshop was to examine the role of natural analog studies in performance assessment, site characterization, and prioritization of research relatedmore » to geologic disposal of HLW.« less

Laboratory plant study on the melting process of asbestos waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakai, Shinichi; Terazono, Atsushi; Takatsuki, Hiroshi

The melting process was studied as a method of changing asbestos into non-hazardous waste and recovering it as a reusable resource. In an initial effort, the thermal behaviors of asbestos waste in terms of physical and chemical structure have been studied. Then, 10 kg/h-scale laboratory plant experiments were carried out. By X-ray diffraction analysis, the thermal behaviors of sprayed-on asbestos waste revealed that chrysotile asbestos waste change in crystal structure at around 800 C, and becomes melted slag, mainly composed of magnesium silicate, at around 1,500 C. Laboratory plant experiments on the melting process of sprayed-on asbestos have shown thatmore » melted slag can be obtained. X-ray diffraction analysis of the melted slag revealed crystal structure change, and SEM analysis showed the slag to have a non-fibrous form. And more, TEM analysis proved the very high treatment efficiency of the process, that is, reduction of the asbestos content to 1/10{sup 6} as a weight basis. These analytical results indicate the effectiveness of the melting process for asbestos waste treatment.« less

Wool-waste as organic nutrient source for container-grown plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheljazkov, Valtcho D.; Stratton, Glenn W.; Pincock, James

A container experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that uncomposted wool wastes could be used as nutrient source and growth medium constituent for container-grown plants. The treatments were: (1) rate of wool-waste application (0 or unamended control, 20, 40, 80, and 120 g of wool per 8-in. pot), (2) growth medium constituents [(2.1) wool plus perlite, (2.2) wool plus peat, and (2.3) wool plus peat plus perlite], and (3) plant species (basil and Swiss chard). A single addition of 20, 40, 80, or 120 g of wool-waste to Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) inmore » pots with growth medium provided four harvests of Swiss chard and five harvests of basil. Total basil yield from the five harvests was 1.6-5 times greater than the total yield from the unamended control, while total Swiss chard yield from the four harvests was 2-5 times greater relative to the respective unamended control. The addition of wool-waste to the growth medium increased Swiss chard and basil tissue N, and NO{sub 3}-N and NH{sub 4}-N in growth medium relative to the unamended control. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis of wool fibers sampled at the end of the experiments indicated various levels of decomposition, with some fibers retaining their original surface structure. Furthermore, most of the wool fibers' surfaces contained significant concentrations of S and much less N, P, or K. SEM/EDX revealed that some plant roots grow directly on wool-waste fibers suggesting either (1) root directional growth towards sites with greater nutrient concentration and/or (2) a possible role for roots or root exudates in wool decomposition. Results from this study suggest that uncomposted wool wastes can be used as soil amendment, growth medium constituent, and nutrient source for container-grown plants.« less

Analogues to features and processes of a high-level radioactive waste repository proposed for Yucca Mountain, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simmons, Ardyth M.; Stuckless, John S.; with a Foreword by Abraham Van Luik, U.S. Department of Energy

2010-01-01

Natural analogues are defined for this report as naturally occurring or anthropogenic systems in which processes similar to those expected to occur in a nuclear waste repository are thought to have taken place over time periods of decades to millennia and on spatial scales as much as tens of kilometers. Analogues provide an important temporal and spatial dimension that cannot be tested by laboratory or field-scale experiments. Analogues provide one of the multiple lines of evidence intended to increase confidence in the safe geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Although the work in this report was completed specifically for Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as the proposed geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste under the U.S. Nuclear Waste Policy Act, the applicability of the science, analyses, and interpretations is not limited to a specific site. Natural and anthropogenic analogues have provided and can continue to provide value in understanding features and processes of importance across a wide variety of topics in addressing the challenges of geologic isolation of radioactive waste and also as a contribution to scientific investigations unrelated to waste disposal. Isolation of radioactive waste at a mined geologic repository would be through a combination of natural features and engineered barriers. In this report we examine analogues to many of the various components of the Yucca Mountain system, including the preservation of materials in unsaturated environments, flow of water through unsaturated volcanic tuff, seepage into repository drifts, repository drift stability, stability and alteration of waste forms and components of the engineered barrier system, and transport of radionuclides through unsaturated and saturated rock zones.

Preliminary post-emplacement safety analysis of the subseabed disposal of high-level nuclear waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, M. F.; Koplik, C. M.; Klett, R. D.

1984-09-01

The radiological hazard from the disposal of high-level nuclear waste within the deep ocean sediments is evaluated, on a preliminary basis, for locations in the central North Pacific and in the northwestern Atlantic. Radio-nuclide transport in the sediment and water column and by marine organisms is considered. Peak doses to an individual are approximately five orders of magnitude below background levels for both sites. Sensitivity analyses for most aspects of the post-emplacement systems models are included.

Development of an Integrated Raman and Turbidity Fiber Optic Sensor for the In-Situ Analysis of High Level Nuclear Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gasbarro, Christina; Bello, Job M.; Bryan, Samuel A.

2013-02-24

Stored nuclear waste must be retrieved from storage, treated, separated into low- and high-level waste streams, and finally put into a disposal form that effectively encapsulates the waste and isolates it from the environment for a long period of time. Before waste retrieval can be done, waste composition needs to be characterized so that proper safety precautions can be implemented during the retrieval process. In addition, there is a need for active monitoring of the dynamic chemistry of the waste during storage since the waste composition can become highly corrosive. This work describes the development of a novel, integrated fibermore » optic Raman and light scattering probe for in situ use in nuclear waste solutions. The dual Raman and turbidity sensor provides simultaneous chemical identification of nuclear waste as well as information concerning the suspended particles in the waste using a common laser excitation source.« less

Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production on Waste Water Treatment Plants: Process Scheme, Operating Conditions and Potential Analysis for German and European Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Pittmann, Timo; Steinmetz, Heidrun

2017-01-01

This work describes the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as a side stream process on a municipal waste water treatment plant (WWTP) and a subsequent analysis of the production potential in Germany and the European Union (EU). Therefore, tests with different types of sludge from a WWTP were investigated regarding their volatile fatty acids (VFA) production-potential. Afterwards, primary sludge was used as substrate to test a series of operating conditions (temperature, pH, retention time (RT) and withdrawal (WD)) in order to find suitable settings for a high and stable VFA production. In a second step, various tests regarding a high PHA production and stable PHA composition to determine the influence of substrate concentration, temperature, pH and cycle time of an installed feast/famine-regime were conducted. Experiments with a semi-continuous reactor operation showed that a short RT of 4 days and a small WD of 25% at pH = 6 and around 30 °C is preferable for a high VFA production rate (PR) of 1913 mgVFA/(L×d) and a stable VFA composition. A high PHA production up to 28.4% of cell dry weight (CDW) was reached at lower substrate concentration, 20 °C, neutral pH-value and a 24 h cycle time. A final step a potential analysis, based on the results and detailed data from German waste water treatment plants, showed that the theoretically possible production of biopolymers in Germany amounts to more than 19% of the 2016 worldwide biopolymer production. In addition, a profound estimation regarding the EU showed that in theory about 120% of the worldwide biopolymer production (in 2016) could be produced on European waste water treatment plants. PMID:28952533

Effect of Flue Gas Desulfurization Waste on Corn Plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG) is a by-product of conversion of sulfur dioxide into solid waste from coal combustion power generation plant. This by-product is rich in calcium, magnesium, and contains various other essential plant nutrients. The beneficial use of application of this waste as...

Evaluation of the environmental sustainability of different waste-to-energy plant configurations.

PubMed

Lombardi, Lidia; Carnevale, Ennio A

2018-03-01

Residual municipal solid waste (MSW) has an average lower heating value higher than 10GJ/Mg in the EU, and can be recovered in modern Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants, producing combined heat and power (CHP) and reaching high levels of energy recovery. CHP is pinpointed as the best technique for energy recovery from waste. However, in some cases, heat recovery is not technically feasible - due to the absence of a thermal user (industrial plant or district heating) in the vicinity of the WtE plant - and power production remains the sole possibility. In these cases, there are some challenges involved in increasing the energy performance as much as possible. High energy recovery efficiency values are very important for the environmental sustainability of WtE plants. The more electricity and heat is produced, the better the saving of natural resources that can be achieved. Within this frame, the aim of this work is to carry out an environmental assessment, through Life Cycle Assessment, of an MSW WtE plant, considering different sizes and operated in different ways, from power production only to full cogeneration. The main assumption is that the electric conversion efficiency increases as the plant size increases, introducing technical improvements thanks to the economies of scale. Impact assessment results were calculated using ReCiPe 2008 methods. The climate change indicator is positive when the WtE plant is operated in power production only mode, with values decreasing for the increasing size. Values for the climate change are negative when cogeneration is applied, requiring increasing cogeneration ratios for decreasing size. Similarly, the fossil fuel depletion indicator benefits from increase of both the plant size and the cogeneration rate, but it is always negative, meaning that the residual MSW burning with energy recovery always provides a saving of fossil primary energy. Other indicator values are in general negative and are also beneficially affected by

Codigestion of manure and organic wastes in centralized biogas plants: status and future trends.

PubMed

Angelidaki, I; Ellegaard, L

2003-01-01

Centralized biogas plants in Denmark codigest mainly manure, together with other organic waste such as industrial organic waste, source sorted household waste, and sewage sludge. Today 22 large-scale centralized biogas plants are in operation in Denmark, and in 2001 they treated approx 1.2 million tons of manure as well as approx 300,000 of organic industrial waste. Besides the centralized biogas plants there are a large number of smaller farm-scale plants. The long-term energy plan objective is a 10-fold increase of the 1998 level of biogas production by the year 2020. This will help to achieve a target of 12-14% of the national energy consumption being provided by renewable energy by the year 2005 and 33% by the year 2030. A major part of this increase is expected to come from new centralized biogas plants. The annual potential for biogas production from biomass resources available in Denmark is estimated to be approx 30 Peta Joule (PJ). Manure comprises about 80% of this potential. Special emphasis has been paid to establishing good sanitation and pathogen reduction of the digested material, to avoid risk of spreading pathogens when applying the digested manure as fertilizer to agricultural soils.

Technical and economic evaluation of controlled disposal options for very low level radioactive wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robinson, P.J.; Vance, J.N.

1990-08-01

Over the past several years, there has been considerable interest by the nuclear industry in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) explicitly defined an activity level in plant waste materials at which the radiological impacts would be so low as to be considered Below Regulatory Concern (BRC). In January 1989, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) completed an extensive industry research effort to develop the technical bases for establishing criteria for the disposal of very low activity wastes in ordinary disposal facilities. The Nuclear Management and Resources Council (NUMARC), with assistance from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and the Electric Power Researchmore » Institute (EPRI), drafted a petition titled: Petition for Rulemaking Regarding Disposal of Below Regulatory Concern Radioactive Wastes from Commercial Nuclear Power Plants.'' Subsequent to the industry making a final decision for submittal of the drafted BRC petition, EPRI was requested to evaluate the technical and economic impact of six BRC options. These options are: take no action in pursuing a BRC waste exemption, petition the NRC for authorization to disposal of any BRC waste in any ordinary disposal facility, limit disposal of BRC waste to the nuclear power plant site, limit disposal of BRC waste to the nuclear power plant site and other utility owned property, petition for a mixed waste exemption, and petition for single waste stream exemptions in sequence (i.e. soil, followed by sewage sludge, etc.). The petition and technical bases were written to support the disposal of any BRC waste type in any ordinary disposal facility. These documents do not provide all of the technical and economic information needed to completely assessment the BRC options. This report provides the technical and economic basis for a range of options concerning disposal of very low activity wastes. 3 figs., 20 tabs.« less

Waste-assimilation study of Koshkonong Creek below sewage-treatment plant at Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grant, R. Stephen

1976-01-01

A waste-load-assimilation study of a reach of Koshkonong Creek below the Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, sewage-treatment-plant outfall indicated that a high level of treatment would be required to meet Wisconsin water-quality standards. To maintain a minimum dissolved-oxygen concentration of 5 mg/liter during the critical summer low-flow period, 5-day carbonaceous biochemical-oxygen demand in waste discharges should not exceed 5 mg/liter and ammonium nitrogen should not exceed 1.5 mg/liter. Advanced treatment with denitrification is required because stream-reaeration coefficients are not high enough to offset deoxygenation caused by an abundance of attached biological slimes. The slimes apparently consumed dissolved oxygen at a rate of about 110 mg/liter per day at the time of the stream survey. During the critical summer low-flow period, natural stream discharge is very small compared to waste-water discharge , so benefits of dilution are insignificant. An evaluation of two proposed alternative waste-water discharge sites indicated that the present discharge site is hydraulically superior to these sites. Stream-reaeration coefficients used in the study were based on measurements using the radioactive-tracer method. (Woodard-USGS)

Characterization and Delivery of Hanford High-Level Radioactive Waste Slurry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thien, Michael G.; Denslow, Kayte M.; Lee, K. P.

2014-11-15

Two primary challenges to characterizing Hanford’s high-level radioactive waste slurry prior to transfer to a treatment facility are the ability to representatively sample million-gallon tanks and to estimate the critical velocity of the complex slurry. Washington River Protection Solutions has successfully demonstrated a sampling concept that minimizes sample errors by collecting multiple sample increments from a sample loop where the mixed tank contents are recirculated. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has developed and demonstrated an ultrasonic-based Pulse-Echo detection device that is capable of detecting a stationary settled bed of solids in a pipe with flowing slurry. These two concepts are essentialmore » elements of a feed delivery strategy that drives the Hanford clean-up mission.« less

Optimising energy recovery and use of chemicals, resources and materials in modern waste-to-energy plants.

PubMed

De Greef, J; Villani, K; Goethals, J; Van Belle, H; Van Caneghem, J; Vandecasteele, C

2013-11-01

Due to ongoing developments in the EU waste policy, Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants are to be optimized beyond current acceptance levels. In this paper, a non-exhaustive overview of advanced technical improvements is presented and illustrated with facts and figures from state-of-the-art combustion plants for municipal solid waste (MSW). Some of the data included originate from regular WtE plant operation - before and after optimisation - as well as from defined plant-scale research. Aspects of energy efficiency and (re-)use of chemicals, resources and materials are discussed and support, in light of best available techniques (BAT), the idea that WtE plant performance still can be improved significantly, without direct need for expensive techniques, tools or re-design. In first instance, diagnostic skills and a thorough understanding of processes and operations allow for reclaiming the silent optimisation potential. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

INDEPENDENT POWER PLANT USING WOOD WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

A 1 MWe power plant using waste wood is to be installed at a U.S. Marine Corps base, which will supply all the wood for the plant from a landfill site. The core energy conversion technology is a down-draft gasifier supplying approximately 150 Btu/scf gas to both spark ignition an...

Region 9 NPDES Facilities - Waste Water Treatment Plants

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Point geospatial dataset representing locations of NPDES Waste Water Treatment Plant Facilities. NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) is an EPA permit program that regulates direct discharges from facilities that discharge treated waste water into waters of the US. Facilities are issued NPDES permits regulating their discharge as required by the Clean Water Act. A facility may have one or more outfalls (dischargers). The location represents the facility or operating plant.

In-plant management of hazardous waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, M.W.; Howell, W.L. Jr.

1995-12-31

One of the earliest sustainable technologies for the management of hazardous industrial wastes, and one of the most successful, is {open_quotes}In-Plant Control{close_quotes} Waste elimination, reuse and/or minimization can encourage improved utilization of resources, decreased environmental degradation and increased profits at individual industrial product ion sites, or within an industry. For new facilities and industries, putting such programs in place is relatively easy. Experience has shown, however, that this may be more difficult to initiate in existing facilities, especially in older and heavier industries. This task can be made easier by promoting a mutually respectful partnership between production and environmental interestsmore » within the facility or industry. This permits {open_quotes}common sense{close_quotes} thinking and a cooperative, proactive strategy for securing an appropriate balance between economic growth, environmental protection and social responsibility. Case studies are presented wherein a phased, incremental in-plant system for waste management was developed and employed to good effect, using a model that entailed {open_quotes}Consciousness, Commitment, Training, Recognition, Re-engineering and Continuous Improvement{close_quotes} to promote waste minimization or elimination.« less

Pretest reference calculation for the overtest for simulated defense high level waste (WIPP) Room B in situ experiment)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, H.S.; Stone, C.M.

A pretest reference calculation for the Overtest for Simulated Defense High-Level Waste (DHLW) or Room B experiment is presented in this report. The overtest is one of several large-scale, in-situ experiments currently under construction near Carlsbad, New Mexico at the site of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Room B, a single isolated room in the underground salt formation, is to be subjected to a thermal load of approximately four times the areal heat output anticipated for a future repository with DHLW. The load will be supplied 3 years by canister heaters placed in the floor. Room B is heavilymore » instrumented for monitoring both temperature increases due to the thermal loading and deformations due to creep of the salt. Data from the experiment are not available at the present time, but the measurements will eventually be compared to the results presented to assess and improve thermal and mechanical modeling capabilities for the WIPP. The thermal/structural model used here represents the state of the art at the present time. A large number of plots are included since an appropriate result is presented for every Room B gauge location. 81 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Vascular plants of waste storage sites in the 200 areas of the Hanford reservation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Price, K.R.; Rickard, W.H.

1973-12-01

A brief accounting of terrestrial, riparian and semi-aquatic plants known to be associated with radioactive waste storage sites in the 200 Areas of the Hanford Reservation is given. In most cases the species are characteristic of those which generally inhabit the reservation, but some plants are restricted to specialized habitats provided by particular waste storage sites. It is impractical to list all species growing at each waste storage site because of seasonal variation and changes brought about by environmental management practices. An alpbabetical listing has been prepared with an example of where each species is known to occur. The listmore » will be updated as needed and expanded to include other waste storage areas. Plant specimens were collected during spring and fall when flowering material was available. Herbarium mounts were prepared of many specimens and have been retained as part of the Hanford Reservation herbarium collection. Identification to species level was made whenever possible. Color photographs of the specimen mounts are used as training aids and demonstration material by ARHCO Radiation Monitoring personnel. (auth)« less

Can Sisyphus succeed? Getting U.S. high-level nuclear waste into a geological repository.

PubMed

North, D Warner

2013-01-01

The U.S. government has the obligation of managing the high-level radioactive waste from its defense activities and also, under existing law, from civilian nuclear power generation. This obligation is not being met. The January 2012 Final Report from the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future provides commendable guidance but little that is new. The author, who served on the federal Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board from 1989 to 1994 and subsequently on the Board on Radioactive Waste Management of the National Research Council from 1994 to 1999, provides a perspective both on the Commission's recommendations and a potential path toward progress in meeting the federal obligation. By analogy to Sisyphus of Greek mythology, our nation needs to find a way to roll the rock to the top of the hill and have it stay there, rather than continuing to roll back down again. © 2012 Society for Risk Analysis.

Tc removal from the waste treatment and immobilization plant low-activity waste vitrification off-gas recycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor-Pashow, Kathryn M. L.; McCabe, Daniel J.; Nash, Charles A.

Vitrification of Low Activity Waste in the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant generates a condensate stream from the off-gas processes. Components in this stream are partially volatile and accumulate to high concentrations through recycling, which impacts the waste glass loading and facility throughput. The primary radionuclide that vaporizes and accumulates in the stream is 99Tc. This program is investigating Tc removal via reductive precipitation with stannous chloride to examine the potential for diverting this stream to an alternate disposition path. As a result, research has shown stannous chloride to be effective, and this paper describes results of recent experimentsmore » performed to further mature the technology.« less

Tc removal from the waste treatment and immobilization plant low-activity waste vitrification off-gas recycle

DOE PAGES

Taylor-Pashow, Kathryn M. L.; McCabe, Daniel J.; Nash, Charles A.

2017-03-16

Vitrification of Low Activity Waste in the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant generates a condensate stream from the off-gas processes. Components in this stream are partially volatile and accumulate to high concentrations through recycling, which impacts the waste glass loading and facility throughput. The primary radionuclide that vaporizes and accumulates in the stream is 99Tc. This program is investigating Tc removal via reductive precipitation with stannous chloride to examine the potential for diverting this stream to an alternate disposition path. As a result, research has shown stannous chloride to be effective, and this paper describes results of recent experimentsmore » performed to further mature the technology.« less

Development of an Integrated Raman and Turbidity Fiber Optic Sensor for the In-Situ Analysis of High Level Nuclear Waste - 13532

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gasbarro, Christina; Bello, Job; Bryan, Samuel

2013-07-01

Stored nuclear waste must be retrieved from storage, treated, separated into low- and high-level waste streams, and finally put into a disposal form that effectively encapsulates the waste and isolates it from the environment for a long period of time. Before waste retrieval can be done, waste composition needs to be characterized so that proper safety precautions can be implemented during the retrieval process. In addition, there is a need for active monitoring of the dynamic chemistry of the waste during storage since the waste composition can become highly corrosive. This work describes the development of a novel, integrated fibermore » optic Raman and light scattering probe for in situ use in nuclear waste solutions. The dual Raman and turbidity sensor provides simultaneous chemical identification of nuclear waste as well as information concerning the suspended particles in the waste using a common laser excitation source. (authors)« less

Alternative Chemical Cleaning Methods for High Level Waste Tanks: Simulant Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rudisill, T.; King, W.; Hay, M.

Solubility testing with simulated High Level Waste tank heel solids has been conducted in order to evaluate two alternative chemical cleaning technologies for the dissolution of sludge residuals remaining in the tanks after the exhaustion of mechanical cleaning and sludge washing efforts. Tests were conducted with non-radioactive pure phase metal reagents, binary mixtures of reagents, and a Savannah River Site PUREX heel simulant to determine the effectiveness of an optimized, dilute oxalic/nitric acid cleaning reagent and pure, dilute nitric acid toward dissolving the bulk non-radioactive waste components. A focus of this testing was on minimization of oxalic acid additions duringmore » tank cleaning. For comparison purposes, separate samples were also contacted with pure, concentrated oxalic acid which is the current baseline chemical cleaning reagent. In a separate study, solubility tests were conducted with radioactive tank heel simulants using acidic and caustic permanganate-based methods focused on the “targeted” dissolution of actinide species known to be drivers for Savannah River Site tank closure Performance Assessments. Permanganate-based cleaning methods were evaluated prior to and after oxalic acid contact.« less

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory High-Level Waste Roadmap. Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-08-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) High-Level Waste (HLW) Roadmap takes a strategic look at the entire HLW life-cycle starting with generation, through interim storage, treatment and processing, transportation, and on to final disposal. The roadmap is an issue-based planning approach that compares ``where we are now`` to ``where we want and need to be.`` The INEL has been effectively managing HLW for the last 30 years. Calcining operations are continuing to turn liquid HLW into a more manageable form. Although this document recognizes problems concerning HLW at the INEL, there is no imminent risk to the public or environment.more » By analyzing the INEL current business operations, pertinent laws and regulations, and committed milestones, the INEL HLW Roadmap has identified eight key issues existing at the INEL that must be resolved in order to reach long-term objectives. These issues are as follows: A. The US Department of Energy (DOE) needs a consistent policy for HLW generation, handling, treatment, storage, and disposal. B. The capability for final disposal of HLW does not exist. C. Adequate processes have not been developed or implemented for immobilization and disposal of INEL HLW. D. HLW storage at the INEL is not adequate in terms of capacity and regulatory requirements. E. Waste streams are generated with limited consideration for waste minimization. F. HLW is not adequately characterized for disposal nor, in some cases, for storage. G. Research and development of all process options for INEL HLW treatment and disposal are not being adequately pursued due to resource limitations. H. HLW transportation methods are not selected or implemented. A root-cause analysis uncovered the underlying causes of each of these issues.« less

Underground Architecture and Layout for the Belgian High-Level and Long-Lived Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility- 12116

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Cotthem, Alain; Van Humbeeck, Hughes; Biurrun, Enrique

The underground architecture and layout of the proposed Belgian high-level (HLW) and long-lived, intermediate-level radioactive wastes (ILW-LL) disposal system (repository) is mainly based on lessons learned during the development and 30-year-long operation of an underground research laboratory (URL) ('HADES') located adjacent to the city of Mol at a depth of 225 m in a 100-m-thick, Tertiary clay formation; the Boom clay. The following main operational and safety challenges are addressed in the proposed architecture and layout: 1. Following excavation, the underground openings needed to be promptly supported to minimize the extent of the excavation damaged zone (EDZ). 2. The sizemore » and unsupported stand-up time at tunnel crossings/intersections also needed to be minimized to minimize the extent of the related EDZ. 3. Steel components had to be minimized to limit the related long-term (post-closure) corrosion and hydrogen production. 4. The shafts and all equipment had to go down through a 180-m-thick aquifer and handle up to 65-Ton payloads. 5. The shaft seals had to be placed in the underlying clay layer. The currently proposed layout minimizes the excavated volume based on strict long-term-safety criteria and optimizes operational safety. Operational safety is further enhanced by a remote-controlled waste-package-handling system transporting the waste packages from their respective surface location down to their respective disposal location with no intermediate operation. The related on-site preparation and thenceforth use of cement-based, waste package- transportation containers are integral operational-safety components. In addition to strengthening the waste packages and providing radiation protection, these containers also provide long-term corrosion protection of the internal 'primary' steel packages. (authors)« less

Safe disposal of radionuclides in low-level radioactive-waste repository sites; Low-level radioactive-waste disposal workshop, U.S. Geological Survey, July 11-16, 1987, Big Bear Lake, Calif., Proceedings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedinger, Marion S.; Stevens, Peter R.

1990-01-01

In the United States, low-level radioactive waste is disposed by shallow-land burial. Low-level radioactive waste generated by non-Federal facilities has been buried at six commercially operated sites; low-level radioactive waste generated by Federal facilities has been buried at eight major and several minor Federally operated sites (fig. 1). Generally, low-level radioactive waste is somewhat imprecisely defined as waste that does not fit the definition of high-level radioactive waste and does not exceed 100 nCi/g in the concentration of transuranic elements. Most low-level radioactive waste generated by non-Federal facilities is generated at nuclear powerplants; the remainder is generated primarily at research laboratories, hospitals, industrial facilities, and universities. On the basis of half lives and concentrations of radionuclides in low-level radioactive waste, the hazard associated with burial of such waste generally lasts for about 500 years. Studies made at several of the commercially and Federally operated low-level radioactive-waste repository sites indicate that some of these sites have not provided containment of waste nor the expected protection of the environment.

Radioactive demonstration of final mineralized waste forms for Hanford waste treatment plant secondary waste (WTP-SW) by fluidized bed steam reforming (FBSR) using the bench scale reformer platform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, C.; Burket, P.; Cozzi, A.

2014-08-01

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection (ORP) is responsible for the retrieval, treatment, immobilization, and disposal of Hanford’s tank waste. Currently there are approximately 56 million gallons of highly radioactive mixed wastes awaiting treatment. A key aspect of the River Protection Project (RPP) cleanup mission is to construct and operate the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP will separate the tank waste into high-level and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions, both of which will subsequently be vitrified. The projected throughput capacity of the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility is insufficient to complete the RPP mission in themore » time frame required by the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, also known as the Tri-Party Agreement (TPA), i.e. December 31, 2047. Therefore, Supplemental Treatment is required both to meet the TPA treatment requirements as well as to more cost effectively complete the tank waste treatment mission. In addition, the WTP LAW vitrification facility off-gas condensate known as WTP Secondary Waste (WTP-SW) will be generated and enriched in volatile components such as 137Cs, 129I, 99Tc, Cl, F, and SO4 that volatilize at the vitrification temperature of 1150°C in the absence of a continuous cold cap (that could minimize volatilization). The current waste disposal path for the WTP-SW is to process it through the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) is being considered for immobilization of the ETF concentrate that would be generated by processing the WTP-SW. The focus of this current report is the WTP-SW.« less

75 FR 137 - Amended Record of Decision: Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-04

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Amended Record of Decision: Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental Impact Statement Revised by State 12/ 21/09 AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Amended Record of Decision. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is amending its initial Record of...

RESULTS OF THE FY09 ENHANCED DOE HIGH LEVEL WASTE MELTER THROUGHPUT STUDIES AT SRNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, F.; Edwards, T.

2010-06-23

High-level waste (HLW) throughput (i.e., the amount of waste processed per unit time) is a function of two critical parameters: waste loading (WL) and melt rate. For the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford Site and the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS), increasing HLW throughput would significantly reduce the overall mission life cycle costs for the Department of Energy (DOE). The objective of this task is to develop data, assess property models, and refine or develop the necessary models to support increased WL of HLW at SRS. It is a continuationmore » of the studies initiated in FY07, but is under the specific guidance of a Task Change Request (TCR)/Work Authorization received from DOE headquarters (Project Number RV071301). Using the data generated in FY07, FY08 and historical data, two test matrices (60 glasses total) were developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in order to generate data in broader compositional regions. These glasses were fabricated and characterized using chemical composition analysis, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), viscosity, liquidus temperature (TL) measurement and durability as defined by the Product Consistency Test (PCT). The results of this study are summarized below: (1) In general, the current durability model predicts the durabilities of higher waste loading glasses quite well. A few of the glasses exhibited poorer durability than predicted. (2) Some of the glasses exhibited anomalous behavior with respect to durability (normalized leachate for boron (NL [B])). The quenched samples of FY09EM21-02, -07 and -21 contained no nepheline or other wasteform affecting crystals, but have unacceptable NL [B] values (> 10 g/L). The ccc sample of FY09EM21-07 has a NL [B] value that is more than one half the value of the quenched sample. These glasses also have lower concentrations of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and SiO{sub 2}. (3) Five of the ccc samples (EM-13, -14, -15

Q Fever Outbreak among Workers at a Waste-Sorting Plant

PubMed Central

Alonso, Eva; Lopez-Etxaniz, Idoia; Hurtado, Ana; Liendo, Paloma; Urbaneja, Felix; Aspiritxaga, Inmaculada; Olaizola, Jose Ignacio; Piñero, Alvaro; Arrazola, Iñaki; Barandika, Jesús F.; Hernáez, Silvia; Muniozguren, Nerea; García- Pérez, Ana L.

2015-01-01

An outbreak of Q fever occurred in February–April 2014 among workers at a waste-sorting plant in Bilbao (Spain). The outbreak affected 58.5% of investigated employees, 47.2% as confirmed cases (PCR and/or serology) and 11.3% as probable cases (symptoms without laboratory confirmation). Only employees who had no-access to the waste processing areas of the plant were not affected and incidence of infection was significantly higher among workers not using respiratory protection masks. Detection by qPCR of Coxiella burnetii in dust collected from surfaces of the plant facilities confirmed exposure of workers inside the plant. Animal remains sporadically detected among the residues received for waste-sorting were the most probable source of infection. After cleaning and disinfection, all environmental samples tested negative. Personal protection measures were reinforced and made compulsory for the staff and actions were taken to raise farmers’ awareness of the biological risk of discharging animal carcasses as urban waste. PMID:26398249

A financial feasibility model of gasification and anaerobic digestion waste-to-energy (WTE) plants in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Hadidi, Laith A; Omer, Mohamed Mahmoud

2017-01-01

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation in Saudi Arabia is increasingly growing at a fast rate, as it hurtles towards ever increasing urban development coupled with rapid developments and expanding population. Saudi Arabia's energy demands are also rising at a faster rate. Therefore, the importance of an integrated waste management system in Saudi Arabia is increasingly rising and introducing Waste to Energy (WTE) facilities is becoming an absolute necessity. This paper analyzes the current situation of MSW management in Saudi Arabia and proposes a financial model to assess the viability of WTE investments in Saudi Arabia in order to address its waste management challenges and meet its forecasted energy demands. The research develops a financial model to investigate the financial viability of WTE plants utilizing gasification and Anaerobic Digestion (AD) conversion technologies. The financial model provides a cost estimate of establishing both gasification and anaerobic digestion WTE plants in Saudi Arabia through a set of financial indicators, i.e. net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), modified internal rate of return (MIRR), profitability index (PI), payback period, discounted payback period, Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and Levelized Cost of Waste (LCOW). Finally, the analysis of the financial model reveals the main affecting factors of the gasification plants investment decision, namely: facility generation capacity, generated electricity revenue, and the capacity factor. Similarly, the paper also identifies facility waste capacity and the capacity factor as the main affecting factors on the AD plants' investment decision. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ceramic Single Phase High-Level Nuclear Waste Forms: Hollandite, Perovskite, and Pyrochlore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vetter, M.; Wang, J.

2017-12-01

The lack of viable options for the safe, reliable, and long-term storage of nuclear waste is one of the primary roadblocks of nuclear energy's sustainable future. The method being researched is the incorporation and immobilization of harmful radionuclides (Cs, Sr, Actinides, and Lanthanides) into the structure of glasses and ceramics. Borosilicate glasses are the main waste form that is accepted and used by today's nuclear industry, but they aren't the most efficient in terms of waste loading, and durability is still not fully understood. Synroc-phase ceramics (i.e. hollandite, perovskite, pyrochlore, zirconolite) have many attractive qualities that glass waste forms do not: high waste loading, moderate thermal expansion and conductivity, high chemical durability, and high radiation stability. The only downside to ceramics is that they are more complex to process than glass. New compositions can be discovered by using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to have more options to optimize the composition, loading for performance by analyzing the non-linear relationships between ionic radii, electronegativity, channel size, and a mineral's ability to incorporate radionuclides into its structure. Cesium can be incorporated into hollandite's A-site, while pyrochlore and perovskite can incorporate actinides and lanthanides into their A-site. The ANN is used to predict new compositions based on hollandite's channel size, as well as the A-O bond distances of pyrochlore and perovskite, and determine which ions can be incorporated. These new compositions will provide more options for more experiments to potentially improve chemical and thermodynamic properties, as well as increased waste loading capabilities.

Geohydrologic conditions at the nuclear-fuels reprocessing plant and waste-management facilities at the Western New York Nuclear Service Center, Cattaraugus County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergeron, M.P.; Kappel, W.M.; Yager, R.M.

1987-01-01

A nuclear-fuel reprocessing plant, a high-level radioactive liquid-waste tank complex, and related waste facilities occupy 100 hectares (ha) within the Western New York Nuclear Service Center near West Valley, N.Y. The facilities are underlain by glacial and postglacial deposits that fill an ancestrial bedrock valley. The main plant facilities are on an elevated plateau referred to as the north plateau. Groundwater on the north plateau moves laterally within a surficial sand and gravel from the main plant building to areas northeast, east, and southeast of the facilities. The sand and gravel ranges from 1 to 10 m thick and has a hydraulic conductivity ranging from 0.1 to 7.9 m/day. Two separate burial grounds, a 4-ha area for low-level radioactive waste disposal and a 2.9-ha area for disposal of higher-level waste are excavated into a clay-rich till that ranges from 22 to 28 m thick. Migration of an organic solvent from the area of higher level waste at shallow depth in the till suggests that a shallow, fractured, oxidized, and weathered till is a significant pathway for lateral movement of groundwater. Below this zone, groundwater moves vertically downward through the till to recharge a lacustrine silt and fine sand. Within the saturated parts of the lacustrine unit, groundwater moves laterally to the northeast toward Buttermilk Creek. Hydraulic conductivity of the till, based on field and laboratory analyses , ranges from 0.000018 to 0.000086 m/day. (USGS)

Sewage sludge drying process integration with a waste-to-energy power plant.

PubMed

Bianchini, A; Bonfiglioli, L; Pellegrini, M; Saccani, C

2015-08-01

Dewatered sewage sludge from Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) is encountering increasing problems associated with its disposal. Several solutions have been proposed in the last years regarding energy and materials recovery from sewage sludge. Current technological solutions have relevant limits as dewatered sewage sludge is characterized by a high water content (70-75% by weight), even if mechanically treated. A Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) with good thermal characteristics in terms of Lower Heating Value (LHV) can be obtained if dewatered sludge is further processed, for example by a thermal drying stage. Sewage sludge thermal drying is not sustainable if the power is fed by primary energy sources, but can be appealing if waste heat, recovered from other processes, is used. A suitable integration can be realized between a WWTP and a waste-to-energy (WTE) power plant through the recovery of WTE waste heat as energy source for sewage sludge drying. In this paper, the properties of sewage sludge from three different WWTPs are studied. On the basis of the results obtained, a facility for the integration of sewage sludge drying within a WTE power plant is developed. Furthermore, energy and mass balances are set up in order to evaluate the benefits brought by the described integration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geomicrobiology of High-Level Nuclear Waste-Contaminated Vadose Sediments at the Hanford Site, Washington State

PubMed Central

Fredrickson, James K.; Zachara, John M.; Balkwill, David L.; Kennedy, David; Li, Shu-mei W.; Kostandarithes, Heather M.; Daly, Michael J.; Romine, Margaret F.; Brockman, Fred J.

2004-01-01

Sediments from a high-level nuclear waste plume were collected as part of investigations to evaluate the potential fate and migration of contaminants in the subsurface. The plume originated from a leak that occurred in 1962 from a waste tank consisting of high concentrations of alkali, nitrate, aluminate, Cr(VI), 137Cs, and 99Tc. Investigations were initiated to determine the distribution of viable microorganisms in the vadose sediment samples, probe the phylogeny of cultivated and uncultivated members, and evaluate the ability of the cultivated organisms to survive acute doses of ionizing radiation. The populations of viable aerobic heterotrophic bacteria were generally low, from below detection to ∼104 CFU g−1, but viable microorganisms were recovered from 11 of 16 samples, including several of the most radioactive ones (e.g., >10 μCi of 137Cs/g). The isolates from the contaminated sediments and clone libraries from sediment DNA extracts were dominated by members related to known gram-positive bacteria. Gram-positive bacteria most closely related to Arthrobacter species were the most common isolates among all samples, but other phyla high in G+C content were also represented, including Rhodococcus and Nocardia. Two isolates from the second-most radioactive sample (>20 μCi of 137Cs g−1) were closely related to Deinococcus radiodurans and were able to survive acute doses of ionizing radiation approaching 20 kGy. Many of the gram-positive isolates were resistant to lower levels of gamma radiation. These results demonstrate that gram-positive bacteria, predominantly from phyla high in G+C content, are indigenous to Hanford vadose sediments and that some are effective at surviving the extreme physical and chemical stress associated with radioactive waste. PMID:15240306

Workshop on the role of natural analogs in geologic disposal of high-level nuclear waste: Proceedings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kovach, L.A.; Murphy, W.M.

1995-09-01

A Workshop on the Role of Natural Analogs in Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste was held in San Antonio, Texas on July 22--25, 1991. The proceedings comprise seventeen papers submitted by participants at the workshop. A series of papers addresses the relation of natural analog studies to the regulation, performance assessment, and licensing of a geologic repository. Applications of reasoning by analogy are illustrated in papers on the role of natural analogs in studies of earthquakes, petroleum, and mineral exploration. A summary is provided of a recently completed, internationally coordinated natural analog study at Pocos de Caldas, Brazil. Papersmore » also cover problems and applications of natural analog studies in four technical areas of nuclear waste management-. waste form and waste package, near-field processes and environment, far-field processes and environment, and volcanism and tectonics. Summaries of working group deliberations in these four technical areas provide reviews and proposals for natural analog applications. Individual papers have been cataloged separately.« less

Analysis of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Samples: Integrated Summary Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Britt, Phillip F

2015-03-01

Analysis of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Samples: Integrated Summary Report. Summaries of conclusions, analytical processes, and analytical results. Analysis of samples taken from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico in support of the WIPP Technical Assessment Team (TAT) activities to determine to the extent feasible the mechanisms and chemical reactions that may have resulted in the breach of at least one waste drum and release of waste material in WIPP Panel 7 Room 7 on February 14, 2014. This report integrates and summarizes the results contained in three separate reports, described below, and draws conclusions basedmore » on those results. Chemical and Radiochemical Analyses of WIPP Samples R-15 C5 SWB and R16 C-4 Lip; PNNL-24003, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, December 2014 Analysis of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Underground and MgO Samples by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL); SRNL-STI-2014-00617; Savannah River National Laboratory, December 2014 Report for WIPP UG Sample #3, R15C5 (9/3/14); LLNL-TR-667015; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, January 2015 This report is also contained in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Technical Assessment Team Report; SRNL-RP-2015-01198; Savannah River National Laboratory, March 17, 2015, as Appendix C: Analysis Integrated Summary Report.« less

Metal accumulation strategies in plants spontaneously inhabiting Zn-Pb waste deposits.

PubMed

Wójcik, Małgorzata; Sugier, Piotr; Siebielec, Grzegorz

2014-07-15

Metal (Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni, Cr) accumulation in shoots of 38 plant species spontaneously colonizing three Zn-Pb waste deposits in southern Poland was studied in order to find out if the age of the waste (30-130 years) or its type (slag or flotation residues) influence metal content in plants and to identify species potentially suitable for biomonitoring and phytoremediation. The total metal concentrations in the waste upper layers ranged from 7300 to 171,790 mg kg(-1) for Zn, from 1390 to 22,265 mg kg(-1) for Pb, and from 66 to 1,464 mg kg(-1) for Cd, whereas CaCl2-extracted fractions accounted for 0.034-0.11 %, 0.005-0.03 %, and 0.28-0.62 % of total Zn, Pb and Cd concentrations, respectively. The concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Cr in substrates and in plants were low and ranged within the background values. Metal accumulation in plant shoots was poorly correlated with both total and CaCl2-extracted forms of metals in the substrate and was highly variable among species and also specimens of the same species. The highest mean concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd were found in Anthyllis vulneraria L. (901.5 mg kg(-1)), Echium vulgare L. (116.92 mg kg(-1)), and Hieracium piloselloides Vill. (26.86 mg kg(-1)), respectively. Besides Reseda lutea L., no species appeared to be a good indicator of polymetallic environment pollution based on chemical analysis of shoots; however, metal accumulation in the whole plant communities of a particular contaminated area might be an accurate tool for assessment of metal transfer to vegetation irrespective of the type or age of the waste. All the species studied developed a metal exclusion strategy, thus exhibiting potential for phytostabilization of metalliferous wastelands. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Region 9 NPDES Facilities 2012- Waste Water Treatment Plants

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Point geospatial dataset representing locations of NPDES Waste Water Treatment Plant Facilities. NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) is an EPA permit program that regulates direct discharges from facilities that discharge treated waste water into waters of the US. Facilities are issued NPDES permits regulating their discharge as required by the Clean Water Act. A facility may have one or more outfalls (dischargers). The location represents the facility or operating plant.

Development of cement solidification process for sodium borate waste generated from PWR plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hirofumi Okabe; Tatsuaki Sato; Yuichi Shoji

2013-07-01

A cement solidification process for treating sodium borate waste produced in pressurized water reactor (PWR) plants was studied. To obtain high volume reduction and high mechanical strength of the waste, simulated concentrated borate liquid waste with a sodium / boron (Na/B) mole ratio of 0.27 was dehydrated and powdered by using a wiped film evaporator. To investigate the effect of the Na/B mole ratio on the solidification process, a sodium tetraborate decahydrate reagent with a Na/B mole ratio of 0.5 was also used. Ordinary portland cement (OPC) and some additives were used for the solidification. Solidified cement prepared from powderedmore » waste with a Na/B mole ratio 0.24 and having a high silica sand content (silica sand/cement>2) showed to improved uniaxial compressive strength. (authors)« less

Making Plant-Support Structures From Waste Plant Fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrow, Robert C.; < oscjmocl. < attjew K/; {ertzbprm. A,amda; Ej (e. Cjad); Hunt, John

2006-01-01

Environmentally benign, biodegradable structures for supporting growing plants can be made in a process based on recycling of such waste plant fiber materials as wheat straw or of such derivative materials as paper and cardboard. Examples of structures that can be made in this way include plant plugs, pots, planter-lining mats, plant fences, and root and shoot barriers. No chemical binders are used in the process. First, the plant material is chopped into smaller particles. The particles are leached with water or steam to remove material that can inhibit plant growth, yielding a fibrous slurry. If the desired structures are plugs or sheets, then the slurry is formed into the desired shapes in a pulp molding subprocess. If the desired structures are root and shoot barriers, pots, or fences, then the slurry is compression-molded to the desired shapes in a heated press. The processed materials in these structures have properties similar to those of commercial pressboard, but unlike pressboard, these materials contain no additives. These structures have been found to withstand one growth cycle, even when wet

78 FR 1155 - Low-Level Waste Disposal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-08

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 10 CFR Part 61 [NRC-2011-0012] RIN 3150-AI92 Low-Level Waste... correcting a document appearing in the Federal Register on December 7, 2012 entitled, ``Low-Level Waste... and Submitting Comments, ``Regulatory Analysis for Proposed Revisions to Low-Level Waste Disposal...

Evidence for dawsonite in Hanford high-level nuclear waste tanks.

PubMed

Reynolds, Jacob G; Cooke, Gary A; Herting, Daniel L; Warrant, R Wade

2012-03-30

Gibbsite [Al(OH)(3)] and boehmite (AlOOH) have long been assumed to be the most prevalent aluminum-bearing minerals in Hanford high-level nuclear waste sludge. The present study shows that dawsonite [NaAl(OH)(2)CO(3)] is also a common aluminum-bearing phase in tanks containing high total inorganic carbon (TIC) concentrations and (relatively) low dissolved free hydroxide concentrations. Tank samples were probed for dawsonite by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and Polarized Light Optical Microscopy. Dawsonite was conclusively identified in four of six tanks studied. In a fifth tank (AN-102), the dawsonite identification was less conclusive because it was only observed as a Na-Al bearing phase with SEM-EDS. Four of the five tank samples with dawsonite also had solid phase Na(2)CO(3) · H(2)O. The one tank without observable dawsonite (Tank C-103) had the lowest TIC content of any of the six tanks. The amount of TIC in Tank C-103 was insufficient to convert most of the aluminum to dawsonite (Al:TIC mol ratio of 20:1). The rest of the tank samples had much lower Al:TIC ratios (between 2:1 and 0.5:1) than Tank C-103. One tank (AZ-102) initially had dawsonite, but dawsonite was not observed in samples taken 15 months after NaOH was added to the tank surface. When NaOH was added to a laboratory sample of waste from Tank AZ-102, the ratio of aluminum to TIC in solution was consistent with the dissolution of dawsonite. The presence of dawsonite in these tanks is of significance because of the large amount of OH(-) consumed by dawsonite dissolution, an effect confirmed with AZ-102 samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RADIOACTIVE DEMONSTRATION OF FINAL MINERALIZED WASTE FORMS FOR HANFORD WASTE TREATMENT PLANT SECONDARY WASTE BY FLUIDIZED BED STEAM REFORMING USING THE BENCH SCALE REFORMER PLATFORM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, C.; Burket, P.; Cozzi, A.

2012-02-02

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of River Protection (ORP) is responsible for the retrieval, treatment, immobilization, and disposal of Hanford's tank waste. Currently there are approximately 56 million gallons of highly radioactive mixed wastes awaiting treatment. A key aspect of the River Protection Project (RPP) cleanup mission is to construct and operate the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP will separate the tank waste into high-level and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions, both of which will subsequently be vitrified. The projected throughput capacity of the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility is insufficient to complete the RPP mission in themore » time frame required by the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, also known as the Tri-Party Agreement (TPA), i.e. December 31, 2047. Therefore, Supplemental Treatment is required both to meet the TPA treatment requirements as well as to more cost effectively complete the tank waste treatment mission. In addition, the WTP LAW vitrification facility off-gas condensate known as WTP Secondary Waste (WTP-SW) will be generated and enriched in volatile components such as {sup 137}Cs, {sup 129}I, {sup 99}Tc, Cl, F, and SO{sub 4} that volatilize at the vitrification temperature of 1150 C in the absence of a continuous cold cap (that could minimize volatilization). The current waste disposal path for the WTP-SW is to process it through the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) is being considered for immobilization of the ETF concentrate that would be generated by processing the WTP-SW. The focus of this current report is the WTP-SW. FBSR offers a moderate temperature (700-750 C) continuous method by which WTP-SW wastes can be processed irrespective of whether they contain organics, nitrates, sulfates/sulfides, chlorides, fluorides, volatile radionuclides or other aqueous components. The FBSR technology can process these wastes into a crystalline

Co-digestion of municipal sludge and external organic wastes for enhanced biogas production under realistic plant constraints.

PubMed

Tandukar, Madan; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

2015-12-15

A bench-scale investigation was conducted to select external organic wastes and mixing ratios for co-digestion with municipal sludge at the F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center (FWHWRC), Gwinnett County, GA, USA to support a combined heat and power (CHP) project. External wastes were chosen and used subject to two constraints: a) digester retention time no lower than 15 d; and b) total biogas (methane) production not to exceed a specific target level based on air permit constraints on CO2 emissions. Primary sludge (PS), thickened waste activated sludge (TWAS) and digested sludge collected at the FWHWRC, industrial liquid waste obtained from a chewing gum manufacturing plant (GW) and dewatered fat-oil-grease (FOG) were used. All sludge and waste samples were characterized and their ultimate digestibility was assessed at 35 °C. The ultimate COD to methane conversion of PS, TWAS, municipal sludge (PS + TWAS; 40:60 w/w TS basis), GW and FOG was 49.2, 35.2, 40.3, 72.7, and 81.1%, respectively. Co-digestion of municipal sludge with GW, FOG or both, was evaluated using four bench-scale, mesophilic (35 °C) digesters. Biogas production increased significantly and additional degradation of the municipal sludge between 1.1 and 30.7% was observed. Biogas and methane production was very close to the target levels necessary to close the energy deficit at the FWHWRC. Co-digestion resulted in an effluent quality similar to that of the control digester fed only with the municipal sludge, indicating that co-digestion had no adverse effects. Study results prove that high methane production is achievable with the addition of concentrated external organic wastes to municipal digesters, at acceptable higher digester organic loadings and lower retention times, allowing the effective implementation of CHP programs at municipal wastewater treatment plants, with significant cost savings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic co-digestion plants for the revaluation of agricultural waste: Sustainable location sites from a GIS analysis.

PubMed

Villamar, Cristina Alejandra; Rivera, Diego; Aguayo, Mauricio

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to establish sustainably feasible areas for the implementation of anaerobic co-digestion plants for agricultural wastes (cattle/swine slurries and cereal crop wastes). The methodology was based on the use of geographic information systems (GIS), the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and map algebra generated from hedges related to environmental, social and economic constraints. The GIS model obtained was applied to a region of Chile (Bío Bío Region) as a case study showing the energy potential (205 MW-h) of agricultural wastes (swine/cattle manures and cereal crop wastes) and thereby assessing its energy contribution (3.5%) at country level (Chile). From this model, it was possible to spatially identify the influence of each factor (environmental, economic and social) when defining suitable areas for the siting of anaerobic co-digestion plants. In conclusion, GIS-based models establish appropriate areas for the location of anaerobic co-digestion plants in the revaluation of agricultural waste from the production of energy through biogas production. © The Author(s) 2016.

Greater-than-Class C low-level radioactive waste shipping package/container identification and requirements study. National Low-Level Waste Management Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tyacke, M.

1993-08-01

This report identifies a variety of shipping packages (also referred to as casks) and waste containers currently available or being developed that could be used for greater-than-Class C (GTCC) low-level waste (LLW). Since GTCC LLW varies greatly in size, shape, and activity levels, the casks and waste containers that could be used range in size from small, to accommodate a single sealed radiation source, to very large-capacity casks/canisters used to transport or dry-store highly radioactive spent fuel. In some cases, the waste containers may serve directly as shipping packages, while in other cases, the containers would need to be placedmore » in a transport cask. For the purpose of this report, it is assumed that the generator is responsible for transporting the waste to a Department of Energy (DOE) storage, treatment, or disposal facility. Unless DOE establishes specific acceptance criteria, the receiving facility would need the capability to accept any of the casks and waste containers identified in this report. In identifying potential casks and waste containers, no consideration was given to their adequacy relative to handling, storage, treatment, and disposal. Those considerations must be addressed separately as the capabilities of the receiving facility and the handling requirements and operations are better understood.« less

Solid waste management of a chemical-looping combustion plant using Cu-based oxygen carriers.

PubMed

García-Labiano, Francisco; Gayán, Pilar; Adánez, Juan; De Diego, Luis F; Forero, Carmen R

2007-08-15

Waste management generated from a Chemical-Looping Combustion (CLC) plant using copper-based materials is analyzed by two ways: the recovery and recycling of the used material and the disposal of the waste. A copper recovery process coupled to the CLC plant is proposed to avoid the loss of active material generated by elutriation from the system. Solid residues obtained from a 10 kWth CLC prototype operated during 100 h with a CuO-Al2O3 oxygen carrier prepared by impregnation were used as raw material in the recovery process. Recovering efficiencies of approximately 80% were obtained in the process, where the final products were an eluate of Cu(NO3)2 and a solid. The eluate was used for preparation of new oxygen carriers by impregnation, which exhibited high reactivity for reduction and oxidation reactions as well as adequate physical and chemical properties to be used in a CLC plant. The proposed recovery process largely decreases the amount of natural resources (Cu and Al203) employed in a CLC power plant as well as the waste generated in the process. To determine the stability of the different solid streams during deposition in a landfill, these were characterized with respect to their leaching behavior according to the European Union normative. The solid residue finally obtained in the CLC plant coupled to the recovery process (composed by Al2O3 and CuAl2O4) can be classified as a stable nonreactive hazardous waste acceptable at landfills for nonhazardous wastes.

Determination of 241Pu in low-level radioactive wastes from reactors.

PubMed

Martin, J E

1986-11-01

Plutonium-241 is unique in low-level radioactive wastes (LLW) from nuclear power plants because it is the only significant beta-emitting transuranic nuclide in LLW, has a relatively short half-life of 14.4 y, and has a fairly high allowable concentration for shallow land burial. Radiochemical separation of Pu followed by liquid scintillation analysis was used to quantitate 241Pu in a wide range of solid, semi-solid, and liquid LLW samples from two nuclear plants in Michigan. The 241Pu concentrations varied considerably by sample type and reactor operational period as did their correlation with 137Cs, 144Ce, 239Pu and 240Pu concentrations in the same sample. These patterns were also found in reported data for 241Pu in LLW from other reactors, raising the difficulty of accurately determining the inventory (or source term) in a LLW shallow land burial site and its implications for predicting and controlling the future environmental and public health impacts of such disposal.

Environmental Assessment for the Above Ground Storage Capability at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Draft

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the nation’s only approved repository for the disposal of defense related/defense generated transuranic (TRU) and mixed hazardous TRU waste (henceforth called TRU waste). The mission of the WIPP Project is to realize the safe disposal of TRU waste from TRU waste generator sites in the Department of Energy waste complex. The WIPP Project was authorized by Title II, Section 213(a) of Public Law 96-164 (U. S. Congress 1979). Congress designated the WIPP facility “for the express purpose of providing a research and development facility to demonstrate the safe disposal of radioactive wastes resultingmore » from the defense activities and programs of the United States exempted from regulation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).” The WIPP facility is operated by the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE). Transuranic waste that is disposed in the WIPP facility is defined by Section 2(18) the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act of 1992 (LWA) (U. S. Congress, 1992) as: “waste containing more than 100 nanocuries of alpha-emitting transuranic isotopes per gram of waste, with half-lives greater than 20 years, except for: (A) high-level radioactive waste; (B) waste that the Secretary has determined, with the concurrence of the Administrator, does not need the degree of isolation required by the disposal regulations; or (C) waste that the NRC has approved for disposal on a case-by-case basis in accordance with part 61 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).« less

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant transuranic waste repository: A sleeping beauty

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eriksson, L.G.

On May 13, 1998, crowning a 24-year United States Department of Energy effort, the US Environmental Protection Agency certified that the deep geological repository for safe disposal of long-lived, transuranic radioactive waste proposed by the DOE at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site in New Mexico complied with all applicable environmental radiation protection standards and compliance criteria. Pursuant to the applicable law, the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act of 1992, as amended in 1997, at the decision of the secretary of energy, the WIPP repository could open 30 calendar days after receiving the EPA certification. The secretary of energy announced Maymore » 13, 1998, that he intended to open the WIPP TRUW repository by June 14, 1998. However, at the end of 1998, the opening of the WIPP TRUW repository remains hostage to time-consuming, hazardous-waste-permitting procedures by the state of New Mexico Environment Department and two legal actions. Based on the EPA-verified high safety and the demonstrated risk reduction to both current and future generations offered by the WIPP TRUW repository, it is concluded that the WIPP TRUW repository is a sleeping beauty that will awake, perhaps in stages, and begin its important mission in 1999.« less

Design and Testing of a Solid-Liquid Interface Monitor for High-Level Waste Tanks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDaniel, D.; Awwad, A.; Roelant, D.

2008-07-01

A high-level waste (HLW) monitor has been designed, fabricated and tested at full-scale for deployment inside a Hanford tank. The Solid-Liquid Interface Monitor (SLIM) integrates a commercial sonar system with a mechanical deployment system for deploying into an underground waste tank. The system has undergone several design modifications based upon changing requirements at Hanford. We will present the various designs of the monitor from first to last and will present performance data from the various prototype systems. We will also present modeling of stresses in the enclosure under 85 mph wind loading. The system must be able to function atmore » winds up to 15 mph and must withstand a maximum loading of 85 mph. There will be several examples presented of engineering tradeoffs made as FIU analyzed new requirements and modified the design to accommodate. We will present our current plans for installing into the Cold Test Facility at Hanford and into a double-shelled tank at Hanford. Finally, we will present our vision for how this technology can be used at Hanford and Savannah River Site to improve the filling and emptying of high-level waste tanks. In conclusion: 1. The manually operated first-generation SLIM is a viable option on tanks where personnel are allowed to work on top of the tank. 2. The remote controlled second-generation SLIM can be utilized on tanks where personnel access is limited. 3. The totally enclosed fourth-generation SLIM, when the design is finalized, can be used when the possibility exists for wind dispersion of any HLW that maybe on the system. 4. The profiling sonar can be used effectively for real-time monitoring of the solid-liquid interface over a large area. (authors)« less

Survey of degradation modes of candidate materials for high-level radioactive-waste disposal containers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farmer, J.C.; Van Konynenburg, R.A.; McCright, R.D.

1988-04-01

Three iron- to nickel-based austenitic alloys (Types 304L and 316L stainless steels and Alloy 825) are being considered as candidate materials for the fabrication of high-level radioactive-waste containers. Waste will include fuel assemblies from reactors as well as high-level waste in borosilicate glass forms, and will be sent to the prospective repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The decay of radionuclides in the repository will result in the generation of substantial heat and in fluences of gamma radiation. Container materials may undergo any of several modes of degradation in this environment, including atmospheric oxidation; uniform aqueous phase corrosion; pitting; crevice corrosion;more » sensitization and intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC); and transgranular stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC). This report is an analysis of data relevant to the pitting, crevice corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of the three austenitic candidate alloys. The candidates are compared in terms of their susceptibilities to these forms of corrosion. Although all three candidates have demonstrated pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-containing environments, Alloy 825 has the greatest resistance to these types of localized corrosion (LC); such resistance is important because pits can penetrate the metal and serve as crack initiation sites. Both Types 304L and 316L stainless steels are susceptible to SCC in acidic chloride media. In contrast, SCC has not been documented in Alloy 825 under comparable conditions. Gamma radiation has been found to enhance SCC in Types 304 and 304L stainless steels, but it has no detectable effect on the resistance of Alloy 825 to SCC. Furthermore, while the effects of microbiologically induced corrosion have been observed for 300-series stainless steels, nickel-based alloys such as Alloy 825 seem to be immune to such problems. 211 refs., 49 figs., 10 tabs.« less

High-level waste disposal, ethics and thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, Michael O.

2008-06-01

Moral philosophy applied to nuclear waste disposal can be linked to paradigmatic science. Simple thermodynamic principles tell us something about rightness or wrongness of our action. Ethical judgement can be orientated towards the chemical compatibility between waste container and geological repository. A container-repository system as close as possible to thermodynamic equilibrium is ethically acceptable. It aims at unlimited stability, similar to the stability of natural metal deposits within the Earth’s crust. The practicability of the guideline can be demonstrated.

Introduction of the trapezoidal thermodynamic technique method for measuring and mapping the efficiency of waste-to-energy plants: A potential replacement to the R1 formula.

PubMed

Vakalis, Stergios; Moustakas, Konstantinos; Loizidou, Maria

2018-06-01

Waste-to-energy plants have the peculiarity of being considered both as energy production and as waste destruction facilities and this distinction is important for legislative reasons. The efficiency of waste-to-energy plants must be objective and consistent, independently if the focus is the production of energy, the destruction of waste or the recovery/upgrade of materials. With the introduction of polygeneration technologies, like gasification, the production of energy and the recovery/upgrade of materials, are interconnected. The existing methodology for assessing the efficiency of waste-to-energy plants is the R1 formula, which does not take into consideration the full spectrum of the operations that take place in waste-to-energy plants. This study introduces a novel methodology for assessing the efficiency of waste-to-energy plants and is defined as the 3T method, which stands for 'trapezoidal thermodynamic technique'. The 3T method is an integrated approach for assessing the efficiency of waste-to-energy plants, which takes into consideration not only the production of energy but also the quality of the products. The value that is returned from the 3T method can be placed in a tertiary diagram and the global efficiency map of waste-to-energy plants can be produced. The application of the 3T method showed that the waste-to-energy plants with high combined heat and power efficiency and high recovery of materials are favoured and these outcomes are in accordance with the cascade principle and with the high cogeneration standards that are set by the EU Energy Efficiency Directive.

Preliminary assessment of the aquatic impacts of a proposed defense waste processing facility at the Savannah River Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mackey, H.E. Jr.

1979-01-01

A review of the literature indicates that a significant body of descriptive information exists concerning the aquatic ecology of Upper Three Runs Creek and Four Mile Creek of the Savannah River Plant south of Aiken, South Carolina. This information is adequate for preparation of an environmental document evaluating these streams. These streams will be impacted by construction and operation of a proposed Defense Waste Processing Facility for solidification of high level defense waste. Potential impacts include (1) construction runoff, erosion, and siltation, (2) effluents from a chemical and industrial waste treatment facility, and (3) radionuclide releases. In order to bettermore » evaluate potential impacts, recommend mitigation methods, and comply with NEPA requirements, additional quantitative biological information should be obtained through implementation of an aquatic baseline program.« less

Enviromental impact of a hospital waste incineration plant in Krakow (Poland).

PubMed

Gielar, Agnieszka; Helios-Rybicka, Edeltrauda

2013-07-01

The environmental impact of a hospital waste incineration plant in Krakow was investigated. The objective of this study was to assess the degree of environmental effect of the secondary solid waste generated during the incineration process of medical waste. The analysis of pollution of the air emissions and leaching test of ashes and slag were carried out. The obtained results allowed us to conclude that (i) the hospital waste incineration plant significantly solves the problems of medical waste treatment in Krakow; (ii) the detected contaminant concentrations were generally lower than the permissible values; (iii) the generated ashes and slag contained considerable concentrations of heavy metals, mainly zinc, and chloride and sulfate anions. Ashes and slag constituted 10-15% of the mass of incinerated wastes; they are more harmful for the environment when compared with untreated waste, and after solidification they can be deposited in the hazardous waste disposal.

Pollution characteristics of volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate esters emitted from plastic wastes recycling granulation plants in Xingtan Town, South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, De-Yin; Zhou, Shun-Gui; Hong, Wei; Feng, Wei-Feng; Tao, Liang

2013-06-01

With the aim to investigate the main pollution characteristics of exhaust gases emitted from plastic waste recycling granulation plants, mainly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) were analyzed in Xingtan Town, the largest distribution center of plastic waste recycling in China. Both inside and outside the plants, the total concentrations of volatile monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs), PAHs and PAEs ranged from 2000 to 3000 μg m-3, 450 to 1200 ng m-3, and 200 to 1200 ng m-3, respectively. Their concentration levels inside the plants were higher than those outside the plants, and PAHs and PAEs were mainly distributed in the gas-phase. Notably, highly toxic benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) could be detected inside the plants, and harmful PAEs could be detected not only inside but also outside the plants, although PAEs are non-volatile. The exhaust gas composition and concentration were related to the plastic feedstock and granulation temperature.

Mixing Construction, Demolition and Excavation Waste and Solid Waste Compost for the Derivation of a Planting Medium for Use in the Rehabilitation of Quarries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assaf, Eleni

2015-04-01

Lebanon's very high population density has been increasing since the end of the civil war in the early 1990s reaching 416.36 people per square kilometer. Furthermore, the influx of refugees from conflicts in the region has increased the resident population significantly. All these are exerting pressure on the country's natural resources, pushing the Lebanese to convert more forest and agricultural land into roads, buildings and houses. This has led to a building boom and rapid urbanization which in turn has created a demand for construction material - mainly rock, gravel, sand, etc. nearly all of which are locally acquired through quarrying to the tune of three million cubic meters annually. This boom has been interrupted by a war with Israel in 2006 which resulted in thousands of tonnes of debris. The increase in population has also led to an increase in solid waste generation with 1.57 million tonnes of solid waste generated in Lebanon per year. The combination of construction, demolition and excavation (CDE) waste along with the increase in solid waste generation has put a major stress on the country and on the management of its solid waste. Compounding this problem are the issues of quarries closure and rehabilitation and a decrease in forest and vegetative cover. The on-going research reported in this paper aims to provide an integrated solution to the stated problem by developing a "soil mix" derived from a mélange of the organic matter of the solid waste (compost), the CDE waste, and soil. Excavation and construction debris were ground to several sizes and mixed with compost and soil at different ratios. Replicates of these mixes and a set of control (regular soil) were used. In this mix, native and indicator plants are planted (in pots) from which the most productive mix will be selected for further testing at field level in later experiments. The plant species used are Mathiolla crassifolia, a native Lebanese plant and Zea mays (Corn), which is commonly

Groundwater monitoring in the Savannah River Plant Low Level Waste Burial Ground

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlton, W.H.

1983-12-31

This document describes chemical mechanisms that may affect trace-level radionuclide migration through acidic sandy clay soils in a humid environment, and summarizes the extensive chemical and radiochemical analyses of the groundwater directly below the SRP Low-Level Waste (LLW) Burial Ground (643-G). Anomalies were identified in the chemistry of individual wells which appear to be related to small amounts of fission product activity that have reached the water table. The chemical properties which were statistically related to trace level transport of Cs-137 and Sr-90 were iron, potassium, sodium and calcium. Concentrations on the order of 100 ppM appear sufficient to affectmore » nuclide migration. Several complexation mechanisms for plutonium migration were investigated.« less

77 FR 72997 - Low-Level Waste Disposal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-07

...-2011-0012] RIN 3150-AI92 Low-Level Waste Disposal AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION... Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations that govern low-level radioactive waste... development of criteria for waste acceptance based on the results of these analyses. These amendments will...

FACILITIES EVALUATION OF HIGH EFFICIENCY BOILER DESTRUCTION PCB WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of an evaluation of destruction in two different high-efficiency boilers (as an alternative to landfill disposal) of waste (a rendering plant byproduct, yellow grease) found to be contaminated by PCBs from a transformer leak. (The PCB content--under 500 p...

Why consider subseabed disposal of high-level nuclear waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heath, G. R.; Hollister, C. D.; Anderson, D. R.

1980-01-01

Large areas of the deep seabed warrant assessment as potential disposal sites for high-level radioactive waste because: (1) they are far from seismically and tectonically active lithospheric plate boundaries; (2) they are far from active or young volcanos; (3) they contain thick layers of very uniform fine-grained clays; (4) they are devoid of natural resources likely to be exploited in the forseeable future; (5) the geologic and oceanographic processes governing the deposition of sediments in such areas are well understood, and are remarkably insensitive to past oceanographic and climatic changes; and (6) sedmentary records of tens of millions of yearsmore » of slow, uninterrupted deposition of fine grained clay support predictions of the future stability of such sites. Data accumulated to date on the permeability, ion-retardation properties, and mechanical strength of pelagic clay sediments indicate that they can act as a primary barrier to the escape of buried nuclides. Work in progress should determine within the current decade whether subseabed disposal is environmentally acceptable and technically feasible, as well as address the legal, political and social issues raised by this new concept.« less

Collaboration, Automation, and Information Management at Hanford High Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) Tank Farms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aurah, Mirwaise Y.; Roberts, Mark A.

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), operator of High Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) Tank Farms at the Hanford Site, is taking an over 20-year leap in technology, replacing systems that were monitored with clipboards and obsolete computer systems, as well as solving major operations and maintenance hurdles in the area of process automation and information management. While WRPS is fully compliant with procedures and regulations, the current systems are not integrated and do not share data efficiently, hampering how information is obtained and managed.

Analysis of the factors that impact the reliability of high level waste canister materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boyd, W.K.; Hall, A.M.

1977-09-19

The analysis encompassed identification and analysis of potential threats to canister integrity arising in the course of waste solidification, interim storage at the fuels reprocessing plant, wet and dry shipment, and geologic storage. Fabrication techniques and quality assurance requirements necessary to insure optimum canister reliability were considered taking into account such factors as welding procedure, surface preparation, stress relief, remote weld closure, and inspection methods. Alternative canister materials and canister systems were also considered in terms of optimum reliability in the face of threats to the canister's integrity, ease of fabrication, inspection, handling and cost. If interim storage in airmore » is admissible, the sequence suggested comprises producing a glass-type waste product in a continuous ceramic melter, pouring into a carbon steel or low-alloy steel canister of moderately heavy wall thickness, storing in air upright on a pad and surrounded by a concrete radiation shield, and thereafter placing in geologic storage without overpacking. Should the decision be to store in water during the interim period, then use of either a 304 L stainless steel canister overpacked with a solution-annealed and fast-cooled 304 L container, or a single high-alloy canister, is suggested. The high alloy may be Inconel 600, Incoloy Alloy 800, or Incoloy Alloy 825. In either case, it is suggested that the container be overpacked with a moderately heavy wall carbon steel or low-alloy steel cask for geologic storage to ensure ready retrievability. 19 figs., 5 tables.« less

Thermohydrological conditions and silica redistribution near high-level nuclear wastes emplaced in saturated geological formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, A.; Pruess, K.

1988-02-01

Evaluation of the thermohydrological conditions near high-level nuclear waste packages is needed for the design of the waste canister and for overall repository design and performance assessment. Most available studies in this area have assumed that the hydrologic properties of the host rock are not changed in response to the thermal, mechanical, or chemical effects caused by waste emplacement. However, the ramifications of this simplifying assumption have not been substantiated. We have studied dissolution and precipitation of silica in liquid-saturated hydrothermal flow systems, including changes in formation porosity and permeability. Using numerical simulation, we compare predictions of thermohydrological conditions with and without inclusion of silica redistribution effects. Two cases were studied, namely, a canister-scale problem, and a repository-wide thermal convection problem and different pore models were employed for the permeable medium (fractures with uniform or nonuniform cross sections). We find that silica redistribution in water-saturated conditions does not have a sizeable effect on host rock and canister temperatures, pore pressures, or flow velocities.

System for chemically digesting low level radioactive, solid waste material

DOEpatents

Cowan, Richard G.; Blasewitz, Albert G.

1982-01-01

An improved method and system for chemically digesting low level radioactive, solid waste material having a high through-put. The solid waste material is added to an annular vessel (10) substantially filled with concentrated sulfuric acid. Concentrated nitric acid or nitrogen dioxide is added to the sulfuric acid within the annular vessel while the sulfuric acid is reacting with the solid waste. The solid waste is mixed within the sulfuric acid so that the solid waste is substantilly fully immersed during the reaction. The off gas from the reaction and the products slurry residue is removed from the vessel during the reaction.

Polonium-210 in the environment around a radioactive waste disposal area and phosphate ore processing plant.

PubMed

Arthur, W J; Markham, O D

1984-04-01

Polonium-210 concentrations were determined for soil, vegetation and small mammal tissues collected at a solid radioactive waste disposal area, near a phosphate ore processing plant and at two rural areas in southeastern Idaho. Polonium concentrations in media sampled near the radioactive waste disposal facility were equal to or less than values from rural area samples, indicating that disposal of solid radioactive waste at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site has not resulted in increased environmental levels of polonium. Concentrations of 210Po in soils, deer mice hide and carcass samples collected near the phosphate processing plant were statistically (P less than or equal to 0.05) greater than the other sampling locations; however, the mean 210Po concentration in soils and small mammal tissues from sampling areas near the phosphate plant were only four and three times greater, respectively, than control values. No statistical (P greater than 0.05) difference was observed for 210Po concentrations in vegetation among any of the sampling locations.

Geminivirus vectors for high-level expression of foreign proteins in plant cells.

PubMed

Mor, Tsafrir S; Moon, Yong-Sun; Palmer, Kenneth E; Mason, Hugh S

2003-02-20

Bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV) is a monopartite geminivirus that can infect dicotyledonous plants. We have developed a high-level expression system that utilizes elements of the replication machinery of this single-stranded DNA virus. The replication initiator protein (Rep) mediates release and replication of a replicon from a DNA construct ("LSL vector") that contains an expression cassette for a gene of interest flanked by cis-acting elements of the virus. We used tobacco NT1 cells and biolistic delivery of plasmid DNA for evaluation of replication and expression of reporter genes contained within an LSL vector. By codelivery of a GUS reporter-LSL vector and a Rep-supplying vector, we obtained up to 40-fold increase in expression levels compared to delivery of the reporter-LSL vectors alone. High-copy replication of the LSL vector was correlated with enhanced expression of GUS. Rep expression using a whole BeYDV clone, a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter driving either genomic rep or an intron-deleted rep gene, or 35S-rep contained in the LSL vector all achieved efficient replication and enhancement of GUS expression. We anticipate that this system can be adapted for use in transgenic plants or plant cell cultures with appropriately regulated expression of Rep, with the potential to greatly increase yield of recombinant proteins. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 81: 430-437, 2003.

High levels of antimony in dust from e-waste recycling in southeastern China.

PubMed

Bi, Xiangyang; Li, Zhonggen; Zhuang, Xiaochun; Han, Zhixuan; Yang, Wenlin

2011-11-01

Environmental contamination due to uncontrolled e-waste recycling is an emerging global issue. Antimony (Sb) is a toxic element used in semiconductor components and flame retardants for circuit board within electronic equipment. When e-waste is recycled, Sb is released and contaminates the surrounding environment; however, few studies have characterized the extent of this problem. In this study, we investigated Sb and arsenic (As) distributions in indoor dust from 13 e-waste recycling villages in Guiyu, Guangdong Province, southeastern China. Results revealed significantly elevated concentrations of Sb (6.1-232 mg/kg) in dust within all villages, which were 3.9-147 times higher than those from the non e-waste sites, indicating e-waste recycling was an important source of Sb pollution. On the contrary, As concentrations (5.4-17.7 mg/kg) in e-waste dusts were similar to reference values from the control sites. Therefore, dusts emitted from e-waste recycling may be characterized by high Sb/As ratios, which may help identify the contamination due to the e-waste recycling activities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International High Level Nuclear Waste Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dreschhoff, Gisela; And Others

1974-01-01

Discusses the radioactive waste management in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the USSR. Indicates that scientists and statesmen should look beyond their own lifetimes into future centuries and millennia to conduct long-range plans essential to protection of future generations. (CC)

SUBGRADE MONOLITHIC ENCASEMENT STABILIZATION OF CATEGORY 3 LOW LEVEL WASTE (LLW)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

PHILLIPS, S.J.

2004-02-03

A highly efficient and effective technology has been developed and is being used for stabilization of Hazard Category 3 low-level waste at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site. Using large, structurally interconnected monoliths, which form one large monolith that fills a waste disposal trench, the patented technology can be used for final internment of almost any hazardous, radioactive, or toxic waste or combinations of these waste materials packaged in a variety of sizes, shapes, and volumes within governmental regulatory limits. The technology increases waste volumetric loading by 100 percent, area use efficiency by 200 percent, and volumetric configuration efficiencymore » by more than 500 percent over past practices. To date, in excess of 2,010 m{sup 3} of contact-handled and remote-handled low-level radioactive waste have been interned using this patented technology. Additionally, in excess of 120 m{sup 3} of low-level radioactive waste requiring stabilization in low-diffusion coefficient waste encasement matrix has been disposed using this technology. Greater than five orders of magnitude in radiation exposure reduction have been noted using this method of encasement of Hazard Category 3 waste. Additionally, exposure monitored at all monolith locations produced by the slip form technology is less than 1.29 x E-07 C {center_dot} kg{sup -1}. Monolithic encasement of Hazard Category 3 low-level waste and other waste category materials may be successfully accomplished using this technology at nominally any governmental or private sector waste disposal facility. Additionally, other waste materials consisting of hazardous, radioactive, toxic, or mixed waste materials can be disposed of using the monolithic slip form encasement technology.« less

Melt processed crystalline ceramic waste forms for advanced nuclear fuel cycles: CRP T21027 1813: Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms, task 17208: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amoroso, J. W.; Marra, J. C.

2015-08-26

A multi-phase ceramic waste form is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for treatment of secondary waste streams generated by reprocessing commercial spent nuclear. The envisioned waste stream contains a mixture of transition, alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide metals. Ceramic waste forms are tailored (engineered) to incorporate waste components as part of their crystal structure based on knowledge from naturally found minerals containing radioactive and non-radioactive species similar to the radionuclides of concern in wastes from fuel reprocessing. The ability to tailor ceramics to mimic naturally occurring crystals substantiates the long term stability of such crystals (ceramics)more » over geologic timescales of interest for nuclear waste immobilization [1]. A durable multi-phase ceramic waste form tailored to incorporate all the waste components has the potential to broaden the available disposal options and thus minimize the storage and disposal costs associated with aqueous reprocessing. This report summarizes results from three years of work on the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on “Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms” (T21027), and specific task “Melt Processed Crystalline Ceramic Waste Forms for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles” (17208).« less

Melt processed crystalline ceramic waste forms for advanced nuclear fuel cycles: CRP T21027 1813: Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms, Task 17208: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amoroso, J. W.; Marra, J. C.

2015-08-26

A multi-phase ceramic waste form is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for treatment of secondary waste streams generated by reprocessing commercial spent nuclear. The envisioned waste stream contains a mixture of transition, alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide metals. Ceramic waste forms are tailored (engineered) to incorporate waste components as part of their crystal structure based on knowledge from naturally found minerals containing radioactive and non-radioactive species similar to the radionuclides of concern in wastes from fuel reprocessing. The ability to tailor ceramics to mimic naturally occurring crystals substantiates the long term stability of such crystals (ceramics)more » over geologic timescales of interest for nuclear waste immobilization [1]. A durable multi-phase ceramic waste form tailored to incorporate all the waste components has the potential to broaden the available disposal options and thus minimize the storage and disposal costs associated with aqueous reprocessing. This report summarizes results from three years of work on the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on “Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms” (T21027), and specific task “Melt Processed Crystalline Ceramic Waste Forms for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles” (17208).« less

Recycling of solid waste rich in organic nitrogen from leather industry: mineral nutrition of rice plants.

PubMed

Nogueira, Francisco G E; Castro, Isabela A; Bastos, Ana R R; Souza, Guilherme A; de Carvalho, Janice G; Oliveira, Luiz C A

2011-02-28

The leather industry produces a large quantity of solid waste (wet blue leather), which contains a high amount of chromium. After its removal from wet blue leather, a solid collagenic material is recovered, containing high nitrogen levels, which can be used as a nitrogen source in agriculture. In order to take more advantage of the collagen, it was enriched with mineral P and K in order to produce NPK formulations. The objective was also to evaluate the efficiency of such formulations as a nutrient supply for rice plants in an Oxisoil, under greenhouse conditions. The application of PK enriched-collagen formulations resulted in N contents in the vegetative parts and grains of rice plants which were equivalent or superior to those obtained with urea and commercial NPK formulations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integrated software system for low level waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worku, G.

1995-12-31

In the continually changing and uncertain world of low level waste management, many generators in the US are faced with the prospect of having to store their waste on site for the indefinite future. This consequently increases the set of tasks performed by the generators in the areas of packaging, characterizing, classifying, screening (if a set of acceptance criteria applies), and managing the inventory for the duration of onsite storage. When disposal sites become available, it is expected that the work will require re-evaluating the waste packages, including possible re-processing, re-packaging, or re-classifying in preparation for shipment for disposal undermore » the regulatory requirements of the time. In this day and age, when there is wide use of computers and computer literacy is at high levels, an important waste management tool would be an integrated software system that aids waste management personnel in conducting these tasks quickly and accurately. It has become evident that such an integrated radwaste management software system offers great benefits to radwaste generators both in the US and other countries. This paper discusses one such approach to integrated radwaste management utilizing some globally accepted radiological assessment software applications.« less

Crystallization in high level waste (HLW) glass melters: Savannah River Site operational experience

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fox, Kevin M.; Peeler, David K.; Kruger, Albert A.

2015-06-12

This paper provides a review of the scaled melter testing that was completed for design input to the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) melter. Testing with prototype melters provided the data to define the DWPF operating limits to avoid bulk (volume) crystallization in the un-agitated DWPF melter and provided the data to distinguish between spinels generated by refractory corrosion versus spinels that precipitated from the HLW glass melt pool. A review of the crystallization observed with the prototype melters and the full-scale DWPF melters (DWPF Melter 1 and DWPF Melter 2) is included. Examples of actual DWPF melter attainment withmore » Melter 2 are given. The intent is to provide an overview of lessons learned, including some example data, that can be used to advance the development and implementation of an empirical model and operating limit for crystal accumulation for a waste treatment and immobilization plant.« less

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Salt Decontamination Testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Demmer, Ricky Lynn; Reese, Stephen Joseph

2015-03-01

On February 14, 2014, americium and plutonium contamination was released in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) salt caverns. Several practical, easily deployable methods of decontaminating WIPP salt, using a surrogate contaminant and americium (241Am), were developed and tested. The effectiveness of the methods is evaluated qualitatively, and to the extent practical, quantitatively. Of the methods tested (dry brushing, vacuum cleaning, water washing, mechanical grinding, strippable coatings, and fixative barriers), the most practical seems to be water washing. Effectiveness is very high, and water washing is easy and rapid to deploy. The amount of wastewater produced (~2 L/m2) would bemore » substantial and may not be easy to manage, but the method is the clear winner from a usability perspective. Removable surface contamination levels (smear results) from water washed coupons found no residual removable contamination. Thus, whatever contamination is left is likely adhered to (or trapped within) the salt. The other option that shows promise is the use of a fixative barrier. Bartlett Nuclear, Inc.’s Polymeric Barrier System proved the most durable of the coatings tested. The coatings were not tested for contaminant entrapment, only for coating integrity and durability.« less

Evaluation of Flygt Propeller Xixers for Double Shell Tank (DST) High Level Waste Auxiliary Solids Mobilization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

PACQUET, E.A.

The River Protection Project (RPP) is planning to retrieve radioactive waste from the single-shell tanks (SST) and double-shell tanks (DST) underground at the Hanford Site. This waste will then be transferred to a waste treatment plant to be immobilized (vitrified) in a stable glass form. Over the years, the waste solids in many of the tanks have settled to form a layer of sludge at the bottom. The thickness of the sludge layer varies from tank to tank, from no sludge or a few inches of sludge to about 15 ft of sludge. The purpose of this technology and engineeringmore » case study is to evaluate the Flygt{trademark} submersible propeller mixer as a potential technology for auxiliary mobilization of DST HLW solids. Considering the usage and development to date by other sites in the development of this technology, this study also has the objective of expanding the knowledge base of the Flygt{trademark} mixer concept with the broader perspective of Hanford Site tank waste retrieval. More specifically, the objectives of this study delineated from the work plan are described.« less

The presence of zinc in Swedish waste fuels.

PubMed

Jones, Frida; Bisaillon, Mattias; Lindberg, Daniel; Hupa, Mikko

2013-12-01

Zinc (Zn) is a chemical element that has gained more attention lately owing to its possibility to form corrosive deposits in large boilers, such as Waste-to-Energy plants. Zn enters the boilers in many different forms and particularly in waste, the amount of Zn is hard to determine due to both the heterogeneity of waste in general but also due to the fact that little is yet published specifically about the Zn levels in waste. This study aimed to determine the Zn in Swedish waste fuels by taking regular samples from seven different and geographically separate waste combustion plants over a 12-month period. The analysis shows that there is a relation between the municipal solid waste (MSW) content and the Zn-content; high MSW-content gives lower Zn-content. This means that waste combustion plants with a higher share of industrial and commercial waste and/or building and demolition waste would have a higher share of Zn in the fuel. The study also shows that in Sweden, the geographic location of the plant does not have any effect on the Zn-content. Furthermore, it is concluded that different seasons appear not to affect the Zn concentrations significantly. In some plants there was a clear correlation between the Zn-content and the content of other trace metals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-level waste storage tank farms/242-A evaporator Standards/Requirements Identification Document (S/RID), Volume 7. Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burt, D.L.

1994-04-01

The High-Level Waste Storage Tank Farms/242-A Evaporator Standards/Requirements Identification Document (S/RID) is contained in multiple volumes. This document (Volume 7) presents the standards and requirements for the following sections: Occupational Safety and Health, and Environmental Protection.

Electrical efficiency in modern waste to energy plants -- The advanced solutions adopted in a new Italian plant (Milan)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lucchini, F.M.; Pezzella, B.

1998-07-01

The paper has the goal to give a general overview of the current approach for the design of modern Waste to Energy (WtE) plants. The thermal treatment of solid waste is an environmentally sound method to get rid of the garbage produced by everyone and to recover energy simultaneously. A typical waste to energy plant is divided in four segments: incineration/boiler, air pollution control, residues treatment and power generation. Still in the 80's a WtE plant was simply consisting of a these four segments without any particular effort in putting them together into a coordinated plant; therefore the results weremore » very poor in term of overall plant performances even if the single segments were properly designed. This paper shows how this approach is changing and how the synergism between the segments allows to reach interesting performances in term of electric efficiency, always keeping in mind that power must be considered a by-product of the incinerator. Therefore all these efforts have to be done without affecting the burning capacity of the station. The new Milan WtE plant is taken as example throughout the paper. The first section of the paper tries to consider the Municipal Solid Waste as standard fuel; then focal point becomes the electrical efficiency of the plant. In the fourth section the flue gas cleaning system is approached, pointing out the gas quality at stack. Then in the fifth and sixth paragraphs all most important and innovative technical solutions of the Milan plant are shown with some details on water/steam cycle, giving also some availability results. Chapter seven shows some interesting key-figures, related to the combustion of 1,000 kg of MSW at 11 MJ/kg, with also some economical evaluations in term of investment cost per ton of waste per day.« less

A DNA replicon system for rapid high-level production of virus-like particles in plants.

PubMed

Huang, Zhong; Chen, Qiang; Hjelm, Brooke; Arntzen, Charles; Mason, Hugh

2009-07-01

Recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) represent a safe and effective vaccine strategy. We previously described a stable transgenic plant system for inexpensive production and oral delivery of VLP vaccines. However, the relatively low-level antigen accumulation and long-time frame to produce transgenic plants are the two major roadblocks in the practical development of plant-based VLP production. In this article, we describe the optimization of geminivirus-derived DNA replicon vectors for rapid, high-yield plant-based production of VLPs. Co-delivery of bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV)-derived vector and Rep/RepA-supplying vector by agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves resulted in efficient replicon amplification and robust protein production within 5 days. Co-expression of the P19 protein of tomato bush stunt virus, a gene silencing inhibitor, further enhanced VLP accumulation by stabilizing the mRNA. With this system, hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) and Norwalk virus capsid protein (NVCP) were produced at 0.80 and 0.34 mg/g leaf fresh weight, respectively. Sedimentation analysis and electron microscopy of transiently expressed antigens verified the efficient assembly of VLPs. Furthermore, a single replicon vector containing a built-in Rep/RepA cassette without P19 drove protein expression at similar levels as the three-component system. These results demonstrate the advantages of fast and high-level production of VLP-based vaccines using the BeYDV-derived DNA replicon system for transient expression in plants. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A DNA replicon system for rapid high-level production of virus-like particles in plants

PubMed Central

Huang, Zhong; Chen, Qiang; Hjelm, Brooke; Arntzen, Charles

2009-01-01

Recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) represent a safe and effective vaccine strategy. We previously described a stable transgenic plant system for inexpensive production and oral delivery of VLP vaccines. However, the relatively low level antigen accumulation and long time frame to produce transgenic plants are the two major roadblocks in the practical development of plant-based VLP production. In this paper, we describe the optimization of geminivirus-derived DNA replicon vectors for rapid, high-yield plant-based production of VLPs. Co-delivery of bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV)-derived vector and Rep/RepA-supplying vector by agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves resulted in efficient replicon amplification and robust protein production within five days. Co-expression of the P19 protein of tomato bush stunt virus, a gene silencing inhibitor, further enhanced VLP accumulation by stabilizing the mRNA. With this system, hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) and Norwalk virus capsid protein (NVCP) were produced at 0.80 and 0.34 mg/g leaf fresh weight, respectively. Sedimentation analysis and electron microscopy of transiently expressed antigens verified the efficient assembly of VLPs. Furthermore, a single replicon vector containing a built-in Rep/RepA cassette without p19 drove protein expression at similar levels as the three-component system. These results demonstrate the advantages of fast and high-level production of VLP-based vaccines using the BeYDV-derived DNA replicon system for transient expression in plants. PMID:19309755

Estimating Radiological Doses to Predators Foraging in a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

L.Soholt; G.Gonzales; P.Fresquez

2003-03-01

Since 1957, Los Alamos National Laboratory has operated Area G as its low-level, solid radioactive waste management and disposal area. Although the waste management area is developed, plants, small mammals, and avian and mammalian predators still occupy the less disturbed and revegetated portions of the land. For almost a decade, we have monitored the concentrations of selected radionuclides in soils, plants, and small mammals at Area G. The radionuclides tritium, plutonium-238, and plutonium-239 are regularly found at levels above regional background in all three media. Based on radionuclide concentrations in mice collected from 1994 to 1999, we calculated doses tomore » higher trophic levels (owl, hawk, kestrel, and coyote) that forage on the waste management area. These predators play important functions in the regional ecosystems and are an important part of local Native American traditional tales that identify the uniqueness of their culture. The estimated doses are compared to Department of Energy's interim limit of 0.1 rad/day for the protection of terrestrial wildlife. We used exposure parameters that were derived from the literature for each receptor, including Environmental Protection Agency's exposure factors handbook. Estimated doses to predators ranged from 9E-06 to 2E-04 rad/day, assuming that they forage entirely on the waste management area. These doses are greater than those calculated for predators foraging exclusively in reference areas, but are still well below the interim dose limit. We believe that these calculated doses represent upper-bound estimates of exposure for local predators because the larger predators forage over areas that are much greater than the 63-acre waste management area. Based on these results, we concluded that predators foraging on this area do not face a hazard from radiological exposure under current site conditions.« less

Cultural approach to the perception of risk. Analyzing concern about siting of a high-level nuclear waste facility in Finland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Litmanen, T.

1996-12-31

The study of local residents` attitudes toward siting a high-level nuclear waste facility in Finland took place in three municipalities (Eurajoki, Kuhmo and Agnekoski), which are being considered possible host communities for the plant. The survey showed that the NIMBY phenomenon is a common reaction in two of the three municipalities, and in the third a polarization of opinions into two opposing camps is evident. The analysis of the data indicates that the opposition consist of people who have less education, less knowledge about the facility, lower incomes, and a lower occupational status. The social base of the proponents ismore » the opposite. The persons most critical towards the possible siting can be found among women, older people, voters of the Greens, retired persons and farmers. People who welcome nuclear waste in their vicinity can be found among men, the middle-aged, voters of the Conservative Party and business owners. The study of the perception of possible negative impacts (health and safety, environmental, economic and social) showed that residents in Kuhmo and Adnekoski were more concerned about possible hazards than the residents of Eurajoki. According to the cultural approach, these findings must be contextualized. Eurajoka, which holds more favorable attitudes than Kuhmo and Agnekoski, hosts a nuclear power plant. In the two other communities the opposition is greater, because the residents are unfamiliar with nuclear technology. The thesis of the paper is that in order to understand different opinions about the facility, one must understand the cultural logic of risk perception. People evaluate the risk as individuals, but also as members of different reference groups and in the context of local, national and international circumstances.« less

A Preliminary Performance Assessment for Salt Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste - 12173

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Joon H.; Clayton, Daniel; Jove-Colon, Carlos

2012-07-01

A salt repository is one of the four geologic media currently under study by the U.S. DOE Office of Nuclear Energy to support the development of a long-term strategy for geologic disposal of commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). The immediate goal of the generic salt repository study is to develop the necessary modeling tools to evaluate and improve the understanding of the repository system response and processes relevant to long-term disposal of UNF and HLW in a salt formation. The current phase of this study considers representative geologic settings and features adopted from previous studiesmore » for salt repository sites. For the reference scenario, the brine flow rates in the repository and underlying interbeds are very low, and transport of radionuclides in the transport pathways is dominated by diffusion and greatly retarded by sorption on the interbed filling materials. I-129 is the dominant annual dose contributor at the hypothetical accessible environment, but the calculated mean annual dose is negligibly small. For the human intrusion (or disturbed) scenario, the mean mass release rate and mean annual dose histories are very different from those for the reference scenario. Actinides including Pu-239, Pu-242 and Np-237 are major annual dose contributors, and the calculated peak mean annual dose is acceptably low. A performance assessment model for a generic salt repository has been developed incorporating, where applicable, representative geologic settings and features adopted from literature data for salt repository sites. The conceptual model and scenario for radionuclide release and transport from a salt repository were developed utilizing literature data. The salt GDS model was developed in a probabilistic analysis framework. The preliminary performance analysis for demonstration of model capability is for an isothermal condition at the ambient temperature for the near field. The capability demonstration

High levels of cyclic-di-GMP in plant-associated Pseudomonas correlate with evasion of plant immunity.

PubMed

Pfeilmeier, Sebastian; Saur, Isabel Marie-Luise; Rathjen, John Paul; Zipfel, Cyril; Malone, Jacob George

2016-05-01

The plant innate immune system employs plasma membrane-localized receptors that specifically perceive pathogen/microbe-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs/MAMPs). This induces a defence response called pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) to fend off pathogen attack. Commensal bacteria are also exposed to potential immune recognition and must employ strategies to evade and/or suppress PTI to successfully colonize the plant. During plant infection, the flagellum has an ambiguous role, acting as both a virulence factor and also as a potent immunogen as a result of the recognition of its main building block, flagellin, by the plant pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), including FLAGELLIN SENSING2 (FLS2). Therefore, strict control of flagella synthesis is especially important for plant-associated bacteria. Here, we show that cyclic-di-GMP [bis-(3'-5')-cyclic di-guanosine monophosphate], a central regulator of bacterial lifestyle, is involved in the evasion of PTI. Elevated cyclic-di-GMP levels in the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pto) DC3000, the opportunist P. aeruginosa PAO1 and the commensal P. protegens Pf-5 inhibit flagellin synthesis and help the bacteria to evade FLS2-mediated signalling in Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana. Despite this, high cellular cyclic-di-GMP concentrations were shown to drastically reduce the virulence of Pto DC3000 during plant infection. We propose that this is a result of reduced flagellar motility and/or additional pleiotropic effects of cyclic-di-GMP signalling on bacterial behaviour. © 2015 THE AUTHORS MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY PUBLISHED BY BRITISH SOCIETY FOR PLANT PATHOLOGY AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Biochemical process of low level radioactive liquid simulation waste containing detergent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundari, Noor Anis; Putra, Sugili; Mukaromah, Umi

2015-12-01

Research of biochemical process of low level radioactive liquid waste containing detergent has been done. Thse organic liquid wastes are generated in nuclear facilities such as from laundry. The wastes that are cotegorized as hazard and poison materials are also radioactive. It must be treated properly by detoxification of the hazard and decontamination of the radionuclides to ensure that the disposal of the waste meets the requirement of standard quality of water. This research was intended to determine decontamination factor and separation efficiensies, its kinetics law, and to produce a supernatant that ensured the environmental quality standard. The radioactive element in the waste was thorium with activity of 5.10-5 Ci/m3. The radioactive liquid waste which were generated in simulation plant contains detergents that was further processed by aerobic biochemical process using SGB 103 bacteria in a batch reactor equipped with aerators. Two different concentration of samples were processed and analyzed for 212 hours and 183 hours respectively at a room temperature. The product of this process is a liquid phase called as supernatant and solid phase material called sludge. The chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solid (SS), and its alpha activity were analyzed. The results show that the decontamination factor and the separation efficiency of the lower concentration samples are higher compared to the samples with high concentration. Regarding the decontamination factor, the result for 212 hours processing of waste with detergent concentration of 1.496 g/L was 3.496 times, whereas at the detergent concentration of 0.748 g/L was 15.305 times for 183 hours processing. In case of the separation efficiency, the results for both samples were 71.396% and 93.465% respectively. The Bacterial growth kinetics equation follow Monod's model and the decreasing of COD and BOD were first order with the rate constant of 0.01 hour-1.

Biochemical process of low level radioactive liquid simulation waste containing detergent

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kundari, Noor Anis, E-mail: nooranis@batan.go.id; Putra, Sugili; Mukaromah, Umi

Research of biochemical process of low level radioactive liquid waste containing detergent has been done. Thse organic liquid wastes are generated in nuclear facilities such as from laundry. The wastes that are cotegorized as hazard and poison materials are also radioactive. It must be treated properly by detoxification of the hazard and decontamination of the radionuclides to ensure that the disposal of the waste meets the requirement of standard quality of water. This research was intended to determine decontamination factor and separation efficiensies, its kinetics law, and to produce a supernatant that ensured the environmental quality standard. The radioactive elementmore » in the waste was thorium with activity of 5.10{sup −5} Ci/m{sup 3}. The radioactive liquid waste which were generated in simulation plant contains detergents that was further processed by aerobic biochemical process using SGB 103 bacteria in a batch reactor equipped with aerators. Two different concentration of samples were processed and analyzed for 212 hours and 183 hours respectively at a room temperature. The product of this process is a liquid phase called as supernatant and solid phase material called sludge. The chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solid (SS), and its alpha activity were analyzed. The results show that the decontamination factor and the separation efficiency of the lower concentration samples are higher compared to the samples with high concentration. Regarding the decontamination factor, the result for 212 hours processing of waste with detergent concentration of 1.496 g/L was 3.496 times, whereas at the detergent concentration of 0.748 g/L was 15.305 times for 183 hours processing. In case of the separation efficiency, the results for both samples were 71.396% and 93.465% respectively. The Bacterial growth kinetics equation follow Monod’s model and the decreasing of COD and BOD were first order with the rate constant of

Greater-than-Class C low-level radioactive waste characterization: Estimated volumes, radionuclide activities, and other characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hulse, R.A.

1991-08-01

Planning for storage or disposal of greater-than-Class C low-level radioactive waste (GTCC LLW) requires characterization of that waste to estimate volumes, radionuclide activities, and waste forms. Data from existing literature, disposal records, and original research were used to estimate the characteristics and project volumes and radionuclide activities to the year 2035. GTCC LLW is categorized as: nuclear utilities waste, sealed sources waste, DOE-held potential GTCC LLW; and, other generator waste. It has been determined that the largest volume of those wastes, approximately 57%, is generated by nuclear power plants. The Other Generator waste category contributes approximately 10% of the totalmore » GTCC LLW volume projected to the year 2035. Waste held by the Department of Energy, which is potential GTCC LLW, accounts for nearly 33% of all waste projected to the year 2035; however, no disposal determination has been made for that waste. Sealed sources are less than 0.2% of the total projected volume of GTCC LLW.« less

Techno-economic and profitability analysis of food waste biorefineries at European level.

PubMed

Cristóbal, Jorge; Caldeira, Carla; Corrado, Sara; Sala, Serenella

2018-07-01

Food waste represents a potential source to produce value-added materials replacing the use of virgin ones. However, the use of food waste as feedstock in biorefineries is still at an early stage of development and studies assessing its economic viability at large scale are lacking in the literature. This paper presents a techno-economic and profitability analysis of four food waste biorefineries that use wastes from tomato, potato, orange, and olive processing as feedstock. The study includes the assessment of potentially available quantities of those waste flows in Europe. Due to the low technology readiness level of this kind of biorefineries, a screening methodology to estimate the investment and manufacturing costs as well as two profitability ratios (the return on investment and the payback time) was adopted. Results show that not all the waste feedstocks have the same potential. The most profitable options are those related to implementing fewer plants, namely concentrating the production and capitalising on economies of scale while being at risk of increasing externalities, e.g. due to logistics of the feedstocks. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Waste heat recovery options in a large gas-turbine combined power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upathumchard, Ularee

This study focuses on power plant heat loss and how to utilize the waste heat in energy recovery systems in order to increase the overall power plant efficiency. The case study of this research is a 700-MW natural gas combined cycle power plant, located in a suburban area of Thailand. An analysis of the heat loss of the combustion process, power generation process, lubrication system, and cooling system has been conducted to evaluate waste heat recovery options. The design of the waste heat recovery options depends to the amount of heat loss from each system and its temperature. Feasible waste heat sources are combustion turbine (CT) room ventilation air and lubrication oil return from the power plant. The following options are being considered in this research: absorption chillers for cooling with working fluids Ammonia-Water and Water-Lithium Bromide (in comparison) and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) with working fluids R134a and R245fa. The absorption cycles are modeled in three different stages; single-effect, double-effect and half-effect. ORC models used are simple ORC as a baseline, ORC with internal regenerator, ORC two-phase flash expansion ORC and ORC with multiple heat sources. Thermodynamic models are generated and each system is simulated using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) to define the most suitable waste heat recovery options for the power plant. The result will be synthesized and evaluated with respect to exergy utilization efficiency referred as the Second Law effectiveness and net output capacity. Results of the models give recommendation to install a baseline ORC of R134a and a double-effect water-lithium bromide absorption chiller, driven by ventilation air from combustion turbine compartment. The two technologies yield reasonable economic payback periods of 4.6 years and 0.7 years, respectively. The fact that this selected power plant is in its early stage of operation allows both models to economically and effectively perform waste heat

Simultaneous production of l-lactic acid with high optical activity and a soil amendment with food waste that demonstrates plant growth promoting activity.

PubMed

Kitpreechavanich, Vichien; Hayami, Arisa; Talek, Anfal; Chin, Clament Fui Seung; Tashiro, Yukihiro; Sakai, Kenji

2016-07-01

A unique method to produce highly optically-active l-lactic acid and soil amendments that promote plant growth from food waste was proposed. Three Bacillus strains Bacillus subtilis KBKU21, B. subtilis N3-9 and Bacillus coagulans T27, were used. Strain KBKU21 accumulated 36.9 g/L l-lactic acid with 95.7% optical activity and 98.2% l-lactic acid selectivity when fermented at 43°C for 84 h in a model kitchen refuse (MKR) medium. Residual precipitate fraction (anaerobically-fermented MKR (AFM) compost) analysis revealed 4.60%, 0.70% and 0.75% of nitrogen (as N), phosphorous (as P2O5), and potassium (as K2O), respectively. Additionally, the carbon to nitrogen ratio decreased from 13.3 to 10.6. AFM compost with KBKU21 promoted plant growth parameters, including leaf length, plant height and fresh weight of Brassica rapa (Komatsuna), than that by chemical fertilizers or commercial compost. The concept provides an incentive for the complete recycling of food waste, contributing towards a sustainable production system. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phosphate Removal and Recovery using Drinking Water Plant Waste Residuals

EPA Science Inventory

Water treatment plants are used to provide safe drinking water. In parallel, however, they also produce a wide variety of waste products which, in principle, could be possible candidates as resources for different applications. Calcium carbonate is one of such residual waste in ...

Vapor Corrosion Response of Low Carbon Steel Exposed to Simulated High Level Radioactive Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiersma, B

2006-01-26

A program to resolve the issues associated with potential vapor space corrosion and liquid/air interface corrosion in the Type III high level waste tanks is in place. The objective of the program is to develop understanding of vapor space (VSC) and liquid/air interface (LAIC) corrosion to ensure a defensible technical basis to provide accurate corrosion evaluations with regard to vapor space and liquid/air interface corrosion. The results of the FY05 experiments are presented here. The experiments are an extension of the previous research on the corrosion of tank steel exposed to simple solutions to corrosion of the steel when exposedmore » to complex high level waste simulants. The testing suggested that decanting and the consequent residual species on the tank wall is the predominant source of surface chemistry on the tank wall. The laboratory testing has shown that at the boundary conditions of the chemistry control program for solutions greater than 1M NaNO{sub 3}{sup -}. Minor and isolated pitting is possible within crevices in the vapor space of the tanks that contain stagnant dilute solution for an extended period of time, specifically when residues are left on the tank wall during decanting. Liquid/air interfacial corrosion is possible in dilute stagnant solutions, particularly with high concentrations of chloride. The experimental results indicate that Tank 50 would be most susceptible to the potential for liquid/air interfacial corrosion or vapor space corrosion, with Tank 49 and 41 following, since these tanks are nearest to the chemistry control boundary conditions. The testing continues to show that the combination of well-inhibited solutions and mill-scale sufficiently protect against pitting in the Type III tanks.« less

Characterizing the proposed geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada--hydrology and geochemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stuckless, John S.; Levich, Robert A.

2012-01-01

This hydrology and geochemistry volume is a companion volume to the 2007 Geological Society of America Memoir 199, The Geology and Climatology of Yucca Mountain and Vicinity, Southern Nevada and California, edited by Stuckless and Levich. The work in both volumes was originally reported in the U.S. Department of Energy regulatory document Yucca Mountain Site Description, for the site characterization study of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as the proposed U.S. geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. The selection of Yucca Mountain resulted from a nationwide search and numerous committee studies during a period of more than 40 yr. The waste, largely from commercial nuclear power reactors and the government's nuclear weapons programs, is characterized by intense penetrating radiation and high heat production, and, therefore, it must be isolated from the biosphere for tens of thousands of years. The extensive, unique, and often innovative geoscience investigations conducted at Yucca Mountain for more than 20 yr make it one of the most thoroughly studied geologic features on Earth. The results of these investigations contribute extensive knowledge to the hydrologic and geochemical aspects of radioactive waste disposal in the unsaturated zone. The science, analyses, and interpretations are important not only to Yucca Mountain, but also to the assessment of other sites or alternative processes that may be considered for waste disposal in the future. Groundwater conditions, processes, and geochemistry, especially in combination with the heat from radionuclide decay, are integral to the ability of a repository to isolate waste. Hydrology and geochemistry are discussed here in chapters on unsaturated zone hydrology, saturated zone hydrology, paleohydrology, hydrochemistry, radionuclide transport, and thermally driven coupled processes affecting long-term waste isolation. This introductory chapter reviews some of the reasons for choosing to study Yucca Mountain as a

Characterizing the proposed geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada: hydrology and geochemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stuckless, John S.; Levich, Robert A.

2012-01-01

This hydrology and geochemistry volume is a companion volume to the 2007 Geological Society of America Memoir 199, The Geology and Climatology of Yucca Mountain and Vicinity, Southern Nevada and California, edited by Stuckless and Levich. The work in both volumes was originally reported in the U.S. Department of Energy regulatory document Yucca Mountain Site Description, for the site characterization study of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as the proposed U.S. geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. The selection of Yucca Mountain resulted from a nationwide search and numerous committee studies during a period of more than 40 yr. The waste, largely from commercial nuclear power reactors and the government's nuclear weapons programs, is characterized by intense penetrating radiation and high heat production, and, therefore, it must be isolated from the biosphere for tens of thousands of years. The extensive, unique, and often innovative geoscience investigations conducted at Yucca Mountain for more than 20 yr make it one of the most thoroughly studied geologic features on Earth. The results of these investigations contribute extensive knowledge to the hydrologic and geochemical aspects of radioactive waste disposal in the unsaturated zone. The science, analyses, and interpretations are important not only to Yucca Mountain, but also to the assessment of other sites or alternative processes that may be considered for waste disposal in the future. Groundwater conditions, processes, and geochemistry, especially in combination with the heat from radionuclide decay, are integral to the ability of a repository to isolate waste. Hydrology and geochemistry are discussed here in chapters on unsaturated zone hydrology, saturated zone hydrology, paleohydrology, hydrochemistry, radionuclide transport, and thermally driven coupled processes affecting long-term waste isolation. This introductory chapter reviews some of the reasons for choosing to study Yucca Mountain as a

Annual Report, Fall 2016: Alternative Chemical Cleaning of Radioactive High Level Waste Tanks - Corrosion Test Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wyrwas, R. B.

The testing presented in this report is in support of the investigation of the Alternative Chemical Cleaning program to aid in developing strategies and technologies to chemically clean radioactive High Level Waste tanks prior to tank closure. The data and conclusions presented here were the examination of the corrosion rates of A285 carbon steel and 304L stainless steel exposed to two proposed chemical cleaning solutions: acidic permanganate (0.18 M nitric acid and 0.05M sodium permanganate) and caustic permanganate. (10 M sodium hydroxide and 0.05M sodium permanganate). These solutions have been proposed as a chemical cleaning solution for the retrieval ofmore » actinides in the sludge in the waste tanks, and were tested with both HM and PUREX sludge simulants at a 20:1 ratio.« less

ROLE OF MANGANESE REDUCTION/OXIDATION (REDOX) ON FOAMING AND MELT RATE IN HIGH LEVEL WASTE (HLW) MELTERS (U)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jantzen, C; Michael Stone, M

2007-03-30

High-level nuclear waste is being immobilized at the Savannah River Site (SRS) by vitrification into borosilicate glass at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). Control of the Reduction/Oxidation (REDOX) equilibrium in the DWPF melter is critical for processing high level liquid wastes. Foaming, cold cap roll-overs, and off-gas surges all have an impact on pouring and melt rate during processing of high-level waste (HLW) glass. All of these phenomena can impact waste throughput and attainment in Joule heated melters such as the DWPF. These phenomena are caused by gas-glass disequilibrium when components in the melter feeds convert to glass andmore » liberate gases such as H{sub 2}O vapor (steam), CO{sub 2}, O{sub 2}, H{sub 2}, NO{sub x}, and/or N{sub 2}. During the feed-to-glass conversion in the DWPF melter, multiple types of reactions occur in the cold cap and in the melt pool that release gaseous products. The various gaseous products can cause foaming at the melt pool surface. Foaming should be avoided as much as possible because an insulative layer of foam on the melt surface retards heat transfer to the cold cap and results in low melt rates. Uncontrolled foaming can also result in a blockage of critical melter or melter off-gas components. Foaming can also increase the potential for melter pressure surges, which would then make it difficult to maintain a constant pressure differential between the DWPF melter and the pour spout. Pressure surges can cause erratic pour streams and possible pluggage of the bellows as well. For these reasons, the DWPF uses a REDOX strategy and controls the melt REDOX between 0.09 {le} Fe{sup 2+}/{summation}Fe {le} 0.33. Controlling the DWPF melter at an equilibrium of Fe{sup +2}/{summation}Fe {le} 0.33 prevents metallic and sulfide rich species from forming nodules that can accumulate on the floor of the melter. Control of foaming, due to deoxygenation of manganic species, is achieved by converting oxidized MnO{sub 2

Stabilization and disposal of Argonne-West low-level mixed wastes in ceramicrete waste forms.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barber, D. B.; Singh, D.; Strain, R. V.

1998-02-17

The technology of room-temperature-setting phosphate ceramics or Ceramicrete{trademark} technology, developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)-East is being used to treat and dispose of low-level mixed wastes through the Department of Energy complex. During the past year, Ceramicrete{trademark} technology was implemented for field application at ANL-West. Debris wastes were treated and stabilized: (a) Hg-contaminated low-level radioactive crushed light bulbs and (b) low-level radioactive Pb-lined gloves (part of the MWIR {number_sign} AW-W002 waste stream). In addition to hazardous metals, these wastes are contaminated with low-level fission products. Initially, bench-scale waste forms with simulated and actual waste streams were fabricated by acid-base reactionsmore » between mixtures of magnesium oxide powders and an acid phosphate solution, and the wastes. Size reduction of Pb-lined plastic glove waste was accomplished by cryofractionation. The Ceramicrete{trademark} process produces dense, hard ceramic waste forms. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) results showed excellent stabilization of both Hg and Pb in the waste forms. The principal advantage of this technology is that immobilization of contaminants is the result of both chemical stabilization and subsequent microencapsulation of the reaction products. Based on bench-scale studies, Ceramicrete{trademark} technology has been implemented in the fabrication of 5-gal waste forms at ANL-West. Approximately 35 kg of real waste has been treated. The TCLP is being conducted on the samples from the 5-gal waste forms. It is expected that because the waste forms pass the limits set by the EPAs Universal Treatment Standard, they will be sent to a radioactive-waste disposal facility.« less

Preliminary Technology Maturation Plan for Immobilization of High-Level Waste in Glass Ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vienna, John D.; Crum, Jarrod V.; Sevigny, Gary J.

2012-09-30

A technology maturation plan (TMP) was developed for immobilization of high-level waste (HLW) raffinate in a glass ceramics waste form using a cold-crucible induction melter (CCIM). The TMP was prepared by the following process: 1) define the reference process and boundaries of the technology being matured, 2) evaluate the technology elements and identify the critical technology elements (CTE), 3) identify the technology readiness level (TRL) of each of the CTE’s using the DOE G 413.3-4, 4) describe the development and demonstration activities required to advance the TRLs to 4 and 6 in order, and 5) prepare a preliminary plan tomore » conduct the development and demonstration. Results of the technology readiness assessment identified five CTE’s and found relatively low TRL’s for each of them: • Mixing, sampling, and analysis of waste slurry and melter feed: TRL-1 • Feeding, melting, and pouring: TRL-1 • Glass ceramic formulation: TRL-1 • Canister cooling and crystallization: TRL-1 • Canister decontamination: TRL-4 Although the TRL’s are low for most of these CTE’s (TRL-1), the effort required to advance them to higher values. The activities required to advance the TRL’s are listed below: • Complete this TMP • Perform a preliminary engineering study • Characterize, estimate, and simulate waste to be treated • Laboratory scale glass ceramic testing • Melter and off-gas testing with simulants • Test the mixing, sampling, and analyses • Canister testing • Decontamination system testing • Issue a requirements document • Issue a risk management document • Complete preliminary design • Integrated pilot testing • Issue a waste compliance plan A preliminary schedule and budget were developed to complete these activities as summarized in the following table (assuming 2012 dollars). TRL Budget Year MSA FMP GCF CCC CD Overall $M 2012 1 1 1 1 4 1 0.3 2013 2 2 1 1 4 1 1.3 2014 2 3 1 1 4 1 1.8 2015 2 3 2 2 4 2 2.6 2016 2 3 2 2 4 2

Anaerobic digestion of organic waste in Japan: the first demonstration plant at Kyoto City.

PubMed

Komatsu, T; Kimura, T; Kuriyama, Y; Isshiki, Y; Kawano, T; Hirao, T; Masuda, M; Yokoyama, K; Matsumoto, T; Takeda, M

2002-01-01

Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste is vigorously promoted in Japan and the necessity of energy recovery from organic waste is increasing. An anaerobic digestion demonstration plant for organic waste in Kyoto City, Japan has been operated for about two years. Three kinds of wastes (garbage and leftovers from hotels, yard waste and used paper) mixed at various ratios are used. The plant has maintained stable operations with each mixture, generating biogas by the decomposition of VS at the rate of about 820 m3N/ton-VS.

The speciation and subtyping of campylobacter isolates from sewage plants and waste water from a connected poultry abattoir using molecular techniques.

PubMed Central

Koenraad, P. M.; Ayling, R.; Hazeleger, W. C.; Rombouts, F. M.; Newell, D. G.

1995-01-01

In this study the distribution of phenotypes of campylobacter strains in sewage and surface waters was investigated by subtyping and by speciation of isolates from various aquatic environments. These environments included two municipal sewage plants (SPA and SPB) and waste water from a poultry abattoir (WWA). Both the sewage plants SPA and SPB collected domestic and industrial waste, and SPA received drain water from WWA. SPB received no waste water from any meat-processing plant. The isolates were speciated by PCR and subtyped by PCR/RFLP based on the flagellin PCR products. From all three reservoirs, no Campylobacter lari was isolated, and approximately 80% of the isolates could be identified as C. jejuni and the rest belonged to the C. coli species. The PCR/RFLP typing technique has a high discrimination level and was reproducible between two separate laboratories. The 182 isolates tested yielded 22 distinct Dde I profiles. The results indicate that strains with profiles found in poultry are also detectable in waste water presumed to be solely from domestic and human sources. In addition some strains were unique to the known poultry-related sources, suggesting that avian-specific strains, non-pathogenic to man, may exist in the environment. In contrast some strains were unique to human waste indicating the potential importance of non-poultry sources of infection. No seasonality was observed in the profile distribution. So, at least in the Netherlands, it is unlikely that infections caused by contaminated surface waters contribute to the seasonality of human campylobacteriosis. Images Fig. 1 PMID:8557080

Three year field test of a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria enhanced phytoremediation system at a land farm for treatment of hydrocarbon waste.

PubMed

Gurska, Jolanta; Wang, Wenxi; Gerhardt, Karen E; Khalid, Aaron M; Isherwood, David M; Huang, Xiao-Dong; Glick, Bernard R; Greenberg, Bruce M

2009-06-15

Phytoremediation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) has the potential to be a sustainable waste management technology if it can be proven to be effective in the field. Over the past decade, our laboratory has developed a system which utilizes plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) enhanced phytoremediation (PEP) that, following extensive greenhouse testing, was shown to be effective at remediating TPH from soils. This system consists of physical soil manipulation and plant growth following seed inoculation with PGPR. PGPR elicit biomass increases, particularly in roots, by minimizing plant stress in highly contaminated soils. Extensive development of the root system enhances degradation of contaminants by the plants and supports an active rhizosphere that effectively promotes TPH degradation by a broad microbial consortium. Following promising greenhouse trials, field tests of PEP were performed over a period of three years at a Southern Ontario site (approximately 130 g kg(-1) TPH) used for land farming of refinery hydrocarbon waste for many years. The low molecular weight fractions (the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) fractions 1 and 2) were removed through land farming and bioremediation; the high molecular weight, recalcitrant fractions (CCME fractions 3 and 4) remained at high levels in the soil. Using PEP, we substantially remediated fractions 3 and 4, and lowered TPH from 130 g kg(-1) to approximately 50 g kg(-1) over a three year period. The amount of plant growth and extent of oil remediation were consistently enhanced by PGPR.

Long term plant biomonitoring in the vicinity of waste incinerators in The Netherlands.

PubMed

van Dijk, Chris; van Doorn, Wim; van Alfen, Bert

2015-03-01

Since the mid-nineties new waste incineration plants have come into operation in the Netherlands. Burning of waste can result in the emission of potentially toxic compounds. Although the incineration plants must comply with strict conditions concerning emission control, public concern on the possible impact on human health and the environment still exists. Multiple year (2004-2013) biomonitoring programs were set up around three waste incinerators for early detection of possible effects of stack emissions on the quality of crops and agricultural products. The results showed that the emissions did not affect the quality of crops and cow milk. Concentrations of heavy metals, PAHs and dioxins/PCBs were generally similar to background levels and did not exceed standards for maximum allowable concentrations in foodstuffs (e.g. vegetables and cow milk). Some exceedances of the fluoride standard for cattle feed were found almost every year in the maximum deposition areas of two incinerators. Biomonitoring with leafy vegetables can be used to monitor the real impact of these emissions on agricultural crops and to communicate with all stakeholders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is Yucca Mountain a long-term solution for disposing of US spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste?

PubMed

Thorne, M C

2012-06-01

On 26 January 2012, the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future released a report addressing, amongst other matters, options for the managing and disposal of high-level waste and spent fuel. The Blue Ribbon Commission was not chartered as a siting commission. Accordingly, it did not evaluate Yucca Mountain or any other location as a potential site for the storage or disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste. Nevertheless, if the Commission's recommendations are followed, it is clear that any future proposals to develop a repository at Yucca Mountain would require an extended period of consultation with local communities, tribes and the State of Nevada. Furthermore, there would be a need to develop generally applicable regulations for disposal of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste, so that the Yucca Mountain site could be properly compared with alternative sites that would be expected to be identified in the initial phase of the site-selection process. Based on what is now known of the conditions existing at Yucca Mountain and the large number of safety, environmental and legal issues that have been raised in relation to the DOE Licence Application, it is suggested that it would be imprudent to include Yucca Mountain in a list of candidate sites for future evaluation in a consent-based process for site selection. Even if there were a desire at the local, tribal and state levels to act as hosts for such a repository, there would be enormous difficulties in attempting to develop an adequate post-closure safety case for such a facility, and in showing why this unsaturated environment should be preferred over other geological contexts that exist in the USA and that are more akin to those being studied and developed in other countries.

Geochemical features of the utilization of buried wastes of the Tyrnyauz Tungsten-Molybdenum Plant using acid leaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinokurov, S. F.; Gurbanov, A. G.; Bogatikov, O. A.; Sychkova, V. A.; Shevchenko, A. V.; Lexin, A. B.; Dudarov, Z. I.

2016-10-01

The decontamination of buried wastes of the Tyrnyauz Tungsten-Molybdenum Plant is complicated by the geochemical features of the waste composition: low sulfide and high carbonate content, polyelemental composition, and considerable amounts of technogenic admixtures (kerosene, oils, soda, and soluble glasses). These circumstances result in sufficient complication of the suggested technology of waste treatment, including the sulfuric-acid leaching and separate sorption recovery of hazardous and useful elements from the working solution.

Quality and generation rate of solid residues in the boiler of a waste-to-energy plant.

PubMed

Allegrini, E; Boldrin, A; Jansson, S; Lundtorp, K; Fruergaard Astrup, T

2014-04-15

The Danish waste management system relies significantly on waste-to-energy (WtE) plants. The ash produced at the energy recovery section (boiler ash) is classified as hazardous waste, and is commonly mixed with fly ash and air pollution control residues before disposal. In this study, a detailed characterization of boiler ash from a Danish grate-based mass burn type WtE was performed, to evaluate the potential for improving ash management. Samples were collected at 10 different points along the boiler's convective part, and analysed for grain size distribution, content of inorganic elements, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD and PCDF), and leaching of metals. For all samples, PCDD and PCDF levels were below regulatory limits, while high pH values and leaching of e.g. Cl were critical. No significant differences were found between boiler ash from individual sections of the boiler, in terms of total content and leaching, indicating that separate management of individual ash fractions may not provide significant benefits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Final environmental impact statement. Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-10-01

This volume contains the appendices for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Alternative geologic environs are considered. Salt, crystalline rock, argillaceous rock, and tuff are discussed. Studies on alternate geologic regions for the siting of WIPP are reviewed. President Carter's message to Congress on the management of radioactive wastes and the findings and recommendations of the interagency review group on nuclear waste management are included. Selection criteria for the WIPP site including geologic, hydrologic, tectonic, physicochemical compatability, and socio-economic factors are presented. A description of the waste types and the waste processing procedures aremore » given. Methods used to calculate radiation doses from radionuclide releases during operation are presented. A complete description of the Los Medanos site, including archaeological and historic aspects is included. Environmental monitoring programs and long-term safety analysis program are described. (DMC)« less

Efficiency of energy recovery from waste incineration, in the light of the new Waste Framework Directive.

PubMed

Grosso, Mario; Motta, Astrid; Rigamonti, Lucia

2010-07-01

This paper deals with a key issue related to municipal waste incineration, which is the efficiency of energy recovery. A strong driver for improving the energy performances of waste-to-energy plants is the recent Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives), which allows high efficiency installations to benefit from a status of "recovery" rather than "disposal". The change in designation means a step up in the waste hierarchy, where the lowest level of priority is now restricted to landfilling and low efficiency wastes incineration. The so-called "R1 formula" reported in the Directive, which counts for both production of power and heat, is critically analyzed and correlated to the more scientific-based approach of exergy efficiency. The results obtained for waste-to-energy plants currently operating in Europe reveal some significant differences in their performance, mainly related to the average size and to the availability of a heat market (district heating). Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of actinides and strontium-90 in high activity waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maxwell, S.L. III; Nelson, M.R.

1994-08-01

The reliable measurement of trace radionuclides in high activity waste is important to support waste processing activities at SRS (F and H Area Waste Tanks, Extended Sludge Processing (ESP) and In-Tank precipitation (ITP) processing). Separation techniques are needed to remove high levels of gamma activity and alpha/beta interferences prior to analytical measurement. Using new extraction chromatographic resins from EiChrom Industries, Inc., the SRS Central Laboratory has developed new high speed separation methods that enable measurement of neptunium, thorium, uranium, plutonium, americium and strontium-90 in high activity waste solutions. Small particle size resin and applied vacuum are used to reduce analysismore » times and enhance column performance. Extraction chromatographic resins are easy to use and eliminate the generation of contaminated liquid organic waste.« less

77 FR 64361 - Report on Waste Burial Charges: Changes in Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-19

... Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level Waste Burial Facilities AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission... 15, ``Report on Waste Burial Charges: Changes in Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level... for low-level waste. DATES: Submit comments by November 15, 2012. Comments received after this date...

High-Level Radioactive Waste: Safe Storage and Ultimate Disposal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dukert, Joseph M.

Described are problems and techniques for safe disposal of radioactive waste. Degrees of radioactivity, temporary storage, and long-term permanent storage are discussed. Included are diagrams of estimated waste volumes to the year 2000 and of an artist's conception of a permanent underground disposal facility. (SL)

Environmental analysis Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) cost reduction proposals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a research and development facility to demonstrate the safe disposal of radioactive wastes resulting from the defense activities and programs of the United States government. The facility is planned to be developed in bedded salt at the Los Medanos site in southeastern New Mexico. The environmental consequences of contruction and operation of the WIPP facility are documented in ''Final Environmental Impact Statement, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant''. The proposed action addressed by this environmental analysis is to simplify and reduce the scope of the WIPP facility as it is currently designed. The proposed changesmore » to the existing WIPP design are: limit the waste storage rate to 500,000 cubic feet per year; eliminate one shaft and revise the underground ventilation system; eliminate the underground conveyor system; combine the Administration Building, the Underground Personnel Building and the Waste Handling Building office area; simplify the central monitoring system; simplify the security control systems; modify the Waste Handling Building; simplify the storage exhaust system; modify the above ground salt handling logistics; simplify the power system; reduce overall site features; simplify the Warehouse/Shops Building and eliminate the Vehicle Maintenance Building; and allow resource recovery in Control Zone IV.« less

Property/composition relationships for Hanford high-level waste glasses melting at 115{degrees}C volume 1: Chapters 1-11

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hrma, P.R.; Piepel, G.F.

1994-12-01

A Composition Variation study (CVS) is being performed within the Pacific Northwest Laboratory Vitrification Technology Development (PVTD) project in support of a future high-level nuclear waste vitrification plant at the Hanford site in Washington. From 1989 to 1994, over 120 nonradioactive glasses were melted and properties measured in five statistically-designed experimental phases. Glass composition is represented by the 10 components SiO{sub 2}, B{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, ZrO{sub 2}, Na{sub 2}O, Li{sub 2}O, CaO, MgO, and Others (all remaining components). The properties measured include viscosity ({eta}), electrical conductivity ({epsilon}), glass transition temperature (T{sub g} ), thermalmore » expansion of solid glass ({alpha}{sub s}) and molten glass ({alpha}{sub m}), crystallinity (quenched and canister centerline cooled glasses), liquidus temperature (T{sub L}), durability based on normalized elemental releases from the Materials Characterization Center-1 28-day dissolution test (MCC-1, r{sub mi}) and the 7-day Product Consistency Test (PCT, r{sub pi}), and solution pHs from MCC-1 and PCT. Amorphous phase separation was also evaluated. Empirical first- and second-order mixture models were fit using the CVS data to relate the various properties to glass composition. Equations for calculating the uncertainty associated with property values predicted by the models were also developed. The models were validated using both internal and external data. Other modeling approaches (e.g., non-bridging oxygen, free energy of hydration, phase-equilibria T{sub L}) were investigated for specific properties. A preliminary Qualified Composition Region was developed to identify glass compositions with high confidence of being processable in a melter and meeting waste form acceptance criteria.« less

Trash to Treasure: NREL's High-Solids Digester Converts Wastes to Biogas and Compost

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-04-01

This article describes a pilot high-solids digester (HSD) plant for use in : American Samoa. The American Samoa is highly dependent on imported fuel. At : the same time, the local tuna canneries produce large amounts of waste : materials. The HSD pro...

The Challenges of Creating a Real-Time Data Management System for TRU-Mixed Waste at the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paff, S. W; Doody, S.

2003-02-25

This paper discusses the challenges associated with creating a data management system for waste tracking at the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Plant (AMWTP) at the Idaho National Engineering Lab (INEEL). The waste tracking system combines data from plant automation systems and decision points. The primary purpose of the system is to provide information to enable the plant operators and engineers to assess the risks associated with each container and determine the best method of treating it. It is also used to track the transuranic (TRU) waste containers as they move throughout the various processes at the plant. And finally, themore » goal of the system is to support paperless shipments of the waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This paper describes the approach, methodologies, the underlying design of the database, and the challenges of creating the Data Management System (DMS) prior to completion of design and construction of a major plant. The system was built utilizing an Oracle database platform, and Oracle Forms 6i in client-server mode. The underlying data architecture is container-centric, with separate tables and objects for each type of analysis used to characterize the waste, including real-time radiography (RTR), non-destructive assay (NDA), head-space gas sampling and analysis (HSGS), visual examination (VE) and coring. The use of separate tables facilitated the construction of automatic interfaces with the analysis instruments that enabled direct data capture. Movements are tracked using a location system describing each waste container's current location and a history table tracking the container's movement history. The movement system is designed to interface both with radio-frequency bar-code devices and the plant's integrated control system (ICS). Collections of containers or information, such as batches, were created across the various types of analyses, which enabled a single, cohesive approach to be developed for verification and

High-temperature thermal destruction of poultry derived wastes for energy recovery in Australia.

PubMed

Florin, N H; Maddocks, A R; Wood, S; Harris, A T

2009-04-01

The high-temperature thermal destruction of poultry derived wastes (e.g., manure and bedding) for energy recovery is viable in Australia when considering resource availability and equivalent commercial-scale experience in the UK. In this work, we identified and examined the opportunities and risks associated with common thermal destruction techniques, including: volume of waste, costs, technological risks and environmental impacts. Typical poultry waste streams were characterised based on compositional analysis, thermodynamic equilibrium modelling and non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (TG-MS). Poultry waste is highly variable but otherwise comparable with other biomass fuels. The major technical and operating challenges are associated with this variability in terms of: moisture content, presence of inorganic species and type of litter. This variability is subject to a range of parameters including: type and age of bird, and geographical and seasonal inconsistencies. There are environmental and health considerations associated with combustion and gasification due to the formation of: NO(X), SO(X), H(2)S and HCl gas. Mitigation of these emissions is achievable through correct plant design and operation, however, with significant economic penalty. Based on our analysis and literature data, we present cost estimates for generic poultry-waste-fired power plants with throughputs of 2 and 8 tonnes/h.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in e-waste: Level and transfer in a typical e-waste recycling site in Shanghai, Eastern China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Yue; Duan, Yan-Ping, E-mail: duanyanping@tongji.edu.cn; Huang, Fan

Highlights: • PBDEs were detected in the majority of e-waste. • PBDEs were found in TVs made in China after 1990. • The levels of ΣPBDEs in e-waste made in Japan far exceed the threshold limit of RoHS. • The inappropriate recycling and disposal of e-waste is an important source of PBDEs. - Abstract: Very few data for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were available in the electronic waste (e-waste) as one of the most PBDEs emission source. This study reported concentrations of PBDEs in e-waste including printer, rice cooker, computer monitor, TV, electric iron and water dispenser, as well asmore » dust from e-waste, e-waste dismantling workshop and surface soil from inside and outside of an e-waste recycling plant in Shanghai, Eastern China. The results showed that PBDEs were detected in the majority of e-waste, and the concentrations of ΣPBDEs ranged from not detected to 175 g/kg, with a mean value of 10.8 g/kg. PBDEs were found in TVs made in China after 1990. The mean concentrations of ΣPBDEs in e-waste made in Korea, Japan, Singapore and China were 1.84 g/kg, 20.5 g/kg, 0.91 g/kg, 4.48 g/kg, respectively. The levels of ΣPBDEs in e-waste made in Japan far exceed the threshold limit of RoHS (1.00 g/kg). BDE-209 dominated in e-waste, accounting for over 93%. The compositional patterns of PBDEs congeners resembled the profile of Saytex 102E, indicating the source of deca-BDE. Among the samples of dust and surface soil from a typical e-waste recycling site, the highest concentrations of Σ{sub 18}PBDEs and BDE-209 were found in dust in e-waste, ranging from 1960 to 340,710 ng/g and from 910 to 320,400 ng/g, which were 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than other samples. It suggested that PBDEs released from e-waste via dust, and then transferred to surrounding environment.« less

Natural analogues for processes affecting disposal of high-level radioactive waste in the vadose zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuckless, J. S.

2003-04-01

Natural analogues can contribute to understanding and predicting the performance of subsystems and processes affecting a mined geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste in several ways. Most importantly, analogues provide tests for various aspects of systems of a repository at dimensional scales and time spans that cannot be attained by experimental study. In addition, they provide a means for the general public to judge the predicted performance of a potential high-level nuclear waste repository in familiar terms such that the average person can assess the anticipated long-term performance and other scientific conclusions. Hydrologists working on the Yucca Mountain Project (currently the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Repository Development) have modeled the flow of water through the vadose zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada and particularly the interaction of vadose-zone water with mined openings. Analogues from both natural and anthropogenic examples confirm the prediction that most of the water moving through the vadose zone will move through the host rock and around tunnels. This can be seen both quantitatively where direct comparison between seepage and net infiltration has been made and qualitatively by the excellent degree of preservation of archaeologic artifacts in underground openings. The latter include Paleolithic cave paintings in southwestern Europe, murals and artifacts in Egyptian tombs, painted subterranean Buddhist temples in India and China, and painted underground churches in Cappadocia, Turkey. Natural analogues also suggest that this diversion mechanism is more effective in porous media than in fractured media. Observations from natural analogues are also consistent with the modeled decrease in the percentage of infiltration that becomes seepage with a decrease in amount of infiltration. Finally, analogues, such as tombs that have ben partially filled by mud flows, suggest that the same capillary forces that keep water in the

High-level recombinant protein expression in transgenic plants by using a double-inducible viral vector

PubMed Central

Werner, Stefan; Breus, Oksana; Symonenko, Yuri; Marillonnet, Sylvestre; Gleba, Yuri

2011-01-01

We describe here a unique ethanol-inducible process for expression of recombinant proteins in transgenic plants. The process is based on inducible release of viral RNA replicons from stably integrated DNA proreplicons. A simple treatment with ethanol releases the replicon leading to RNA amplification and high-level protein production. To achieve tight control of replicon activation and spread in the uninduced state, the viral vector has been deconstructed, and its two components, the replicon and the cell-to-cell movement protein, have each been placed separately under the control of an inducible promoter. Transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants incorporating this double-inducible system demonstrate negligible background expression, high (over 0.5 × 104-fold) induction multiples, and high absolute levels of protein expression upon induction (up to 4.3 mg/g fresh biomass). The process can be easily scaled up, supports expression of practically important recombinant proteins, and thus can be directly used for industrial manufacturing. PMID:21825158

Life-cycle assessment of a Waste-to-Energy plant in central Norway: Current situation and effects of changes in waste fraction composition.

PubMed

Lausselet, Carine; Cherubini, Francesco; Del Alamo Serrano, Gonzalo; Becidan, Michael; Strømman, Anders Hammer

2016-12-01

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants constitute one of the most common waste management options to deal with municipal solid waste. WtE plants have the dual objective to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and simultaneously to produce useful energy (heat and/or power). Energy from WtE is gaining steadily increasing importance in the energy mix of several countries. Norway is no exception, as energy recovered from waste currently represents the main energy source of the Norwegian district heating system. Life-cycle assessments (LCA) of WtE systems in a Norwegian context are quasi-nonexistent, and this study assesses the environmental performance of a WtE plant located in central Norway by combining detailed LCA methodology with primary data from plant operations. Mass transfer coefficients and leaching coefficients are used to trace emissions over the various life-cycle stages from waste logistics to final disposal of the ashes. We consider different fractions of input waste (current waste mix, insertion of 10% car fluff, 5% clinical waste and 10% and 50% wood waste), and find a total contribution to Climate Change Impact Potential ranging from 265 to 637gCO 2 eq/kg of waste and 25 to 61gCO 2 eq/MJ of heat. The key drivers of the environmental performances of the WtE system being assessed are the carbon biogenic fraction and the lower heating value of the incoming waste, the direct emissions at the WtE plant, the leaching of the heavy metals at the landfill sites and to a lesser extent the use of consumables. We benchmark the environmental performances of our WtE systems against those of fossil energy systems, and we find better performance for the majority of environmental impact categories, including Climate Change Impact Potential, although some trade-offs exist (e.g. higher impacts on Human Toxicity Potential than natural gas, but lower than coal). Also, the insertion of challenging new waste fractions is demonstrated to be an option both to cope with the

Management of low-level radioactive waste in Israel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shabtai, B.; Brenner, S.; Ne`eman, E.

1995-12-31

Radioactive materials are used extensively in Israel in many areas and applications for medicine, industry, agriculture, research and development and others. Israel`s primary concern in waste management is population safety and environmental protection. The Ministry of The Environment (MOE), in cooperation with the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC), supervise over the disposal system, and ensure an effective control. The MOE is responsible for the granting of permits to users of radioactive elements in about 300 plants and institutes, with about 2,200 installations. The MOE operates a computerized database management system (DBMS) on radioactive materials, with data on licensing, import andmore » distribution, waste disposal and transportation. Supervision over the disposal of LLRW has deepened recently, and periodic reports, based on the number of drums containing LLRW, which were transferred from all institutes in Israel to the NRWDS, were prepared. Draft regulations on the disposal of LLRW from institutes of research and education, hospitals, medical laboratories and other, have been recently prepared. These regulations include instructions on the disposal of solid and liquid LLRW as well as radioactive gases and vapors. As a general rule, no LLRW of any sort will be disposed of through the ordinary waste system or general sewage. However, in some extraordinary cases, residues of liquid LLRW are allowed to be disposed in this manner, if the requirements for disposal are satisfied. There are some conditions, in which solid LLRW might be treated as a conventional waste, as well as for safe emission of radioactive gases and aerosols. In light of these considerations, a new and more specific approach to radiation protection organizations and management of low-level radioactive waste problems, supervision and optimization is presented.« less

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Biennial Environmental Compliance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westinghouse TRU Solutions

This Biennial Environmental Compliance Report (BECR) documents environmental regulatory compliance at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), a facility designed for the safe disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste, for the reporting period of April 1, 1998, to March 31, 2000. As required by the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act (LWA)(Public Law [Pub. L.] 102-579, and amended by Pub. L. 104-201), the BECR documents U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office's (hereinafter the ''CAO'') compliance with applicable environmental protection laws and regulations implemented by agencies of the federal government and the state of New Mexico. An issue was identified inmore » the 1998 BECR relating to a potential cross-connection between the fire-water systems and the site domestic water system. While the CAO and its managing and operating contractor (hereinafter the ''MOC'') believe the site was always in compliance with cross-connection control requirements, hardware and procedural upgrades w ere implemented in March 1999 to strengthen its compliance posture. Further discussion of this issue is presented in section 30.2.2 herein. During this reporting period WIPP received two letters and a compliance order alleging violation of certain requirements outlined in section 9(a)(1) of the LWA. With the exception of one item, pending a final decision by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), all alleged violations have been resolved without the assessment of fines or penalties. Non-mixed TRU waste shipments began on March 26, 1999. Shipments continued through November 26, 1999, the effective date of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (NM4890139088-TSDF). No shipments regulated under the Hazardous Waste Facility Permit were received at WIPP during this BECR reporting period.« less

76 FR 35137 - Vulnerability and Threat Information for Facilities Storing Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-16

... High-Level Radioactive Waste AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Public meeting... Nuclear Fuel, High-Level Radioactive Waste, and Reactor-Related Greater Than Class C Waste,'' and 73... Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) storage facilities. The draft regulatory...

The mixed low-level waste problem in BE/NWN capsule

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hensley, D.C.

1999-07-01

The Boh Environmental, LLC (BE) and Northwest Nuclear, LLC (NWN) program addresses the problem of diminishing capacity in the United States to store mixed waste. A lack of an alternative program has caused the US Department of Energy (DOE) to indefinitely store all of its mixed waste in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) compliant storage facilities. Unfortunately, this capacity is fast approaching the administrative control limit. The combination of unique BE encapsulation and NWN waste characterization technologies provides an effective solution to DOE's mixed-waste dilemma. The BE ARROW-PAK technique encapsulates mixed low-level waste (MLLW) in extra-high molecular weight, high-densitymore » polyethylene, pipe-grade resin cylinders. ARROW-PAK applications include waste treatment, disposal, transportation (per 49 CFR 173), vault encasement, and interim/long-term storage for 100 to 300 yr. One of the first demonstrations of this treatment/storage technique successfully treated 880 mixed-waste debris drums at the DOE Hanford Site in 1997. NWN, deploying the APNea neutron assay technology, provides the screening and characterization capability necessary to ensure that radioactive waste is correctly categorized as either transuranic (TRU) or LLW. MLLW resulting from D and D activities conducted at the Oak Ridge East Tennessee Technology Park will be placed into ARROW-PAK containers following comprehensive characterization of the waste by NWN. The characterized and encapsulated waste will then be shipped to a commercial disposal facility, where the shipments meet all waste acceptance criteria of the disposal facility including treatment criteria.« less

INTELLIGENT DECISION SUPPORT FOR WASTE MINIMIZATION IN ELECTROPLATING PLANTS. (R824732)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

Wastewater, spent solvent, spent process solutions, and sludge are the major waste streams generated in large volumes daily in electroplating plants. These waste streams can be significantly minimized through process modification and operational improvement. I...

Silicophosphate Sorbents, Based on Ore-Processing Plants' Waste in Kazakhstan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubekova, Sholpan N.; Kapralova, Viktoria I.; Telkov, Shamil A.

2016-01-01

The problem of ore-processing plants' waste and man-made mineral formations (MMF) disposal is very important for the Republic of Kazakhstan. The research of various ore types (gold, polymetallic, iron-bearing) MMF from a number of Kazakhstan's deposits using a complex physical and chemical methods showed, that the waste's main components are…

Synthesis of Biomass and Utilization of Plant Wastes in a Physical Model of a Biological Life Support System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirov, A. A.; Ushakova, S. A.; Manukovsky, N. S.; Lisovsky, G. M.; Kudenko, Yu A.; Kovalev, V. S.; Gribovksaya, I. V.; Tirranen, L. S.; Zolotukkhin, I. G.; Gros, J. B.; Lasseur, Ch.

Biological life support systems (LSS) with highly closed intrasystem mass ex change mass ex change hold much promise for long-term human life support at planetary stations (Moon, Mars, etc.). The paper considers problems of biosynthesis of higher plants' biomass and "biological incineration" of plant wastes in a working physical model of biological LSS. The plant wastes are "biologically incinerated" in a special heterotroph block involving Californian worms, mushrooms and straw. The block processes plant wastes (straw, haulms) to produce soil-like substrate (SLS) on which plants (wheat, radish) are grown. Gas ex change in such a system consists of respiratory gas ex change of SLS and photosynthesis and respiration of plants. Specifics of gas ex change dynamics of high plants -SLS complex has been considered. Relationship between such a gas ex change and photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) and age of plants has been established. SLS fertility has been shown to depend on its thickness and phase of maturity. The biogenic elements (potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen) in Liebig minimum have been found to include nitrogen which is the first to impair plants' growth in disruption of the process conditions. The SLS microflora has been found to have different kinds of ammonifying and denitrifying bacteria which is indicative of intensive transformation of nitrogen-containing compounds. The number of physiological groups of microorganisms in SLS was, on the whole, steady. As a result, organic substances -products of ex change of plants and microorganisms were not accumulated in the medium, but mineralized and assimilated by the biocenosis. Experiments showed that the developed model of a man-made ecosystem realized complete utilization of plant wastes and involved them into the intrasystem turnover. In multiple recycle of the mat ter (more than 5 cycles) under the irradiance intensity of 150 W/m2 PAR and the SLS mass (dry weight) of 17.7 -19.9 kg/m2 average total harvest of

Alternative Chemical Cleaning Methods for High Level Waste Tanks: Actual Waste Testing with SRS Tank 5F Sludge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

King, William D.; Hay, Michael S.

Solubility testing with actual High Level Waste tank sludge has been conducted in order to evaluate several alternative chemical cleaning technologies for the dissolution of sludge residuals remaining in the tanks after the exhaustion of mechanical cleaning and sludge sluicing efforts. Tests were conducted with archived Savannah River Site (SRS) radioactive sludge solids that had been retrieved from Tank 5F in order to determine the effectiveness of an optimized, dilute oxalic/nitric acid cleaning reagent toward dissolving the bulk non-radioactive waste components. Solubility tests were performed by direct sludge contact with the oxalic/nitric acid reagent and with sludge that had beenmore » pretreated and acidified with dilute nitric acid. For comparison purposes, separate samples were also contacted with pure, concentrated oxalic acid following current baseline tank chemical cleaning methods. One goal of testing with the optimized reagent was to compare the total amounts of oxalic acid and water required for sludge dissolution using the baseline and optimized cleaning methods. A second objective was to compare the two methods with regard to the dissolution of actinide species known to be drivers for SRS tank closure Performance Assessments (PA). Additionally, solubility tests were conducted with Tank 5 sludge using acidic and caustic permanganate-based methods focused on the “targeted” dissolution of actinide species.« less

Developing a Planting Medium from Solid Waste Compost and Construction and Demolition Rubble for Use in Quarry Rehabilitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assaf, E. A.

2015-12-01

The combination of construction, demolition and excavation (CDE) waste along with the increase in solid waste generation has put a major stress on Lebanon and on the management of its solid waste. Compounding this problem are the issues of quarries closure and rehabilitation and a decrease in forest and vegetative cover. This research aims to provide an integrated solution to the stated problem by developing a "soil mix" derived from a mélange of the organic matter of the solid waste (compost), the CDE waste, and soil. Excavation and construction debris were ground to several sizes and mixed with compost and soil at different ratios. Replicates of these mixes and a set of control (regular soil) were used. In this mix, native and indicator plants are planted (in pots). The plant species used are Mathiolla crassifolia and Zea mays (Corn). Results have shown successful growth of both corn and Mathiolla seedlings in the mixes with higher amounts of construction rubble and compost i.e. Rubble: Soil: Compost Ratio of 2:1:1 and 1:0:1. However treatments with no compost and with less quantities of rubble demonstrated the inability of the soil used to sustain plant growth alone (1:1:1 and 1:1:0). Last but not least, the control consisting of soil only ended up being the weakest mix with yellow corn leaves and small Mathiolla seedlings fifty days after planting and fertilizing. Additionally, soil analysis, rubble and compost analysis were conducted. The samples were tested for heavy metals, nutrient availability and values of pH and EC. No contamination has been reported and an abundance of macronutrients and micronutrients was documented for the soil and compost. High alkalinity is due to the presence of concrete and the high percentage of Calcium Carbonate in Lebanese soils. Accordingly, the most adequate mixes for planting are treatments A (2:1:1) and B (1:0:1) and they should be pursued for a pilot scale study to test their potential use in quarry rehabilitation and

Liquid and Gaseous Waste Operations Department annual operating report CY 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maddox, J.J.; Scott, C.B.

1997-03-01

This annual report summarizes operating activities dealing with the process waste system, the liquid low-level waste system, and the gaseous waste system. It also describes upgrade activities dealing with the process and liquid low-level waste systems, the cathodic protection system, a stack ventilation system, and configuration control. Maintenance activities are described dealing with nonradiological wastewater treatment plant, process waste treatment plant and collection system, liquid low-level waste system, and gaseous waste system. Miscellaneous activities include training, audits/reviews/tours, and environmental restoration support.

Use of human wastes oxidized to different degrees in cultivation of higher plants on the soil-like substrate intended for closed ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirov, A. A.; Kudenko, Yu. A.; Ushakova, S. A.; Tirranen, L. S.; Gribovskaya, I. A.; Gros, J.-B.; Lasseur, Ch.

2010-09-01

To close mass exchange loops in bioregenerative life support systems more efficiently, researchers of the Institute of Biophysics SB RAS (Krasnoyarsk, Russia) have developed a procedure of wet combustion of human wastes and inedible parts of plants using H 2O 2 in alternating electromagnetic field. Human wastes pretreated in this way can be used as nutrient solutions to grow plants in the phototrophic unit of the LSS. The purpose of this study was to explore the possibilities of using human wastes oxidized to different degrees to grow plants cultivated on the soil-like substrate (SLS). The treated human wastes were analyzed to test their sterility. Then we investigated the effects produced by human wastes oxidized to different degrees on growth and development of wheat plants and on the composition of microflora in the SLS. The irrigation solution contained water, substances extracted from the substrate, and certain amounts of the mineralized human wastes. The experiments showed that the human wastes oxidized using reduced amounts of 30% H 2O 2: 1 ml/g of feces and 0.25 ml/ml of urine were still sterile. The experiments with wheat plants grown on the SLS and irrigated by the solution containing treated human wastes in the amount simulating 1/6 of the daily diet of a human showed that the degree of oxidation of human wastes did not significantly affect plant productivity. On the other hand, the composition of the microbiota of irrigation solutions was affected by the oxidation level of the added metabolites. In the solutions supplemented with partially oxidized metabolites yeast-like microscopic fungi were 20 times more abundant than in the solutions containing fully oxidized metabolites. Moreover, in the solutions containing incompletely oxidized human wastes the amounts of phytopathogenic bacteria and denitrifying microorganisms were larger. Thus, insufficiently oxidized sterile human wastes added to the irrigation solutions significantly affect the composition of

Recovery of fission product palladium from acidic high level waste solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rizvi, G.H.; Mathur, J.N.; Murali, M.S.

1996-07-01

The recovery of palladium from a synthetic pressurized heavy water reactor high level waste (PHWR-HLW) solution has been carried out, and the best reagents to use for the actual HLW solutions are discussed. The extraction of palladium from nitric acid solutions has been carried out using Cyanex-471X (triisobutylphosphine sulfide, TIPS) as the extractant. The metal ion could be quantitatively extracted from solutions with nitric acid concentrations between 2.0 and 6.0 M. The species extracted into the organic phase was found to be Pd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}{center_dot}TIPS. Nitric acid in the range of 2.0 to 5.0 M had no effect on TIPSmore » for at least 71 hours. A systematic study of gamma irradiation on loading and stripping of palladium from loaded organic phases using several potential extractants, TIPS, alpha benzoin oxime, dioctylsulfide, and dioctylsulfoxide has been made. A flow sheet for the recovery of palladium from actual HLW solutions using TIPS is proposed.« less

An overview of metals recovery from thermal power plant solid wastes.

PubMed

Meawad, Amr S; Bojinova, Darinka Y; Pelovski, Yoncho G

2010-12-01

Thermal power plants (TPPs) that burn fossil fuels emit several pollutants linked to the environmental problems of acid rain, urban ozone, and the possibility of global climate change. As coal is burned in a power plant, its noncombustible mineral content is partitioned into bottom ash, which remains in the furnace, and fly ash, which rises with flue gases. Two other by-products of coal combustion air-pollution control technologies are flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastes and fluidized-bed combustion (FBC) wastes. This paper analyzed and summarized the generation, characteristics and application of TPP solid wastes and discussed the potential effects of such solid wastes on the environment. On this basis, a review of a number of methods for recovery of metals from TPP solid wastes was made. They usually contain a quantity of valuable metals and they are actually a secondary resource of metals. By applying mineral processing technologies and hydrometallurgical and biohydrometallurgical processes, it is possible to recover metals such as Al, Ga, Ge, Ca, Cd, Fe, Hg, Mg, Na, Ni, Pb, Ra, Th, V, Zn, etc., from TPP solid wastes. Recovery of metals from such wastes and its utilization are important not only for saving metal resources, but also for protecting the environment. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occupational hygiene in terms of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols at two solid waste management plants in Finland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehtinen, Jenni, E-mail: jenni.k.lehtinen@jyu.fi; Tolvanen, Outi; Nivukoski, Ulla

Highlights: ► Odorous VOCs: acetic acid, 2,3-butanedione, ethyl acetate, alpha-pinene and limonene. ► VOC concentrations did not exceed occupational exposure limit concentrations. ► 2,3-Butanedione as the health effecting compound is discussed. ► Endotoxin concentrations may cause health problems in waste treatment. - Abstract: Factors affecting occupational hygiene were measured at the solid waste transferring plant at Hyvinkää and at the optic separation plant in Hämeenlinna. Measurements consisted of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols including microbes, dust and endotoxins. The most abundant compounds in both of the plants were aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters of carboxylic acids, ketones and terpenes.more » In terms of odour generation, the most important emissions were acetic acid, 2,3-butanedione, ethyl acetate, alpha-pinene and limonene due to their low threshold odour concentrations. At the optic waste separation plant, limonene occurred at the highest concentration of all single compounds of identified VOCs. The concentration of any single volatile organic compound did not exceed the occupational exposure limit (OEL) concentration. However, 2,3-butanedione as a health risk compound is discussed based on recent scientific findings linking it to lung disease. Microbe and dust concentrations were low at the waste transferring plant. Only endotoxin concentrations may cause health problems; the average concentration inside the plant was 425 EU/m{sup 3} which clearly exceeded the threshold value of 90 EU/m{sup 3}. In the wheel loader cabin the endotoxin concentrations were below 1 EU/m{sup 3}. High microbial and endotoxin concentrations were measured in the processing hall at the optic waste separation plant. The average concentration of endotoxins was found to be 10,980 EU/m{sup 3}, a concentration which may cause health risks. Concentrations of viable fungi were quite high in few measurements in the control room. The

Plants and men in space - A new field in plant physiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andre, M.; Macelroy, R. D.

1990-01-01

Results are presented on a comparison of nutritional values of and human psychological responses to algae and of higher plants considered for growth as food on long-term missions in space, together with the technological complexities of growing these plants. The comparison shows the advantages of higher plants, with results suggesting that a high level of material recycling can be obtained. It is noted that the issue of space gravity may be not a major problem for plants because of the possibility that phototropism can provide an alternative sense of direction. Problems of waste recycling can be solved in association with plant cultivation, and a high degree of autonomy of food production can be obtained.

Preliminary technical data summary No. 3 for the Defense Waste Processing Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Landon, L.F.

1980-05-01

This document presents an update on the best information presently available for the purpose of establishing the basis for the design of a Defense Waste Processing Facility. Objective of this project is to provide a facility to fix the radionuclides present in Savannah River Plant (SRP) high-level liquid waste in a high-integrity form (glass). Flowsheets and material balances reflect the alternate CAB case including the incorporation of low-level supernate in concrete. (DLC)

WASTE REDUCTION PRACTICES AT TWO CHROMATED COPPER ARSENATE WOOD-TREATING PLANTS

EPA Science Inventory

Two chromated copper arsenate (CCA) wood-treating plants were assessed for their waste reduction practices. The objectives of this study were to estimate the amount of hazardous wastes that a well-designed and well-main- tained CCA treatment facility would generate and to iden- t...

Increased BLSS closure using mineralized human waste in plant cultivation on a neutral substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ushakova, S.; Tikhomirov, A.; Shikhov, V.; Kudenko, Yu.; Anischenko, O.; Gros, J.-B.; Lasseur, Ch.

2009-10-01

The purpose of this work was to study the full-scale potential use of human mineralized waste (feces and urine) as a source of mineral elements for plant cultivation in a biological life support system (BLSS). Plants that are potential candidates for a photosynthesizing link were grown on a neutral solution containing human mineralized waste. Spring wheat Triticum aestivum L., peas Pisum sativum L. Ambrosia cultivar and leaf lettuce Lactuca sativa L., Vitaminny variety, were used. The plants were grown hydroponically on expanded clay aggregates in a vegetation chamber in constant environmental conditions. During plant growth, a determined amount of human mineralized waste was added daily to the nutrient solution. The nutrient solution remained unchanged throughout the vegetation period. Estimated plant requirements for macro-elements were based on a total biological productivity of 0.04 kg day -1 m -2. As the plant requirements for potassium exceeded the potassium content of human waste, a water extract of wheat straw containing the required amount of potassium was added to the nutrient solution. The Knop's solution was used in the control experiments. The experimental and control plants showed no significant differences in state or productivity of their photosynthetic apparatus. A small decrease in total productivity of the experimental plants was observed, which might result in some reduction of О 2 production in a BLSS.

Occurrence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish and shellfish downstream from electronic-waste recycling plants.

PubMed

Jiang, Jinhua; Shi, Shidi; Chen, Tao

2010-01-01

We measured 39 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the muscle tissue of three species of fish (Sciaenops ocellatus, Sparus macrocephalus, and Lateolabraxjaponicus) and four species of shellfish (Tegillarca granosa, Cyclina sinensis, Sinonovacula constricta, and Ostrea cucullata) that were collected downstream of electronic-waste recycling plants in Taizhou, China. A total of 24 PBDE congeners (PBDE24) in the samples were detected. The sigma PBDE24 (total PBDE) ranged from 545.4 to 1688.7 ng/kg ww (wet weight). The mean sigma PBDE24 concentration was 1382.6 ng/kg ww in fish and 858.1 ng/kg ww in shellfish. The lower brominated congeners were detected at relatively high concentrations in all species. The penta-products, produced from e-waste, were found at relatively low levels. A principal component analysis suggested a significant correlation among di-, tri-, tetra-, and hepta-BDEs for the three species of fish. Similarly, we found a significant correlation between mono- and tri-BDEs in the shellfish. Our results suggested that the processes of PBDE metabolism and elimination were similar in both fish and shellfish. In addition, the primary source of PBDEs appeared to be from the debromination of high brominated PBDEs.

Problems of Waste Management at Poultry Plants and Ways to Address Them

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazareva, L. P.; Kostryakova, O. N.

2017-11-01

The paper analyzes scientific literature on manure recycling and systems of waste management at two poultry plants that use different technologies of poultry housing and manure disposal and calculates the volumes of waste generation for two plants. The authors suggest an economically and ecologically efficient manure utilization technology, consider the feasibility of replacing traditional fuel with the one produced by manure recycling and calculate expected profits and the payback time of equipment.

The recovery of waste and off-gas in Large Combustion Plants subject to IPPC National Permit in Italy.

PubMed

Di Marco, Giuseppe; Manuzzi, Raffaella

2018-03-01

The recovery of off-gas, waste, and biomass in Large Combustion Plants for energy production gives the opportunity to recycle waste and by-products and to recover materials produced in agricultural and industrial activities. The paper illustrates the Italian situation regarding the production of energy from off-gas, biomass, and waste in Large Combustion Plants subject to Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) National Permit. Moreover, it focuses on the 4 Italian Large Combustion Plants producing energy from biomass and waste. For these ones it illustrates the specific issues related to and provides a description of the solutions adopted in the 4 Italian plants. Given that air emission performance is the most relevant aspect of this kind of plants, the paper specifically focuses and reports results about this subject. In particular, in Italy among 113 LCPs subject to IPPC National Permit we have found that 4 plants use as fuel waste (i.e. solid or liquid biomasses and Solid Recovered Fuels), or a mixture of waste and traditional fuels (co-combustion of Solid Recovered Fuels and coal), and that 11 plants use as fuel off-gases listed in Annex X (i.e. Refinery Fuel Gas, Syngas, and gases produced in iron and steel industries). Moreover, there are 2 IPPC chemical plants that recovery energy from different off-gases not listed in Annex X. Regarding the 4 LCPs that produce energy from waste combustion or co-combustion, we find that they take into account all the specific issues related to this kind of plants (i.e. detailed waste characterization, waste acceptance procedures, waste handling and storage, waste pretreatment and emissions to air), and adopt solutions that are best available techniques to prevent pollution. Moreover for one of these plants, the only one for which we have a significant set of monitoring data because it obtained the IPPC National Permit in 2008, we find that energy efficiency and air emissions of the principal pollutants are in

Plant That Makes Fuel Out Of Garbage and Waste Called A Success

Science.gov Websites

, to run a turbine to generate electricity or as a transportation fuel. Pathogens in the food municipal solid waste and food processing wastes. The plant was operated close to neighbors in a light market of $1 billion. Other potential customers include food processors and waste haulers, who must now

Sorting and recycling of domestic waste. Review of occupational health problems and their possible causes.

PubMed

Poulsen, O M; Breum, N O; Ebbehøj, N; Hansen, A M; Ivens, U I; van Lelieveld, D; Malmros, P; Matthiasen, L; Nielsen, B H; Nielsen, E M

1995-05-19

airborne fungal spores and thermophilic actinomycetes. At plants sorting separated domestic waste, e.g. the combustible fraction of waste composed of paper, cardboard and plastics, the workers may have an increased risk of gastrointestinal symptoms and irritation of the eyes and skin. At such plants the bioaerosol exposure levels are in general low, but at some work tasks, e.g. manual sorting and work near the balers, exposure levels may occasionally be high enough to be potentially harmful. Workers handling the source-sorted paper or cardboard fraction do not appear to have an elevated risk of occupational health problems related to bioaerosol exposure, and the bioaerosol exposure is generally low.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Physico-chemical treatment of liquid waste on an industrial plant for electrocoagulation.

PubMed

Mlakar, Matej; Levstek, Marjetka; Stražar, Marjeta

2017-10-01

Wastewater from washing, oil separators, the metal processing and detergent industries, was tested and treated for treatment of different types of liquid waste at industrial level at Domžale-Kamnik Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The effect of implementing the electrocoagulation (EC) and flotation processes, respectively, is analysed and includes the duration of the EC implementation, voltage, number of electrodes, and chemical addition, as well as the pH effect and conductivity. The tests were performed not only on various types of liquid waste, but also on different mixtures of liquid waste. Laboratory analysis of the samples before and after EC have shown an effective reduction not only in organic loads in accordance with the COD (chemical oxygen demand) parameter, but also in mineral oil content, toxic metal concentration, and surfactants. The COD in liquid waste from the detergent industry was reduced by 73% and the content of surfactants by 64%. In liquid waste from the metal processing industry, the COD decreased by up to 95%, while the content of toxic metals decreased from 59 to 99%. Similar phenomena were shown in liquid waste from oil separators, where the COD was reduced to 33% and the concentration of mineral oils by 99%. Some of the liquid wastes were mixed together in the ratio 1:1, thus allowing testing of the operation of EC technology in heterogeneous liquid waste, where the final result proved to be effective cleaning as well. After treatment in the process of EC, the limit values of the treated water proved appropriate for discharge into the sewerage system.

U.S. Department of Energy Implementation of Chemical Evaluation Requirements for Transuranic Waste Disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moon, Alison; Barkley, Michelle; Poppiti, James

This report summarizes new controls designed to ensure that transuranic waste disposed at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) does not contain incompatible chemicals. These new controls include a Chemical Compatibility Evaluation, an evaluation of oxidizing chemicals, and a waste container assessment to ensure that waste is safe for disposal. These controls are included in the Chapter 18 of the Documented Safety Analysis for WIPP (1).

Waste Treatment Technology Process Development Plan For Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Low Activity Waste Recycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCabe, Daniel J.; Wilmarth, William R.; Nash, Charles A.

2013-08-29

soluble components are mostly sodium and ammonium salts of nitrate, chloride, and fluoride. This stream has not been generated yet, and will not be available until the WTP begins operation, causing uncertainty in its composition, particularly the radionuclide content. This plan will provide an estimate of the likely composition and the basis for it, assess likely treatment technologies, identify potential disposition paths, establish target treatment limits, and recommend the testing needed to show feasibility. Two primary disposition options are proposed for investigation, one is concentration for storage in the tank farms, and the other is treatment prior to disposition in the Effluent Treatment Facility. One of the radionuclides that is volatile and expected to be in high concentration in this LAW Recycle stream is Technetium-99 ({sup 99}Tc), a long-lived radionuclide with a half-life of 210,000 years. Technetium will not be removed from the aqueous waste in the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), and will primarily end up immobilized in the LAW glass, which will be disposed in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). Because {sup 99}Tc has a very long half-life and is highly mobile, it is the largest dose contributor to the Performance Assessment (PA) of the IDF. Other radionuclides that are also expected to be in appreciable concentration in the LAW Recycle are {sup 129}I, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 137}Cs, and {sup 241}Am. The concentrations of these radionuclides in this stream will be much lower than in the LAW, but they will still be higher than limits for some of the other disposition pathways currently available. Although the baseline process will recycle this stream to the Pretreatment Facility, if the LAW facility begins operation first, this stream will not have a disposition path internal to WTP. One potential solution is to return the stream to the tank farms where it can be evaporated in the 242-A evaporator, or perhaps deploy an auxiliary

Environmental Assessment for the Closure of the High-Level Waste Tanks in F- & H-Areas at the Savannah River Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

N /A

1996-07-31

This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared by the Department of Energy (DOE) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the closure of 51 high-level radioactive waste tanks and tank farm ancillary equipment (including transfer lines, evaporators, filters, pumps, etc) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) located near Aiken, South Carolina. The waste tanks are located in the F- and H-Areas of SRS and vary in capacity from 2,839,059 liters (750,000 gallons) to 4,921,035 liters (1,300,000 gallons). These in-ground tanks are surrounded by soil to provide shielding. The F- and H-Area High-Level Waste Tanks are operated under the authoritymore » of Industrial Wastewater Permits No.17,424-IW; No.14520, and No.14338 issued by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). In accordance with the Permit requirements, DOE has prepared a Closure Plan (DOE, 1996) and submitted it to SCDHEC for approval. The Closure Plan identifies all applicable or relevant and appropriate regulations, statutes, and DOE Orders for closing systems operated under the Industrial Wastewater Permits. When approved by SCDHEC, the Closure Plan will present the regulatory process for closing all of the F- and H-Area High Level Waste Tanks. The Closure Plan establishes performance objectives or criteria to be met prior to closing any tank, group of tanks, or ancillary tank farm equipment. The proposed action is to remove the residual wastes from the tanks and to fill the tanks with a material to prevent future collapse and bind up residual waste, to lower human health risks, and to increase safety in and around the tanks. If required, an engineered cap consisting of clay, backfill (soil), and vegetation as the final layer to prevent erosion would be applied over the tanks. The selection of tank system closure method will be evaluated against the following Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) criteria

Hydrothermal transformations in an aluminophosphate glass matrix containing simulators of high-level radioactive wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yudintsev, S. V.; Mal'kovsky, V. I.; Mokhov, A. V.

2016-05-01

The interaction of aluminophosphate glass with water at 95°C for 35 days results in glass heterogenization and in the appearance of a gel layer and various phases. The leaching rate of elements is low owing to the formation of a protective layer on the glass surface. It is shown that over 80% of uranium leached from the glass matrix occurs as colloids below 450 nm in size characterized by high migration ability in the geological environment. To determine the composition of these colloids is a primary task for further studies. Water vapor is a crystallization factor for glasses. The conditions as such may appear even at early stages of glass storage because of the failure of seals on containers of high-level radioactive wastes. The examination of water resistance of crystallized matrices and determination of the fraction of radionuclide in colloids are also subjects for further studies.

West Valley demonstration project: Alternative processes for solidifying the high-level wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holton, L. K.; Larson, D. E.; Partain, W. L.; Treat, R. L.

1981-10-01

Two pretreatment approaches and several waste form processes for radioactive wastes were selected for evaluation. The two waste treatment approaches were the salt/sludge separation process and the combined waste process. Both terminal and interim waste form processes were studied.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in e-waste: level and transfer in a typical e-waste recycling site in Shanghai, Eastern China.

PubMed

Li, Yue; Duan, Yan-Ping; Huang, Fan; Yang, Jing; Xiang, Nan; Meng, Xiang-Zhou; Chen, Ling

2014-06-01

Very few data for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were available in the electronic waste (e-waste) as one of the most PBDEs emission source. This study reported concentrations of PBDEs in e-waste including printer, rice cooker, computer monitor, TV, electric iron and water dispenser, as well as dust from e-waste, e-waste dismantling workshop and surface soil from inside and outside of an e-waste recycling plant in Shanghai, Eastern China. The results showed that PBDEs were detected in the majority of e-waste, and the concentrations of ΣPBDEs ranged from not detected to 175 g/kg, with a mean value of 10.8 g/kg. PBDEs were found in TVs made in China after 1990. The mean concentrations of ΣPBDEs in e-waste made in Korea, Japan, Singapore and China were 1.84 g/kg, 20.5 g/kg, 0.91 g/kg, 4.48 g/kg, respectively. The levels of ΣPBDEs in e-waste made in Japan far exceed the threshold limit of RoHS (1.00 g/kg). BDE-209 dominated in e-waste, accounting for over 93%. The compositional patterns of PBDEs congeners resembled the profile of Saytex 102E, indicating the source of deca-BDE. Among the samples of dust and surface soil from a typical e-waste recycling site, the highest concentrations of Σ18PBDEs and BDE-209 were found in dust in e-waste, ranging from 1960 to 340,710 ng/g and from 910 to 320,400 ng/g, which were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than other samples. It suggested that PBDEs released from e-waste via dust, and then transferred to surrounding environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On The Cusp of the New Spatial Challenges - The Thermal Waste Processing Plant as an Element of Urban Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wójtowicz-Wróbel, Agnieszka

2017-10-01

The goal of this paper is to answer the question about the current importance of structures associated with the thermal processing of waste within the space of Polish cities and what status can they have in the functional and spatial structure of Polish cities in the future. The construction of thermal waste processing plants in Poland is currently a new and important problem, with numerous structures of this type being built due to increasing care for the natural environment, with the introduction of legal regulations, as well as due to the possibility of obtaining large external funding for the purposes of undertaking pro-environmental spatial initiatives, etc. For this reason, the paper contains research on the increase in the number of thermal waste processing plants in Poland in recent years. The abovementioned data was compared with similar information from other European Union member states. In the group containing Polish thermal waste processing plants, research was performed regarding the stage of the construction of a plant (operating plant, plant under construction, design in a construction phase, etc.). The paper also contains a listing of the functions other than the basic form of use, which is the incineration of waste - similarly to numerous foreign examples - that the environmentally friendly waste incineration plants fulfil in Poland, dividing the additional forms of use into "hard" elements (at the design level, requiring the expansion of a building featuring new elements that are not directly associated with the basic purpose of waste processing) and soft (social, educational, promotional actions, as well as other endeavours that require human involvement, but that do not entail significant design work on the buildings itself, expanding its form of use, etc.) as well as mixed activity, which required design work, but on a relatively small scale. Research was also conducted regarding the placement of thermal waste processing plants within the

Coupling plant growth and waste recycling systems in a controlled life support system (CELSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garland, Jay L.

1992-01-01

The development of bioregenerative systems as part of the Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) program depends, in large part, on the ability to recycle inorganic nutrients, contained in waste material, into plant growth systems. One significant waste (resource) stream is inedible plant material. This research compared wheat growth in hydroponic solutions based on inorganic salts (modified Hoagland's) with solutions based on the soluble fraction of inedible wheat biomass (leachate). Recycled nutrients in leachate solutions provided the majority of mineral nutrients for plant growth, although additions of inorganic nutrients to leachate solutions were necessary. Results indicate that plant growth and waste recyling systems can be effectively coupled within CELSS based on equivalent wheat yield in leachate and Hoagland solutions, and the rapid mineralization of waste organic material in the hydroponic systems. Selective enrichment for microbial communities able to mineralize organic material within the leachate was necessary to prevent accumulation of dissolved organic matter in leachate-based solutions. Extensive analysis of microbial abundance, growth, and activity in the hydroponic systems indicated that addition of soluble organic material from plants does not cause excessive microbial growth or 'biofouling', and helped define the microbially-mediated flux of carbon in hydroponic solutions.

C-106 High-Level Waste Solids: Washing/Leaching and Solubility Versus Temperature Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

GJ Lumetta; DJ Bates; PK Berry

This report describes the results of a test conducted by Battelle to assess the effects of inhibited water washing and caustic leaching on the composition of the Hanford tank C-106 high-level waste (HLW) solids. The objective of this work was to determine the composition of the C-106 solids remaining after washing with 0.01M NaOH or leaching with 3M NaOH. Another objective of this test was to determine the solubility of various C-106 components as a function of temperature. The work was conducted according to test plan BNFL-TP-29953-8,Rev. 0, Determination of the Solubility of HLW Sludge Solids. The test went accordingmore » to plan, with only minor deviations from the test plan. The deviations from the test plan are discussed in the experimental section.« less

Viscoplasticity of simulated high-level radioactive waste glass containing platinum group metal particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uruga, Kazuyoshi; Usami, Tsuyoshi; Tsukada, Takeshi; Komamine, Satoshi; Ochi, Eiji

2014-09-01

The shear rate dependency of the viscosity of three simulated high-level radioactive waste glasses containing 0, 1.2 and 4.5 wt% platinum group metals (PGMs) was examined at a temperature range of 1173-1473 K by a rotating viscometer. Shear stress when the shear rate equals zero, i.e. yield stress, was also measured by capillary method. The viscosity of the glass containing no PGM was shear rate-independent Newtonian fluid. On the other hand, the apparent viscosity of the glasses containing PGMs increased with decreasing shear rate, and nonzero amount of yield stresses were detected from both glasses. The viscosity and yield stress of the glass containing 4.5 wt% PGMs was roughly one to two orders of magnitude greater than the glass containing 1.2 wt% PGMs. These viscoplastic properties were numerically expressed by Casson equation.

Serum total immunoglobin-E and health hazards in workers involved in land fill and compost areas of hazardous waste management plants

PubMed Central

Kalahasthi, Ravi Babu; Rajmohan, HR; Narendranan, Pavitra; Pradyumna, Adithya

2012-01-01

Background: The exposures of bio-aerosols have reported higher occupational health hazards, the association between serum total IgE levels and job categories and occupational health hazards of waste disposal area was limited. The present study was undertaken to assess the relationship between occupational health hazards and Serum total IgE in waste disposal area. Materials and Methods: One hundred eighty subjects working in waste disposal areas in different parts of Bangalore at Karnataka, India were enrolled into the study in 2009. Using questionnaire the respiratory morbidity and other work related problems in HWW was carried. The levels of serum total IgE in study subjects were determined by using Enzyme–linked –immunosorbent assay kits (DRG International Inc, USA). The differences of serum total IgE levels between the groups were computed by using non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. SPSS 10.0 for windows version of statistical software was used in the analysis. Results: The levels of serum total IgE was significantly increased in landfill area (P=0.027) compose plant workers (P=0.020). The morbidity conditions such as respiratory and musculoskeletal found significantly higher in waste disposal workers as compared to controls. Conclusion: The levels of serum total IgE was significantly increased in land fill area and compose plant workers but no significant relationship was found between the levels of serum total IgE and occurrence of health related symptoms or past respiratory disease. PMID:23112500

Serum total immunoglobin-E and health hazards in workers involved in land fill and compost areas of hazardous waste management plants.

PubMed

Kalahasthi, Ravi Babu; Rajmohan, Hr; Narendranan, Pavitra; Pradyumna, Adithya

2012-01-01

The exposures of bio-aerosols have reported higher occupational health hazards, the association between serum total IgE levels and job categories and occupational health hazards of waste disposal area was limited. The present study was undertaken to assess the relationship between occupational health hazards and Serum total IgE in waste disposal area. One hundred eighty subjects working in waste disposal areas in different parts of Bangalore at Karnataka, India were enrolled into the study in 2009. Using questionnaire the respiratory morbidity and other work related problems in HWW was carried. The levels of serum total IgE in study subjects were determined by using Enzyme-linked -immunosorbent assay kits (DRG International Inc, USA). The differences of serum total IgE levels between the groups were computed by using non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. SPSS 10.0 for windows version of statistical software was used in the analysis. The levels of serum total IgE was significantly increased in landfill area (P=0.027) compose plant workers (P=0.020). The morbidity conditions such as respiratory and musculoskeletal found significantly higher in waste disposal workers as compared to controls. The levels of serum total IgE was significantly increased in land fill area and compose plant workers but no significant relationship was found between the levels of serum total IgE and occurrence of health related symptoms or past respiratory disease.

Separation of nanoparticles: Filtration and scavenging from waste incineration plants.

PubMed

Förster, Henning; Thajudeen, Thaseem; Funk, Christine; Peukert, Wolfgang

2016-06-01

Increased amounts of nanoparticles are applied in products of everyday life and despite material recycling efforts, at the end of their life cycle they are fed into waste incineration plants. This raises the question on the fate of nanoparticles during incineration. In terms of environmental impact the key question is how well airborne nanoparticles are removed by separation processes on their way to the bag house filters and by the existing filtration process based on pulse-jet cleanable fibrous filter media. Therefore, we investigate the scavenging and the filtration of metal nanoparticles under typical conditions in waste incineration plants. The scavenging process is investigated by a population balance model while the nanoparticle filtration experiments are realized in a filter test rig. The results show that depending on the particle sizes, in some cases nearly 80% of the nanoparticles are scavenged by fly ash particles before they reach the bag house filter. For the filtration step dust cakes with a pressure drop of 500Pa or higher are found to be very effective in preventing nanoparticles from penetrating through the filter. Thus, regeneration of the filter must be undertaken with care in order to guarantee highly efficient collection of particles even in the lower nanometre size regime. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimates of low-level waste volumes and classifications at 2-Unit 1100 MWe reference plants for decommissioning scenarios

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hauf, M.J.; Vance, J.N.; James, D.

1991-01-01

A number of nuclear utilities and industry organizations in the United States have evaluated the requirements for reactor decommissioning. These broad scope studies have addressed the major issues of technology, methodology, safety and costs of decommissioning and have produced substantial volumes of data to describe, in detail, the issues and impacts which result. The objective of this paper to provide CECo a reasonable basis for discussion low-level waste burial volumes for the most likely decommissioning options and to show how various decontamination and VR technologies can be applied to provide additional reduction of the volumes required to be buried atmore » low-level waste burial grounds.« less

Geological repository for nuclear high level waste in France from feasibility to design within a legal framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voizard, Patrice; Mayer, Stefan; Ouzounian, Gerald

Over the past 15 years, the French program on deep geologic disposal of high level and long-lived radioactive waste has benefited from a clear legal framework as the result of the December 30, 1991 French Waste Act. To fulfil its obligations stipulated in this law, ANDRA has submitted the 'Dossier 2005 Argile' (clay) and 'Dossier 2005 Granite' to the French Government. The first of those reports presents a concept for the underground disposal of nuclear waste at a specific clay site and focuses on a feasibility study. Knowledge of the host rock characteristics is based on the investigations carried outmore » at the Meuse/Haute Marne Underground Research Laboratory. The repository concept addresses various issues, the most important of which relates to the large amount of waste, the clay host rock and the reversibility requirement. This phase has ended upon review and evaluation of the 'Dossier 2005' made by different organisations including the National Review Board, the National Safety Authority and the NEA International Review Team. By passing the 'new', June 28, 2006 Planning Act on the sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste, the French parliament has further defined a clear legal framework for future work. This June 28 Planning Act thus sets a schedule and defines the objectives for the next phase of repository design in requesting the submission of a construction authorization application by 2015. The law calls for the repository program to be in a position to commission disposal installations by 2025. (authors)« less

Tectonic characterization of a potential high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitney, John W.; O'Leary, Dennis W.

1993-01-01

Tectonic characterization of a potential high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is needed to assess seismic and possible volcanic hazards that could affect the site during the preclosure (next 100 years) and the behavior of the hydrologic system during the postclosure (the following 10,000 years) periods. Tectonic characterization is based on assembling mapped geological structures in their chronological order of development and activity, and interpreting their dynamic interrelationships. Addition of mechanistic models and kinematic explanations for the identified tectonic processes provides one or more tectonic models having predictive power. Proper evaluation and application of tectonic models can aid in seismic design and help anticipate probable occurrence of future geologic events of significance to the repository and its design.

Characterisation and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils and plants around e-waste dismantling sites in southern China.

PubMed

Wang, Yujie; He, Jiexin; Wang, Shaorui; Luo, Chunling; Yin, Hua; Zhang, Gan

2017-10-01

Environmental pollution due to primitive e-waste dismantling activities has been intensively investigated over the last decade in the south-eastern coastal region of China. In the present study, we investigated the distribution and composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils and plants around e-waste recycling sites in Longtang, Guangdong province, South China. The results indicated that PAH concentrations in rhizosphere soil and non-rhizosphere soil were in the range of 133 to 626 ng/g and 60 to 816 ng/g, respectively, while PAH levels in plant tissue were 96 to 388 ng/g in shoots and 143 to 605 ng/g in roots. PAHs were enriched in rhizosphere soils in comparison with non-rhizosphere soils. The concentrations of PAHs in plant tissues varied greatly among plant cultivars, indicating that the uptake of PAHs by plants is species-dependent. Different profiles of PAHs in the soil and the corresponding plant tissue implied that PAH uptake and translocation by plants were selective.The total daily intakes of PAHs and carcinogenic PAHs through vegetables at the e-waste recycling site were estimated to be 99 and 22 ng/kg/day, respectively, suggesting that potential health risks associated with the consumption of contaminated vegetables should not be ignored.

Corrosion of high-level radioactive waste iron-canisters in contact with bentonite.

PubMed

Kaufhold, Stephan; Hassel, Achim Walter; Sanders, Daniel; Dohrmann, Reiner

2015-03-21

Several countries favor the encapsulation of high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) in iron or steel canisters surrounded by highly compacted bentonite. In the present study the corrosion of iron in contact with different bentonites was investigated. The corrosion product was a 1:1 Fe layer silicate already described in literature (sometimes referred to as berthierine). Seven exposition test series (60 °C, 5 months) showed slightly less corrosion for the Na-bentonites compared to the Ca-bentonites. Two independent exposition tests with iron pellets and 38 different bentonites clearly proved the role of the layer charge density of the swelling clay minerals (smectites). Bentonites with high charged smectites are less corrosive than bentonites dominated by low charged ones. The type of counterion is additionally important because it determines the density of the gel and hence the solid/liquid ratio at the contact to the canister. The present study proves that the integrity of the multibarrier-system is seriously affected by the choice of the bentonite buffer encasing the metal canisters in most of the concepts. In some tests the formation of a patina was observed consisting of Fe-silicate. Up to now it is not clear why and how the patina formed. It, however, may be relevant as a corrosion inhibitor. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crystallization In High Level Waste (HLW) Glass Melters: Operational Experience From The Savannah River Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fox, K. M.

2014-02-27

processing strategy for the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The basis of this alternative approach is an empirical model predicting the crystal accumulation in the WTP glass discharge riser and melter bottom as a function of glass composition, time, and temperature. When coupled with an associated operating limit (e.g., the maximum tolerable thickness of an accumulated layer of crystals), this model could then be integrated into the process control algorithms to formulate crystal tolerant high level waste (HLW) glasses targeting higher waste loadings while still meeting process related limits and melter lifetime expectancies. This report provides amore » review of the scaled melter testing that was completed in support of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) melter. Testing with scaled melters provided the data to define the DWPF operating limits to avoid bulk (volume) crystallization in the un-agitated DWPF melter and provided the data to distinguish between spinels generated by K-3 refractory corrosion versus spinels that precipitated from the HLW glass melt pool. This report includes a review of the crystallization observed with the scaled melters and the full scale DWPF melters (DWPF Melter 1 and DWPF Melter 2). Examples of actual DWPF melter attainment with Melter 2 are given. The intent is to provide an overview of lessons learned, including some example data, that can be used to advance the development and implementation of an empirical model and operating limit for crystal accumulation for WTP. Operation of the first and second (current) DWPF melters has demonstrated that the strategy of using a liquidus temperature predictive model combined with a 100 °C offset from the normal melter operating temperature of 1150 °C (i.e., the predicted liquidus temperature (TL) of the glass must be 1050 °C or less) has been successful in preventing any detrimental accumulation of spinel in the DWPF melt pool, and spinel has not

Annual waste reduction activities report. Issue 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1991-03-18

This report discusses the waste minimization activities for the Pinellas Plant. The Pinellas Plant deals with low-level radioactive wastes, solvents, scrap metals and various other hazardous materials. This program has realized cost savings through recycling and reuse of materials.

WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT (WIPP): THE NATIONS' SOLUTION TO NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL ISSUES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lopez, Tammy Ann

2014-07-17

In the southeastern portion of my home state of New Mexico lies the Chihuahauan desert, where a transuranic (TRU), underground disposal site known as the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) occupies 16 square miles. Full operation status began in March 1999, the year I graduated from Los Alamos High School, in Los Alamos, NM, the birthplace of the atomic bomb and one of the nation’s main TRU waste generator sites. During the time of its development and until recently, I did not have a full grasp on the role Los Alamos was playing in regards to WIPP. WIPP is usedmore » to store and dispose of TRU waste that has been generated since the 1940s because of nuclear weapons research and testing operations that have occurred in Los Alamos, NM and at other sites throughout the United States (U.S.). TRU waste consists of items that are contaminated with artificial, man-made radioactive elements that have atomic numbers greater than uranium, or are trans-uranic, on the periodic table of elements and it has longevity characteristics that may be hazardous to human health and the environment. Therefore, WIPP has underground rooms that have been carved out of 2,000 square foot thick salt formations approximately 2,150 feet underground so that the TRU waste can be isolated and disposed of. WIPP has operated safely and successfully until this year, when two unrelated events occurred in February 2014. With these events, the safety precautions and measures that have been operating at WIPP for the last 15 years are being revised and improved to ensure that other such events do not occur again.« less

Impact of imidacloprid residues on the development of Eisenia fetida during vermicomposting of greenhouse plant waste.

PubMed

Fernández-Gómez, Manuel J; Romero, Esperanza; Nogales, Rogelio

2011-09-15

Pesticide application in agriculture causes residues in post-harvest plant waste at different concentrations. Knowledge concerning how pesticide concentrations in such waste affect earthworms is essential for recycling greenhouse plant debris through vermicomposting. Here, we have evaluated the effects of imidacloprid (IMD) residues on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) during the vermicomposting of plant waste from greenhouse crops in Spain. Before, the effect of different IMD concentrations on earthworms was tested using cattle manure as an optimum waste for worm development. The results after using cattle manure indicate that IMD dose ≥ 5 mg kg(-1) hinders worm growth and even causes death, whereas IMD dose ≤ 2 mg IMD kg(-1) allows worm growth similar to control but impedes reproduction. The results from the vermicomposting of plant waste reveal that IMD inhibits adequate worm growth and increases mortality. Although 89% worms became sexually mature in substrate containing 2 mg IMD kg(-1), they did not produce cocoons. IMD also affected microorganisms harboured in the substrates for vermicomposting, as indicated by the reduction in their dehydrogenase activity. This enzyme activity was restored after vermicomposting. This study provides a sound basis for the vermicomposting of pesticide-contaminated plant waste. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social scientist on board in long-term management of high level and/or long-lived radioactive waste in Belgium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parotte, C.

In Belgium, the long-term management of radioactive waste is under the exclusive competence of the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (knew as ONDRAF/NIRAS). Unlike low-level waste, no institutional policy has yet been formally approved for the long-term management of high level and/or long-lived radioactive waste (knew as B and C waste). In this context, ONDRAF/NIRAS considers the public and stakeholders' participation as an essential factor in the formulation of an effective and legitimate policy. This is why it has decided to integrate them in different ways during the elaboration of the Waste Plan (ONDRAF/NIRAS-document containing guidelinesmore » to make a principled policy decision about nuclear waste management). To do so, social scientists have been regularly mobilized either as external evaluators, follow-up committee members, or participatory observants. Hence, the Waste Plan is only the first step in a long decision-making process. For a PhD student under contract with ONDRAF/NIRAS, this mandate consists of thinking out a way to construct an inter-organizational innovative communication system that would be participative, transparent and embedded in a long-term perspective, thus integrating all the further legal steps to take throughout the decision-making process. In this regard, two paradoxical constraints must be taken into account: on the one hand, my own influence on the legal decision-making process should remain limited, because of a series of constraints, lock-ins and previous decisions which have to be respected; on the other hand, ONDRAF/NIRAS expects the research conclusions to be policy relevant and useful. In this paper, the purpose is twofold. Firstly, the issues raised by this policy mandate is an opportunity to question the per-formative dimensions of the social scientist in the decision-making process and, more specifically, to have a reflexive view on our position as PhD Student. Secondly, assuming the

Assessment, evaluation, and testing of technologies for environmental restoration, decontamination, and decommissioning and high level waste management. Progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Uzochukwu, G.A.

1997-12-31

Nuclear and commercial non-nuclear technologies that have the potential of meeting the environmental restoration, decontamination and decommissioning, and high-level waste management objectives are being assessed and evaluated. A detailed comparison of innovative technologies available will be performed to determine the safest and most economical technology for meeting these objectives. Information derived from this effort will be matched with the multi-objectives of the environmental restoration, decontamination and decommissioning, and high-level waste management effort to ensure that the best, most economical, and the safest technologies are used in decision making at USDOE-SRS. Technology-related variables will be developed and the resulting data formattedmore » and computerized for multimedia systems. The multimedia system will be made available to technology developers and evaluators to ensure that the best, most economical, and the safest technologies are used in decision making at USDOE-SRS. Technology-related variables will be developed and the resulting data formatted and computerized for multimedia systems. The multimedia system will be made available to technology developers and evaluators to ensure that the safest and most economical technologies are developed for use at SRS and other DOE sites.« less

Dielectric Properties of Low-Level Liquid Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

L. E. Lagos; M. A. Ebadian

1998-10-20

The purpose of this study was to develop a data collection containing values for the dielectric properties of various low-level liquid waste (LLLW) simulants measured as a function of frequency, temperature, and composition. The investigation was motivated by current interest in the use of microwave processing for the treatment of radioactive waste. A large volume of transuranic liquid and sludge produced by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) during the production of nuclear fiel bars is stored at several U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites around the United States. Waste storage and disposal space is scarce, expensive, and must bemore » minimized. Thus, several DOE sites are pursuing the use of microwave heating as a means of achieving volume reduction and solidification of low-level liquid wastes. It is important to know which microwave frequencies should be employed tc achieve the most efficient processing at a range of different temperatures. The dielectric properties of the LLLW simulants can be utilized to determine the optimum frequencies for use with a particular LLLW or with other LLLWS of similar composition. Furthermore, nonlinear thermal processes, such as thermal runaway, which occur in the material being treated cannot be modeled without a knowledge of the temperature dependence of the dielectric properties. Often, this data does not exist; however, when it does, only very limited data near room temperature are available. The data collection generated in this study can be used to predict the behavior of a variety of microwave thermal treatment technologies, which have the potential of substantially reducing the volume of the LLLWS that are currently stored at many DOE sites. This information should help the users of the microwave reduction and solidification technology to optimize microwave processes used in the treatment of LLLW. The microwave reduction and solidification technology has clear advantages over other methods of reducing LLLWS

Performance of mechanical biological treatment of residual municipal waste in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

den Boer, Emilia; Jędrczak, Andrzej

2017-11-01

The number and capacity of mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plants in Europe increased significantly in the past two decades as a response to the legal obligation to limit the landfilling of biodegradable waste in landfills and to increase recycling and energy recovery from waste. The aim of these plants is to prepare residual municipal waste for recovery and disposal operations, including especially separation and stabilization of the easily biodegradable fraction (the biofraction). The final products of MBP technology are recyclables, stabilate, high calorific fraction which is used for the production of refuse derived fuel (RDF) and the remaining residual fraction. The shares of the output fractions, especially of the recyclables and RDF determine the overall efficiency of MBT technology in diverting waste from landfills. In this paper results of an assessment of one exemplary MBT plant are provided. The analysis was performed within a comparative study in which 20 selected MBT plants in Poland were subject to a detailed analysis, focusing, both at the design parameters as well as operational ones. The selected plant showed relatively higher overall materials recovery efficiency. With the view to circular economy targets, increased automation of the mechanical waste treatment will be required to support achieving high level diversion from landfills. The study reviled that stabilisation of biofraction should be improved by a better control of process conditions, especially moisture content.

Relationships between antibiotics and antibiotic resistance gene levels in municipal solid waste leachates in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Wu, Dong; Huang, Zhiting; Yang, Kai; Graham, David; Xie, Bing

2015-04-07

Many studies have quantified antibiotics and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) levels in soils, surface waters, and waste treatment plants (WTPs). However, similar work on municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachates is limited, which is concerning because antibiotics disposal is often in the MSW stream. Here we quantified 20 sulfonamide (SA), quinolone (FQ), tetracycline (TC), macrolide (ML), and chloramphenicol (CP) antibiotics, and six ARGs (sul1, sul2, tetQ, tetM, ermB, and mefA) in MSW leachates from two Shanghai transfer stations (TS; sites Hulin (HL) and Xupu (XP)) and one landfill reservoir (LR) in April and July 2014. Antibiotic levels were higher in TS than LR leachates (985 ± 1965 ng/L vs 345 ± 932 ng/L, n = 40), which was because of very high levels in the HL leachates (averaging at 1676 ± 5175 ng/L, n = 40). The mean MLs (3561 ± 8377 ng/L, n = 12), FQs (975 ± 1608 ng/L, n = 24), and SAs (402 ± 704 ng/L, n = 42) classes of antibiotics were highest across all samples. ARGs were detected in all leachate samples with normalized sul2 and ermB levels being especially elevated (-1.37 ± 1.2 and -1.76 ± 1.6 log (copies/16S-rDNA), respectively). However, ARG abundances did not correlate with detected antibiotic levels, except for tetW and tetQ with TC levels (r = 0.88 and 0.81, respectively). In contrast, most measured ARGs did significantly correlate with heavy metal levels (p < 0.05), especially with Cd and Cr. This study shows high levels of ARGs and antibiotics can prevail in MSW leachates and landfills may be an underappreciated as a source of antibiotics and ARGs to the environment.

Geologic and hydrologic considerations for various concepts of high-level radioactive waste disposal in conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ekren, E.B.; Dinwiddie, G.A.; Mytton, J.W.; Thordarson, William; Weir, J.E.; Hinrichs, E.N.; Schroder, L.J.

1974-01-01

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate and identify which geohydrologic environments in conterminous United States are best suited for various concepts or methods of underground disposal of high-level radioactive wastes and to establish geologic and hydrologic criteria that are pertinent to high-level waste disposal. The unproven methods of disposal include (1) a very deep drill hole (30,000-50,000 ft or 9,140-15,240 m), (2) a matrix of (an array of multiple) drill holes (1,000-20,000 ft or 305-6,100 m), (3) a mined chamber (1,000-10,000 ft or 305-3,050 m), (4) a cavity with separate manmade structures (1,000-10,000 ft or 305-3,050 m), and (5) an exploded cavity (2,000-20,000 ft or 610-6,100 m) o The geohydrologic investigation is made on the presumption that the concepts or methods of disposal are technically feasible. Field and laboratory experiments in the future may demonstrate whether or not any of the methods are practical and safe. All the conclusions drawn are tentative pending experimental confirmation. The investigation focuses principally on the geohydrologic possibilities of several methods of disposal in rocks other than salt. Disposal in mined chambers in salt is currently under field investigation, and this disposal method has been intensely investigated and evaluated by various workers under the sponsorship of the Atomic Energy Commission. Of the various geohydrologic factors that must be considered in the selection of optimum waste-disposal sites, the most important is hydrologic isolation to assure that the wastes will be safely contained within a small radius of the emplacement zone. To achieve this degree of hydrologic isolation, the host rock for the wastes must have very low permeability and the site must be virtually free of faults. In addition, the locality should be in (1) an area of low seismic risk where the possibility of large earthquakes rupturing the emplacement zone is very low, (2) where the possibility- of flooding by

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant No-migration variance petition. Addendum: Volume 7, Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-03-01

This report describes various aspects of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) including design data, waste characterization, dissolution features, ground water hydrology, natural resources, monitoring, general geology, and the gas generation/test program.

Effect of a water-based drilling waste on receiving soil properties and plants growth.

PubMed

Saint-Fort, Roger; Ashtani, Sahar

2014-01-01

This investigation was undertaken to determine the relative effects of recommended land spraying while drilling (LWD) loading rate application for a source of water-based drilling waste material on selected soil properties and phytotoxicity. Drilling waste material was obtained from a well where a nitrate gypsum water based product was used to formulate the drilling fluid. The fluid and associated drill cuttings were used as the drilling waste source to conduct the experiment. The study was carried out in triplicate and involved five plant species, four drilling waste loading rates and a representative agricultural soil type in Alberta. Plant growth was monitored for a period of ten days. Drilling waste applied at 10 times above the recommended loading rate improved the growth and germination rate of all plants excluding radish. Loading rates in excess of 40 and 50 times had a deleterious effect on radish, corn and oat but not on alfalfa and barley. Germination rate decreased as waste loading rate increased. Effects on soil physical and chemical properties were more pronounced at the 40 and 50 times exceeding recommended loading rate. Significant changes in soil parameters occurred at the higher rates in terms of increase in soil porosity, pH, EC, hydraulic conductivity, SAR and textural classification. This study indicates that the applications of this type of water based drill cutting if executed at an optimal loading rate, may improve soil quality and results in better plant growth.

Closure development for high-level nuclear waste containers for the tuff repository; Phase 1, Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robitz, E.S. Jr.; McAninch, M.D. Jr.; Edmonds, D.P.

1990-09-01

This report summarizes Phase 1 activities for closure development of the high-level nuclear waste package task for the tuff repository. Work was conducted under U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Contract 9172105, administered through the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), as part of the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP), funded through the DOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM). The goal of this phase was to select five closure processes for further evaluation in later phases of the program. A decision tree methodology was utilized to perform an objective evaluation of 15 potential closure processes. Information was gathered via a literaturemore » survey, industrial contacts, and discussions with project team members, other experts in the field, and the LLNL waste package task staff. The five processes selected were friction welding, electron beam welding, laser beam welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and plasma arc welding. These are felt to represent the best combination of weldment material properties and process performance in a remote, radioactive environment. Conceptual designs have been generated for these processes to illustrate how they would be implemented in practice. Homopolar resistance welding was included in the Phase 1 analysis, and developments in this process will be monitored via literature in Phases 2 and 3. Work was conducted in accordance with the YMP Quality Assurance Program. 223 refs., 20 figs., 9 tabs.« less

National Low-Level Waste Management Program Radionuclide Report Series. Volume 10, Nickel-63

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carboneau, M.L.; Adams, J.P.

1995-02-01

This report outlines the basic radiological, chemical, and physical characteristics of nickel-63 ({sup 63}Ni) and examines how these characteristics affect the behavior of {sup 63}Ni in various environmental media, such as soils, groundwater, plants, animals, the atmosphere, and the human body. Discussions also include methods of {sup 63}Ni production, waste types, and waste forms that contain {sup 63}Ni. The primary source of {sup 63}Ni in the environment has been low-level radioactive waste material generated as a result of neutron activation of stable {sup 62}Ni that is present in the structural components of nuclear reactor vessels. {sup 63}Ni enters the environmentmore » from the dismantling activities associated with nuclear reactor decommissioning. However, small amounts of {sup 63}Ni have been detected in the environment following the testing of thermonuclear weapons in the South Pacific. Concentrations as high as 2.7 Bq{sup a} per gram of sample (or equivalently 0.0022 parts per billion) were observed on Bikini Atoll (May 1954). {sup 63}Ni was not created as a fission product species (e.g., from {sup 235}U or {sup 239}Pu fissions), but instead was produced as a result of neutron capture in {sup 63}Ni, a common nickel isotope present in the stainless steel components of nuclear weapons (e.g., stainless-304 contains {approximately}9% total Ni or {approximately}0.3% {sup 63}Ni).« less

Guidelines for development of structural integrity programs for DOE high-level waste storage tanks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bandyopadhyay, K.; Bush, S.; Kassir, M.

Guidelines are provided for developing programs to promote the structural integrity of high-level waste storage tanks and transfer lines at the facilities of the Department of Energy. Elements of the program plan include a leak-detection system, definition of appropriate loads, collection of data for possible material and geometric changes, assessment of the tank structure, and non-destructive examination. Possible aging degradation mechanisms are explored for both steel and concrete components of the tanks, and evaluated to screen out nonsignificant aging mechanisms and to indicate methods of controlling the significant aging mechanisms. Specific guidelines for assessing structural adequacy will be provided inmore » companion documents. Site-specific structural integrity programs can be developed drawing on the relevant portions of the material in this document.« less

Technetium Incorporation in Glass for the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kruger, Albert A.; Kim, Dong Sang

2015-01-14

A priority of the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) is to dispose of nuclear wastes accumulated in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in eastern Washington State. These nuclear wastes date from the Manhattan Project of World War II and from plutonium production during the Cold War. The DOE plans to separate high-level radioactive wastes from low activity wastes and to treat each of the waste streams by vitrification (immobilization of the nuclides in glass) for disposal. The immobilized low-activity waste will be disposed of here at Hanford and the immobilized high-level waste at the nationalmore » geologic repository. Included in the inventory of highly radioactive wastes is large volumes of 99Tc (~9 × 10E2 TBq or ~2.5 × 104 Ci or ~1500 kg). A problem facing safe disposal of Tc-bearing wastes is the processing of waste feed into in a chemically durable waste form. Technetium incorporates poorly into silicate glass in traditional glass melting. It readily evaporates during melting of glass feeds and out of the molten glass, leading to a spectrum of high-to-low retention (ca. 20 to 80%) in the cooled glass product. DOE-ORP currently has a program at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Rutgers University and in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University that seeks to understand aspects of Tc retention by means of studying Tc partitioning, molten salt formation, volatilization pathways, and cold cap chemistry. Another problem involves the stability of Tc in glass in both the national geologic repository and on-site disposal after it has been immobilized. The major environmental concern with 99Tc is its high mobility in addition to a long half-life (2.1×105 yrs). The pertechnetate ion (TcO4-) is highly soluble in water and does not adsorb well onto the surface of minerals and so migrates nearly at the same velocity as

Rapid High-Level Production of Functional HIV Broadly Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies in Transient Plant Expression Systems

PubMed Central

Rosenberg, Yvonne; Sack, Markus; Montefiori, David; Forthal, Donald; Mao, Lingjun; -Abanto, Segundo Hernandez; Urban, Lori; Landucci, Gary; Fischer, Rainer; Jiang, Xiaoming

2013-01-01

Passive immunotherapy using anti-HIV broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has shown promise as an HIV treatment, reducing mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) of simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) in non-human primates and decreasing viral rebound in patients who ceased receiving anti-viral drugs. In addition, a cocktail of potent mAbs may be useful as mucosal microbicides and provide an effective therapy for post-exposure prophylaxis. However, even highly neutralizing HIV mAbs used today may lose their effectiveness if resistance occurs, requiring the rapid production of new or engineered mAbs on an ongoing basis in order to counteract the viral resistance or the spread of a certain HIV-1 clade in a particular region or patient. Plant-based expression systems are fast, inexpensive and scalable and are becoming increasingly popular for the production of proteins and monoclonal antibodies. In the present study, Agrobacterium-mediated transient transfection of plants, utilizing two species of Nicotiana, have been tested to rapidly produce high levels of an HIV 89.6PΔ140env and several well-studied anti-HIV neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (b12, 2G12, 2F5, 4E10, m43, VRC01) or a single chain antibody construct (m9), for evaluation in cell-based viral inhibition assays. The protein-A purified plant-derived antibodies were intact, efficiently bound HIV envelope, and were equivalent to, or in one case better than, their counterparts produced in mammalian CHO or HEK-293 cells in both neutralization and antibody dependent viral inhibition assays. These data indicate that transient plant-based transient expression systems are very adaptable and could rapidly generate high levels of newly identified functional recombinant HIV neutralizing antibodies when required. In addition, they warrant detailed cost-benefit analysis of prolonged incubation in plants to further increase mAb production. PMID:23533588

Polychlorinated biphenyls in the surrounding of an e-waste recycling facility in North-Rhine Westphalia: Levels in plants and dusts, spatial distribution, homologue pattern and source identification using the combination of plants and wind direction data.

PubMed

Klees, Marcel; Hombrecher, Katja; Gladtke, Dieter

2017-12-15

During this study the occurrence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the surrounding of an e-waste recycling facility in North-Rhine Westphalia was analysed. PCB levels were analysed in curly kale, spruce needles, street dusts and dusts. Conspicuously high PCB concentrations in curly kale and spruce needles were found directly northwards of the industrial premises. Furthermore a concentration gradient originating from the industrial premises to the residential areas in direction southwest to northeast was evident. Homologue patterns of highly PCB contaminated dusts and street dusts were comparable to the homologue patterns of PCB in curly kale and spruce needles. This corroborates the suspicion that the activities at the e-waste recycling facility were responsible for the elevated PCB levels in curly kale and spruce needles. The utilization of multiple linear regression of wind direction data and analysed PCB concentrations in spruce needles proved that the e-waste recycling facility caused the PCB emissions to the surrounding. Additionally, this evaluation enabled the calculation of source specific accumulation constants for certain parts of the facility. Consequently the different facility parts contribute with different impacts to the PCB levels in bioindicators. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experiments on rehabilitation of radioactive metallic waste (RMW) of reactor stainless steels of Siberian chemical plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolpakov, G. N.; Zakusilov, V. V.; Demyanenko, N. V.; Mishin, A. S.

2016-06-01

Stainless steel pipes, used to cool a reactor plant, have a high cost, and after taking a reactor out of service they must be buried together with other radioactive waste. Therefore, the relevant problem is the rinse of pipes from contamination, followed by returning to operation.

Bacterial Modulation of Plant Ethylene Levels

PubMed Central

Gamalero, Elisa; Glick, Bernard R.

2015-01-01

A focus on the mechanisms by which ACC deaminase-containing bacteria facilitate plant growth.Bacteria that produce the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase, when present either on the surface of plant roots (rhizospheric) or within plant tissues (endophytic), play an active role in modulating ethylene levels in plants. This enzyme activity facilitates plant growth especially in the presence of various environmental stresses. Thus, plant growth-promoting bacteria that express ACC deaminase activity protect plants from growth inhibition by flooding and anoxia, drought, high salt, the presence of fungal and bacterial pathogens, nematodes, and the presence of metals and organic contaminants. Bacteria that express ACC deaminase activity also decrease the rate of flower wilting, promote the rooting of cuttings, and facilitate the nodulation of legumes. Here, the mechanisms behind bacterial ACC deaminase facilitation of plant growth and development are discussed, and numerous examples of the use of bacteria with this activity are summarized. PMID:25897004

Waste/By-Product Hydrogen

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-13

Waste /By product Hydrogen Waste H2 sources include: � Waste bio‐mass: biogas to high temp fuel cells to produce H2 – there are over two dozen sites...By‐product Hydrogen Fuel Flexibility Biogas : generated from organic waste �Wastewater treatment plants can provide multiple MW of renewable...13 Waste /By product Hydrogen ‐ Biogas

Elevated lead levels and adverse effects on natural killer cells in children from an electronic waste recycling area.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Huo, Xia; Cao, Junjun; Yang, Tian; Xu, Long; Xu, Xijin

2016-06-01

Lead (Pb) has been proved to exert immunotoxicity to influence immune homeostasis in humans. To monitor the internal Pb level and evaluate its effect on natural killer (NK) cells and cytokine/chemokine concentrations, we recruited 285 preschool children from Guiyu, one of the largest electronic waste (e-waste) destinations and recycling areas in the world, and known to have high concentrations of Pb in the air, soil, water, sediment and plants. A total of 126 preschool children were selected from Haojiang as a reference group. Results showed that children in Guiyu, the exposed area, had higher blood Pb levels and lower percentages of NK cells than children from the reference area. A significantly negative association was found between the percentage of NK cells and increasing Pb levels. Moreover, children in Guiyu area had higher platelet counts and IL-1β concentrations, and lower levels of IL-2, IL-27, MIP-1α and MIP-1β were observed in the exposed children. These changes might not be conducive to the development and differentiation of NK cells. Taken together, the elevated Pb levels result in the lower percentages of NK cells, but also alter the levels of platelets, IL-1β and IL-27, which might be unconducive to the activity and function of NK cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Technical Assessment Team Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

This report provides the results of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) technical assessment led by the Savannah River National Laboratory and conducted by a team of experts in pertinent disciplines from SRNL and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).

Operational Strategies for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Site in Egypt - 13513

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamed, Yasser T.

The ultimate aims of treatment and conditioning is to prepare waste for disposal by ensuring that the waste will meet the waste acceptance criteria of a disposal facility. Hence the purpose of low-level waste disposal is to isolate the waste from both people and the environment. The radioactive particles in low-level waste emit the same types of radiation that everyone receives from nature. Most low-level waste fades away to natural background levels of radioactivity in months or years. Virtually all of it diminishes to natural levels in less than 300 years. In Egypt, The Hot Laboratories and Waste Management Centermore » has been established since 1983, as a waste management facility for LLW and ILW and the disposal site licensed for preoperational in 2005. The site accepts the low level waste generated on site and off site and unwanted radioactive sealed sources with half-life less than 30 years for disposal and all types of sources for interim storage prior to the final disposal. Operational requirements at the low-level (LLRW) disposal site are listed in the National Center for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control NCNSRC guidelines. Additional procedures are listed in the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility Standards Manual. The following describes the current operations at the LLRW disposal site. (authors)« less

Laboratory Testing of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Surrogate Waste Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broome, S.; Bronowski, D.; Pfeifle, T.; Herrick, C. G.

2011-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a U.S. Department of Energy geological repository for the permanent disposal of defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste. The waste is emplaced in rooms excavated in the bedded Salado salt formation at a depth of 655 m below the ground surface. After emplacement of the waste, the repository will be sealed and decommissioned. WIPP Performance Assessment modeling of the underground material response requires a full and accurate understanding of coupled mechanical, hydrological, and geochemical processes and how they evolve with time. This study was part of a broader test program focused on room closure, specifically the compaction behavior of waste and the constitutive relations to model this behavior. The goal of this study was to develop an improved waste constitutive model. The model parameters are developed based on a well designed set of test data. The constitutive model will then be used to realistically model evolution of the underground and to better understand the impacts on repository performance. The present study results are focused on laboratory testing of surrogate waste materials. The surrogate wastes correspond to a conservative estimate of the degraded containers and TRU waste materials after the 10,000 year regulatory period. Testing consists of hydrostatic, uniaxial, and triaxial tests performed on surrogate waste recipes that were previously developed by Hansen et al. (1997). These recipes can be divided into materials that simulate 50% and 100% degraded waste by weight. The percent degradation indicates the anticipated amount of iron corrosion, as well as the decomposition of cellulosics, plastics, and rubbers. Axial, lateral, and volumetric strain and axial and lateral stress measurements were made. Two unique testing techniques were developed during the course of the experimental program. The first involves the use of dilatometry to measure sample volumetric strain under a hydrostatic condition. Bulk

New Innovations in Highly Ion Specific Media for Recalcitrant Waste stream Radioisotopes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denton, M. S.; Wilson, J.; Ahrendt, M.

actual Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) outage cycle and recovery (four months), was the down-select and development of a number of highly ion specific media for the specific removal of such elusive isotopes. Over three dozen media including standard cation and anion ion exchangers, specialty IX, standard carbons, and, finally, chemically doped media (e.g., carbon and alumina substrates). The latter involved doping with iron, manganese, and even metals. The media down-select was carried out on actual plant waste streams so that all possible outage affects were accounted for, and distribution coefficients (Kd's) were determined (vs. decontamination factors, DF's, or percent removals). Such Kd's, in milliliters of solution per gram of media (mug), produce data indicative of the longevity of the media in that particular waste stream. Herein, the down-select is reported in Pareto (decreasing order) tables. Further affects such as the presence of high cobalt concentrations, high boron concentrations, the presence of hydrazine and chelating agents, and extreme pH conditions. Of particular importance here is to avoid the affinity of competing ions (e.g., a Sb specific media having more than a slight affinity for Co). The latter results in the snow-plow effect of sloughing off 3 to 4 times the cobalt into the effluent as was in the feed upon picking up the Sb. The study was quite successful and resulted in the development of and selection of a resin-type and two granular media for antimony removal, and two resin-types and a granular media for cobalt removal. The decontamination factors for both media were hundreds to thousands of times that of the full filtration and de-min. (authors)« less

Preliminary safety concept for disposal of the very low level radioactive waste in Romania.

PubMed

Niculae, O; Andrei, V; Ionita, G; Duliu, O G

2009-05-01

In Romania, there are certain nuclear installations in operation or under decommissioning, all of them representing an important source of very low level waste (VLLW). This paper presents an overview on the approach of the VLLW management in Romania, focused on those resulted from the nuclear power plants decommissioning. At the same time, the basic elements of safety concept, together with some safety evaluations concerning VLLW repository are presented and discussed too.

Greater-than-Class C low-level waste characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Piscitella, R.R.

1991-12-31

In 1985, Public Law 99-240 (Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985) made the Department of Energy (DOE) responsible for the disposal of greater-than-Class C low-level radioactive waste (GTCC LLW). DOE strategies for storage and disposal of GTCC LLW required characterization of volumes, radionuclide activities, and waste forms. Data from existing literature, disposal records, and original research were used to estimate characteristics, project volumes, and determine radionuclide activities to the years 2035 and 2055. Twenty-year life extensions for 70% of the operating nuclear reactors were assumed to calculate the GTCC LLW available in 2055. The following categories of GTCCmore » LLW were addressed: Nuclear Utilities Waste; Potential Sealed Sources GTCC LLW; DOE-Held Potential GTCC LLW; and Other Generator Waste. It was determined that the largest volume of these wastes, approximately 57%, is generated by nuclear utilities. The Other Generator Waste category contributes approximately 10% of the total GTCC LLW volume projected to the year 2035. DOE-Held Potential GTCC LLW accounts for nearly 33% of all waste projected to the year 2035. Potential Sealed Sources GTCC LLW is less than 0.2% of the total projected volume. The base case total projected volume of GTCC LLW for all categories was 3,250 cubic meters. This was substantially less than previous estimates.« less

Separate collection of plastic waste, better than technical sorting from municipal solid waste?

PubMed

Feil, Alexander; Pretz, Thomas; Jansen, Michael; Thoden van Velzen, Eggo U

2017-02-01

The politically preferred solution to fulfil legal recycling demands is often implementing separate collection systems. However, experience shows their limitations, particularly in urban centres with a high population density. In response to the European Union landfill directive, mechanical biological waste treatment plants have been installed all over Europe. This technology makes it possible to retrieve plastic waste from municipal solid waste. Operators of mechanical biological waste treatment plants, both in Germany and the Netherlands, have started to change their mechanical separation processes to additionally produce plastic pre-concentrates. Results from mechanical biological waste treatment and separate collection of post-consumer packaging waste will be presented and compared. They prove that both the yield and the quality of plastic waste provided as feedstock for the production of secondary plastic raw material are largely comparable. An economic assessment shows which conditions for a technical sorting plant are economically attractive in comparison to separate collection systems. It is, however, unlikely that plastic recycling will ever reach cost neutrality.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Salt Decontamination Testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rick Demmer; Stephen Reese

2014-09-01

On February 14, 2014, americium and plutonium contamination was released in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) salt caverns. At the request of WIPP’s operations contractor, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) personnel developed several methods of decontaminating WIPP salt, using surrogate contaminants and also americium (241Am). The effectiveness of the methods is evaluated qualitatively, and to the extent possible, quantitatively. One of the requirements of this effort was delivering initial results and recommendations within a few weeks. That requirement, in combination with the limited scope of the project, made in-depth analysis impractical in some instances. Of the methods tested (dry brushing,more » vacuum cleaning, water washing, strippable coatings, and mechanical grinding), the most practical seems to be water washing. Effectiveness is very high, and it is very easy and rapid to deploy. The amount of wastewater produced (2 L/m2) would be substantial and may not be easy to manage, but the method is the clear winner from a usability perspective. Removable surface contamination levels (smear results) from the strippable coating and water washing coupons found no residual removable contamination. Thus, whatever is left is likely adhered to (or trapped within) the salt. The other option that shows promise is the use of a fixative barrier. Bartlett Nuclear, Inc.’s Polymeric Barrier System (PBS) proved the most durable of the coatings tested. The coatings were not tested for contaminant entrapment, only for coating integrity and durability.« less

Setting and stiffening of cementitious components in Cast Stone waste form for disposal of secondary wastes from the Hanford waste treatment and immobilization plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Chul-Woo; Chun, Jaehun, E-mail: jaehun.chun@pnnl.gov; Um, Wooyong

2013-04-01

Cast Stone is a cementitious waste form, a viable option to immobilize secondary nuclear liquid wastes generated from the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. However, no study has been performed to understand the flow and stiffening behavior, which is essential to ensure proper workability and is important to safety in a nuclear waste field-scale application. X-ray diffraction, rheology, and ultrasonic wave reflection methods were used to understand the specific phase formation and stiffening of Cast Stone. Our results showed a good correlation between rheological properties of the fresh mixture and phase formation in Cast Stone. Secondary gypsum formation wasmore » observed with low concentration simulants, and the formation of gypsum was suppressed in high concentration simulants. A threshold concentration for the drastic change in stiffening was found at 1.56 M Na concentration. It was found that the stiffening of Cast Stone was strongly dependent on the concentration of simulant. Highlights: • A combination of XRD, UWR, and rheology gives a better understanding of Cast Stone. • Stiffening of Cast Stone was strongly dependent on the concentration of simulant. • A drastic change in stiffening of Cast Stone was found at 1.56 M Na concentration.« less

Setting and Stiffening of Cementitious Components in Cast Stone Waste Form for Disposal of Secondary Wastes from the Hanford waste treatment and immobilization plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Chul-Woo; Chun, Jaehun; Um, Wooyong

2013-04-01

Cast stone is a cementitious waste form, a viable option to immobilize secondary nuclear liquid wastes generated from Hanford vitrification plant. While the strength and radioactive technetium leaching of different waste form candidates have been reported, no study has been performed to understand the flow and stiffening behavior of Cast Stone, which is essential to ensure the proper workability, especially considering necessary safety as a nuclear waste form in a field scale application. The rheological and ultrasonic wave reflection (UWR) measurements were used to understand the setting and stiffening Cast Stone batches. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to find themore » correlation between specific phase formation and the stiffening of the paste. Our results showed good correlation between rheological properties of the fresh Cast Stone mixture and phase formation during hydration of Cast Stone. Secondary gypsum formation originating from blast furnace slag was observed in Cast Stone made with low concentration simulants. The formation of gypsum was suppressed in high concentration simulants. It was found that the stiffening of Cast Stone was strongly dependent on the concentration of simulant. A threshold concentration for the drastic change in stiffening was found at 1.56 M Na concentration.« less

Low-temperature lithium diffusion in simulated high-level boroaluminosilicate nuclear waste glasses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neeway, James J.; Kerisit, Sebastien N.; Gin, Stephane

2014-12-01

Ion exchange is recognized as an integral, if underrepresented, mechanism influencing glass corrosion. However, due to the formation of various alteration layers in the presence of water, it is difficult to conclusively deconvolute the mechanisms of ion exchange from other processes occurring simultaneously during corrosion. In this work, an operationally inert non-aqueous solution was used as an alkali source material to isolate ion exchange and study the solid-state diffusion of lithium. Specifically, the experiments involved contacting glass coupons relevant to the immobilization of high-level nuclear waste, SON68 and CJ-6, which contained Li in natural isotope abundance, with a non-aqueous solutionmore » of 6LiCl dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide at 90 °C for various time periods. The depth profiles of major elements in the glass coupons were measured using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Lithium interdiffusion coefficients, D Li, were then calculated based on the measured depth profiles. The results indicate that the penetration of 6Li is rapid in both glasses with the simplified CJ-6 glass (D 6Li ≈ 4.0-8.0 × 10 -21 m 2/s) exhibiting faster exchange than the more complex SON68 glass (D Li ≈ 2.0-4.0 × 10 -21 m 2/s). Additionally, sodium ions present in the glass were observed to participate in ion exchange reactions; however, different diffusion coefficients were necessary to fit the diffusion profiles of the two alkali ions. Implications of the diffusion coefficients obtained in the absence of alteration layers to the long-term performance of nuclear waste glasses in a geological repository system are also discussed.« less

Environmental analysis burial of offsite low-level waste at SRP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poe, W. L.; Moyer, R. A.

1980-12-01

The environmental effects of receipt and burial of low level naval waste are assessed. This low level waste was sent to the NRC-licensed burial ground operated by Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc., at Barnwell, South Carolina. The DOE announced that DOE-generated low level waste would no longer be buried at commercial waste burial sites. The SRP was selected to receive the Naval waste described in this analysis. Receipt and burial of these wastes will have a negligible effect on SRP's environment and increase only sightly the environmental effects of the SRP operations discussed in the EIS on SRP waste management operations. The environmental effects of burial of this waste at Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground or at the SRP Burial Ground are described in this environmental analysis to permit assessment of incremental effects caused by the decision to bury this Naval waste in the SRP Burial Ground rather than in the Barnwell Burial Ground. The radiological effects from burial of this waste in either the SRP or Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground are very small when compared to those from natural background radiation or to the annual population dose commitment from operation of SRP. The environmental effects of burial at SRP to dose commitments normally received by the population surrounding SRP are compared.

A gene stacking approach leads to engineered plants with highly increased galactan levels in Arabidopsis

DOE PAGES

Gondolf, Vibe M.; Stoppel, Rhea; Ebert, Berit; ...

2014-12-10

Background: Engineering of plants with a composition of lignocellulosic biomass that is more suitable for downstream processing is of high interest for next-generation biofuel production. Lignocellulosic biomass contains a high proportion of pentose residues, which are more difficult to convert into fuels than hexoses. Therefore, increasing the hexose/pentose ratio in biomass is one approach for biomass improvement. A genetic engineering approach was used to investigate whether the amount of pectic galactan can be specifically increased in cell walls of Arabidopsis fiber cells, which in turn could provide a potential source of readily fermentable galactose. Results: First it was tested ifmore » overexpression of various plant UDP-glucose 4-epimerases (UGEs) could increase the availability of UDP-galactose and thereby increase the biosynthesis of galactan. Constitutive and tissue-specific expression of a poplar UGE and three Arabidopsis UGEs in Arabidopsis plants could not significantly increase the amount of cell wall bound galactose. We then investigated co-overexpression of AtUGE2 together with the β-1,4-galactan synthase GalS1. Co-overexpression of AtUGE2 and GalS1 led to over 80% increase in cell wall galactose levels in Arabidopsis stems, providing evidence that these proteins work synergistically. Furthermore, AtUGE2 and GalS1 overexpression in combination with overexpression of the NST1 master regulator for secondary cell wall biosynthesis resulted in increased thickness of fiber cell walls in addition to the high cell wall galactose levels. Immunofluorescence microscopy confirmed that the increased galactose was present as β-1,4-galactan in secondary cell walls. Conclusions: This approach clearly indicates that simultaneous overexpression of AtUGE2 and GalS1 increases the cell wall galactose to much higher levels than can be achieved by overexpressing either one of these proteins alone. Moreover, the increased galactan content in fiber cells while

Examination of food waste co-digestion to manage the peak in energy demand at wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Lensch, D; Schaum, C; Cornel, P

2016-01-01

Many digesters in Germany are not operated at full capacity; this offers the opportunity for co-digestion. Within this research the potentials and limits of a flexible and adapted sludge treatment are examined with a focus on the digestion process with added food waste as co-substrate. In parallel, energy data from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) are analysed and lab-scale semi-continuous and batch digestion tests are conducted. Within the digestion tests, the ratio of sewage sludge to co-substrate was varied. The final methane yields show the high potential of food waste: the higher the amount of food waste the higher the final yield. However, the conversion rates directly after charging demonstrate better results by charging 10% food waste instead of 20%. Finally, these results are merged with the energy data from the WWTP. As an illustration, the load required to cover base loads as well as peak loads for typical daily variations of the plant's energy demand are calculated. It was found that 735 m³ raw sludge and 73 m³ of a mixture of raw sludge and food waste is required to cover 100% of the base load and 95% of the peak load.

Diversity and antibiotic resistance of Aeromonas spp. in drinking and waste water treatment plants.

PubMed

Figueira, Vânia; Vaz-Moreira, Ivone; Silva, Márcia; Manaia, Célia M

2011-11-01

The taxonomic diversity and antibiotic resistance phenotypes of aeromonads were examined in samples from drinking and waste water treatment plants (surface, ground and disinfected water in a drinking water treatment plant, and raw and treated waste water) and tap water. Bacteria identification and intra-species variation were determined based on the analysis of the 16S rRNA, gyrB and cpn60 gene sequences. Resistance phenotypes were determined using the disc diffusion method. Aeromonas veronii prevailed in raw surface water, Aeromonas hydrophyla in ozonated water, and Aeromonas media and Aeromonas puntacta in waste water. No aeromonads were detected in ground water, after the chlorination tank or in tap water. Resistance to ceftazidime or meropenem was detected in isolates from the drinking water treatment plant and waste water isolates were intrinsically resistant to nalidixic acid. Most of the times, quinolone resistance was associated with the gyrA mutation in serine 83. The gene qnrS, but not the genes qnrA, B, C, D or qepA, was detected in both surface and waste water isolates. The gene aac(6')-ib-cr was detected in different waste water strains isolated in the presence of ciprofloxacin. Both quinolone resistance genes were detected only in the species A. media. This is the first study tracking antimicrobial resistance in aeromonads in drinking, tap and waste water and the importance of these bacteria as vectors of resistance in aquatic environments is discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A treatment plant receiving waste water from multiple bulk drug manufacturers is a reservoir for highly multi-drug resistant integron-bearing bacteria.

PubMed

Marathe, Nachiket P; Regina, Viduthalai R; Walujkar, Sandeep A; Charan, Shakti Singh; Moore, Edward R B; Larsson, D G Joakim; Shouche, Yogesh S

2013-01-01

The arenas and detailed mechanisms for transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between environmental bacteria and pathogens are largely unclear. Selection pressures from antibiotics in situations where environmental bacteria and human pathogens meet are expected to increase the risks for such gene transfer events. We hypothesize that waste-water treatment plants (WWTPs) serving antibiotic manufacturing industries may provide such spawning grounds, given the high bacterial densities present there together with exceptionally strong and persistent selection pressures from the antibiotic-contaminated waste. Previous analyses of effluent from an Indian industrial WWTP that processes waste from bulk drug production revealed the presence of a range of drugs, including broad spectrum antibiotics at extremely high concentrations (mg/L range). In this study, we have characterized the antibiotic resistance profiles of 93 bacterial strains sampled at different stages of the treatment process from the WWTP against 39 antibiotics belonging to 12 different classes. A large majority (86%) of the strains were resistant to 20 or more antibiotics. Although there were no classically-recognized human pathogens among the 93 isolated strains, opportunistic pathogens such as Ochrobactrum intermedium, Providencia rettgeri, vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE), Aerococcus sp. and Citrobacter freundii were found to be highly resistant. One of the O. intermedium strains (ER1) was resistant to 36 antibiotics, while P. rettgeri (OSR3) was resistant to 35 antibiotics. Class 1 and 2 integrons were detected in 74/93 (80%) strains each, and 88/93 (95%) strains harbored at least one type of integron. The qPCR analysis of community DNA also showed an unprecedented high prevalence of integrons, suggesting that the bacteria living under such high selective pressure have an appreciable potential for genetic exchange of resistance genes via mobile gene cassettes. The present study provides insight into

Natural radionuclides in waste water discharged from coal-fired power plants in Serbia.

PubMed

Janković, Marija M; Todorović, Dragana J; Sarap, Nataša B; Krneta Nikolić, Jelena D; Rajačić, Milica M; Pantelić, Gordana K

2016-12-01

Investigation of the natural radioactivity levels in water around power plants, as well as in plants, coal, ash, slag and soil, and to assess the associated radiation hazard is becoming an emerging and interesting topic. This paper is focused on the results of the radioactivity analysis in waste water samples from five coal-fired power plants in Serbia (Nikola Tesla A, Nikola Tesla B, Kolubara, Morava and Kostolac), which were analyzed in the period 2003-2015. River water samples taken upstream and downstream from the power plants, drain water and overflow water were analyzed. In the water samples gamma spectrometry analysis was performed as well as determination of gross alpha and beta activity. Natural radionuclide 40 K was detected by gamma spectrometry, while the concentrations of other radionuclides, 226 Ra, 235 U and 238 U, usually were below the minimum detection activity (MDA). 232 Th and artificial radionuclide 137 Cs were not detected in these samples. Gross alpha and beta activities were determined by the α/β low level proportional counter Thermo Eberline FHT 770 T. In the analyzed samples, gross alpha activity ranged from MDA to 0.47 Bq L - 1 , while the gross beta activity ranged from MDA to 1.55 Bq L - 1 .

40 CFR 761.347 - First level sampling-waste from existing piles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false First level sampling-waste from..., DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for... Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance With § 761.61 § 761.347 First level sampling—waste...

40 CFR 761.347 - First level sampling-waste from existing piles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false First level sampling-waste from..., DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for... Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance With § 761.61 § 761.347 First level sampling—waste...

PCDD/F enviromental impact from municipal solid waste bio-drying plant.

PubMed

Rada, E C; Ragazzi, M; Zardi, D; Laiti, L; Ferrari, A

2011-06-01

The present work indentifies some environmental and health impacts of a municipal solid waste bio-drying plant taking into account the PCDD/F release into the atmosphere, its concentration at ground level and its deposition. Four scenarios are presented for the process air treatment and management: biofilter or regenerative thermal oxidation treatment, at two different heights. A Gaussian dispersion model, AERMOD, was used in order to model the dispersion and deposition of the PCDD/F emissions into the atmosphere. Considerations on health risk, from different exposure pathways are presented using an original approach. The case of biofilter at ground level resulted the most critical, depending on the low dispersion of the pollutants. Suggestions on technical solutions for the optimization of the impact are presented. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Projected Impacts to Clark County and Local Governmental Public Safety Agencies Resulting from the Transportation of High-Level Nuclear Waste to Yucca Mountain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mushkatel, A.H.; Conway, S.; Navis, I.

2006-07-01

This paper focuses on the difficulties of projecting fiscal impacts to public safety agencies from the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The efforts made by Clark County Nevada, to develop a fiscal model of impacts for public safety agencies are described in this paper. Some of the difficulties in constructing a fiscal model of impacts for the entire 24 year high-level nuclear waste transportation shipping campaign are identified, and a refined methodology is provided to accomplish this task. Finally, a comparison of the fiscal impact projections for public safety agencies that Clark County developed in 2001,more » with those done in 2005 is discussed, and the fiscal impact cost projections for the entire 24 year transportation campaign are provided. (authors)« less

Mississippi State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The Mississippi State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state an federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Mississippi. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Mississippi. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Mississippi.« less

Wyoming State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Wyoming State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Wyoming. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Wyoming. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Wyoming.« less

Massachusetts State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-03-12

The Massachusetts State Briefing Book is one of a series of State briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist State and Federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Massachusetts. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Massachusetts. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Massachusetts.« less

Texas State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-08-01

The Texas State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactivee waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Texas. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Texas. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Texas.« less

Ohio State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Ohio State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Ohio. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Ohio. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Ohio.« less

Dose rate prediction methodology for remote handled transuranic waste workers at the waste isolation pilot plant.

PubMed

Hayes, Robert

2002-10-01

An approach is described for estimating future dose rates to Waste Isolation Pilot Plant workers processing remote handled transuranic waste. The waste streams will come from the entire U.S. Department of Energy complex and can take on virtually any form found from the processing sequences for defense-related production, radiochemistry, activation and related work. For this reason, the average waste matrix from all generator sites is used to estimate the average radiation fields over the facility lifetime. Innovative new techniques were applied to estimate expected radiation fields. Non-linear curve fitting techniques were used to predict exposure rate profiles from cylindrical sources using closed form equations for lines and disks. This information becomes the basis for Safety Analysis Report dose rate estimates and for present and future ALARA design reviews when attempts are made to reduce worker doses.

Road Map for Development of Crystal-Tolerant High Level Waste Glasses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matyas, Josef; Vienna, John D.; Peeler, David

This road map guides the research and development for formulation and processing of crystal-tolerant glasses, identifying near- and long-term activities that need to be completed over the period from 2014 to 2019. The primary objective is to maximize waste loading for Hanford waste glasses without jeopardizing melter operation by crystal accumulation in the melter or melter discharge riser. The potential applicability to the Savannah River Site (SRS) Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is also addressed in this road map.

One System Integrated Project Team: Retrieval and Delivery of Hanford Tank Wastes for Vitrification in the Waste Treatment Plant - 13234

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harp, Benton J.; Kacich, Richard M.; Skwarek, Raymond J.

The One System Integrated Project Team (IPT) was formed in late 2011 as a way for improving the efficiency of delivery and treatment of highly radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) 586-square-mile Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. The purpose of the One System IPT is to improve coordination and integration between the Hanford's Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) contractor and the Tank Operations Contractor (TOC). The vision statement is: One System is a WTP and TOC safety-conscious team that, through integrated management and implementation of risk-informed decision and mission-based solutions, will enable themore » earliest start of safe and efficient treatment of Hanford's tank waste, to protect the Columbia River, environment and public. The IPT is a formal collaboration between Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), which manages design and construction of the WTP for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of River Protection (DOEORP), and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), which manages the TOC for ORP. More than fifty-six (56) million gallons of highly radioactive liquid waste are stored in one hundred seventy-seven (177) aging, underground tanks. Most of Hanford's waste tanks - one hundred forty-nine (149) of them - are of an old single-shell tank (SST) design built between 1944 and 1964. More than sixty (60) of these tanks have leaked in the past, releasing an estimated one million gallons of waste into the soil and threatening the nearby Columbia River. There are another twenty-eight (28) new double-shelled tanks (DSTs), built from 1968 to 1986, that provide greater protection to the environment. In 1989, DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) signed a landmark agreement that required Hanford to comply with federal and state environmental standards. It also paved the way for agreements that set deadlines for retrieving the

One System Integrated Project Team: Retrieval And Delivery Of The Hanford Tank Wastes For Vitrification In The Waste Treatment Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harp, Benton J.; Kacich, Richard M.; Skwarek, Raymond J.

The One System Integrated Project Team (IPT) was formed in late 2011 as a way for improving the efficiency of delivery and treatment of highly radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) 586-square-mile Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. The purpose of the One System IPT is to improve coordination and integration between the Hanford's Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) contractor and the Tank Operations Contractor (TOC). The vision statement is: One System is a WTP and TOC safety conscious team that, through integrated management and implementation of risk-informed decision and mission-based solutions, will enablemore » the earliest start of safe and efficient treatment of Hanford's tank waste, to protect the Columbia River, environment and public. The IPT is a formal collaboration between Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), which manages design and construction of the WTP for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of River Protection (DOEORP), and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), which manages the TOC for ORP. More than fifty-six (56) million gallons of highly radioactive liquid waste are stored in one hundred seventy-seven (177) aging, underground tanks. Most of Hanford's waste tanks - one hundred forty-nine (149) of them - are of an old single-shell tank (SST) design built between 1944 and 1964. More than sixty (60) of these tanks have leaked in the past, releasing an estimated one million gallons of waste into the soil and threatening the nearby Columbia River. There are another twenty-eight (28) new double-shelled tanks (DSTs), built from 1968 to 1986, that provide greater protection to the environment. In 1989, DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) signed a landmark agreement that required Hanford to comply with federal and state environmental standards. It also paved the way for agreements that set deadlines for retrieving the

Potential for polyhydroxyalkanoate production on German or European municipal waste water treatment plants.

PubMed

Pittmann, T; Steinmetz, H

2016-08-01

Biopolymers, which are made of renewable raw materials and/or biodegradable residual materials present a possible alternative to common plastic. A potential analysis, based on experimental results in laboratory scale and detailed data from German waste water treatment plants, showed that the theoretically possible production of biopolymers in Germany amounts to more than 20% of the 2015 worldwide biopolymer production. In addition a profound estimation regarding all European Union member states showed that theoretically about 115% of the actual worldwide biopolymer production could be produced on European waste water treatment plants. With an upgraded biopolymer production and a theoretically reachable biopolymer proportion of around 60% of the cell dry weight a total of 1,794,656tPHAa or approximately 236% of today's biopolymer production could be produced on waste water treatment plants in the European Union, using primary sludge as raw material only. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating Waste Heat from CO 2 Removal and Coal-Fired Flue Gas to Increase Plant Efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Irvin, Nick; Kowalczyk, Joseph

In project DE-FE0007525, Southern Company Services demonstrated heat integration methods for the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide produced from pulverized coal combustion. A waste heat recovery technology (termed High Efficiency System) from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America was integrated into an existing 25-MW amine-based CO 2 capture process (Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process®1) at Southern Company’s Plant Barry to evaluate improvements in the energy performance of the pulverized coal plant and CO 2 capture process. The heat integration system consists of two primary pieces of equipment: (1) the CO 2 Cooler which uses product CO 2 gas from themore » capture process to heat boiler condensate, and (2) the Flue Gas Cooler which uses air heater outlet flue gas to further heat boiler condensate. Both pieces of equipment were included in the pilot system. The pilot CO 2 Cooler used waste heat from the 25-MW CO 2 capture plant (but not always from product CO 2 gas, as intended). The pilot Flue Gas Cooler used heat from a slipstream of flue gas taken from downstream of Plant Barry’s air heater. The pilot also included a 0.25-MW electrostatic precipitator. The 25-MW High Efficiency System operated for approximately six weeks over a four month time period in conjunction with the 25-MW CO 2 capture facility at Plant Barry. Results from the program were used to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of full-scale implementation of this technology. The test program quantified energy efficiency improvements to a host power plant that could be realized due to the High Efficiency System. Through the execution of this project, the team verified the integrated operation of the High Efficiency System and Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process®. The ancillary benefits of the High Efficiency System were also quantified, including reduced water consumption, a decrease in toxic air emissions, and better overall air quality

Nitrate removal from eutrophic wetlands polluted by metal-mine wastes: effects of liming and plant growth.

PubMed

González-Alcaraz, María Nazaret; Conesa, Héctor Miguel; Álvarez-Rogel, José

2013-10-15

Wetlands are highly effective systems in removing large amounts of N from waters, preventing eutrophication processes. However, when wetlands are polluted by metal-mine wastes their capacity to act as green filters may be diminished. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of liming and plants (Sarcocornia fruticosa and Phragmites australis) on the removal of NO3(-) from eutrophic water in slightly acidic, wetland soils polluted by metal-mine wastes. Simulated soil profiles were constructed and six treatments were assayed: (1) no liming + no plant, (2) no liming + S. fruticosa, (3) no liming + P. australis, (4) liming + no plant, (5) liming + S. fruticosa and (6) liming + P. australis. Three horizons were differentiated: A (never under water), C1 (alternating flooding-drying conditions) and C2 (always under water). The eutrophic water used to flood the soil profiles was enriched in N and organic carbon (pH ~ 7.5, electrical conductivity ~ 11 dS m(-1), NO3(-) ~ 234 mg L(-1) and dissolved organic carbon ~ 106 mg L(-1)). The pH, Eh and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), N-NO3(-) and N-NH4(+) were measured regularly for 18 weeks. Liming stimulated the growth of plants, especially for S. fruticosa (20-fold more plant biomass than without liming), increased the soil pH and favoured the decline of the Eh values, enhancing the removal of NO3(-) via denitrification. Of all the treatments assayed, liming + S. fruticosa was the only treatment that removed almost completely the high concentration of NO3(-) from the eutrophic flooding water, reaching ~1 mg L(-1) N-NO3(-) at the end of the experiment, at all depths. The higher content of DOC in the pore water of this treatment could explain this behaviour, since more labile carbon was available to the soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere, favouring NO3(-) removal through denitrification processes. However, the treatment liming + P. australis (2-fold more plant biomass that without liming) did not

Reuse of waste materials as growing media for ornamental plants.

PubMed

Hernández-Apaolaza, Lourdes; Gascó, Antonio M; Gascó, José M; Guerrero, Francisca

2005-01-01

The use of different waste materials: pine bark, coconut fibre and sewage sludge as substrates in the production of ornamental plants was studied, with an special interest on the suitability of coconut fibre as growing substrate for conifer plants. The plant species tested were Pinus pinea, Cupressus arizonica and C. sempervirens and the substrate mixtures were: (1) pine bark, (2) pine bark with 15% of sewage sludge compost, (3) pine bark with 30% of sewage sludge compost, (4) coconut fibre, (5) coconut fibre with 15% of sewage sludge compost and (6) coconut fibre with 30% of sewage sludge compost. Substrates were physically and chemically well characterized, and 75-cm plants were grown on them for one year. Plant and substrate status were periodically tested along the experiment. As biosolid recycling is the main objective of the present work, the mixtures with 30% of composted sewage sludge will be the most convenient substrate to use. For C. sempervirens and C. arizonica, a mixture between pine bark or coconut fibre and 30% of biosolid compost in volume gave the best results, but the lower cost of the pine bark than the coconut fibre substrate indicated the use of the PB+30% CSS. For P. pinea the research of new combinations between waste products is recommended to attain better results.

Increase of a BLSS closure using mineralized human waste in plant cultivation on a neutral substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gros, Jean-Bernard; Ushakova, Sofya; Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Kudenko, Yurii; Lasseur, Christophe; Shikhov, V.; Anischenko, O.

The purpose of this work was to study the full-scale potential use of human mineralized waste (feces and urine) as a source of mineral elements for plants cultivation in a Biological Life Support System. The plants which are potential candidates for a photosynthesizing link were grown on a neutral solution containing human mineralized waste. Spring wheat Triticum aestivum L., peas Pisum sativum L. Ambrosia cultivar and leaf lettuce Lactuca sativa L., Vitamin variety, were taken as the investigation objects. The plants were grown by hydroponics method on expanded clay aggregates in a vegetation chamber in constant environmental conditions. During the plants growth a definite amount of human mineralized waste was added daily in the nutrient solution. The nutrient solution was not changed during the entire vegetation period. Estimation of the plant needs in macro elements was based on a total biological productivity equal to 0.04 kg.day--1 .m-2 . As the plant requirements in potassium exceeded the potassium content in human waste, water extract of wheat straw containing the required potassium amount was added to the nutrient solution. Knop's solution was used in the control experiments. The experiment and control plants did not show significant differences in their photosynthetic apparatus state and productivity. A small decrease in total productivity of the experimental plants was observed which can result in some reduction of ˆ2 production in a BLSS. Most I probably it is due to the reduced nitrogen use. Therefore in a real BLSS after the mineralization of human feces and urine, it will be efficient to implement a more complete oxidation of nitrogencontaining compounds system, including nitrification. In this case the plants, prospective representatives of the BLSS photosynthesizing unit, could be cultivated on the solutions mainly based on human mineralized waste.

Mechanical-biological treatment: performance and potentials. An LCA of 8 MBT plants including waste characterization.

PubMed

Montejo, Cristina; Tonini, Davide; Márquez, María del Carmen; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

2013-10-15

In the endeavour of avoiding presence of biodegradable waste in landfills and increasing recycling, mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plants have seen a significant increase in number and capacity in the last two decades. The aim of these plants is separating and stabilizing the quickly biodegradable fraction of the waste as well as recovering recyclables from mixed waste streams. In this study the environmental performance of eight MBT-based waste management scenarios in Spain was assessed by means of life cycle assessment. The focus was on the technical and environmental performance of the MBT plants. These widely differed in type of biological treatment and recovery efficiencies. The results indicated that the performance is strongly connected with energy and materials recovery efficiency. The recommendation for upgrading and/or commissioning of future plants is to optimize materials recovery through increased automation of the selection and to prioritize biogas-electricity production from the organic fraction over direct composting. The optimal strategy for refuse derived fuel (RDF) management depends upon the environmental compartment to be prioritized and the type of marginal electricity source in the system. It was estimated that, overall, up to ca. 180-190 kt CO2-eq. y(-1) may be saved by optimizing the MBT plants under assessment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wastewater-based epidemiology generated forensic information: Amphetamine synthesis waste and its impact on a small sewage treatment plant.

PubMed

Emke, Erik; Vughs, Dennis; Kolkman, Annemieke; de Voogt, Pim

2018-05-01

Chemical analysis of domestic wastewater can reveal the presence of illicit drugs either consumed by a population or directly discharged into the sewer system. In the search for causes of a recent malfunctioning of a small domestic wastewater treatment plant aberrantly high loads of amphetamine were observed in the influent of the plant. Direct discharges of chemical waste from illegal production sites were suspected to be the cause. Illegal manufacturing of amphetamines creates substantial amounts of chemical waste. Here we show that fly-tipping of chemical waste originating from an amphetamine synthesis in the catchment of a small sewage treatment plant resulted in failure of the treatment process. Target analysis of drugs of abuse and non-target screening using high resolution mass spectrometry provided evidence for the presence of amphetamine produced from the precursor 1-phenylpropan-2-one by the Leuckart process through specific synthesis markers. Furthermore the identity and presence of the pre-precursor 3-oxo-2-phenylbutanamide was confirmed and a route specific marker was proposed. This is the first study that demonstrates that non-target screening of wastewater can identify intermediates, impurities and by products of the synthesis routes used in illegal manufacturing of amphetamine. The profiles of chemicals thus obtained can be used in tracking productions sites within the corresponding sewer catchment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SECONDARY WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR HANFORD EARLY LOW ACTIVITY WASTE VITRIFICATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

UNTERREINER BJ

2008-07-18

More than 200 million liters (53 million gallons) of highly radioactive and hazardous waste is stored at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. The DOE's Hanford Site River Protection Project (RPP) mission includes tank waste retrieval, waste treatment, waste disposal, and tank farms closure activities. This mission will largely be accomplished by the construction and operation of three large treatment facilities at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP): (1) a Pretreatment (PT) facility intended to separate the tank waste into High Level Waste (HLW) and Low Activity Waste (LAW); (2) a HLW vitrification facilitymore » intended to immobilize the HLW for disposal at a geologic repository in Yucca Mountain; and (3) a LAW vitrification facility intended to immobilize the LAW for shallow land burial at Hanford's Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). The LAW facility is on target to be completed in 2014, five years prior to the completion of the rest of the WTP. In order to gain experience in the operation of the LAW vitrification facility, accelerate retrieval from single-shell tank (SST) farms, and hasten the completion of the LAW immobilization, it has been proposed to begin treatment of the low-activity waste five years before the conclusion of the WTP's construction. A challenge with this strategy is that the stream containing the LAW vitrification facility off-gas treatment condensates will not have the option of recycling back to pretreatment, and will instead be treated by the Hanford Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). Here the off-gas condensates will be immobilized into a secondary waste form; ETF solid waste.« less

Kansas State Briefing Book on low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-07-01

The Kansas State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Kansas. The profile is the result of a survey of radioactive material licensees in Kansas. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developedmore » through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may affect waste management practices in Kansas.« less

Vermont State Briefing Book on low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-07-01

The Vermont State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Vermont. The profile is the result of a survey of Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensees in Vermont. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment wasmore » developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may affect waste management practices in Vermont.« less

Use resources of human exometabolites of different oxidation levels for higher plants cultivation on the soil-like substrate as applied to closed ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Kudenko, Yurii; Ushakova, Sofya; Tirranen, Lyalya; Gribovskaya, Illiada; Gros, Jean-Bernard; Lasseur, Christophe

The technology of ‘wet incineration' of human exometabolites and inedible plants biomass by means of H2 O2 in alternating electromagnetic field to increase a closure of mass exchange processes in bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) was developed at the Institute of Biophysics of the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (Krasnoyarsk, Russia). Human exometabolites mineralized can be used in a nutrient solution for plants cultivation in the BLSS phototrophic link. The objective of the given work appears to be the study of use resources of human exometabolites of different oxidation levels processed by the abovementioned method for higher plants cultivation on the soil-like substrate (SLS). The mineralized human wastes were tested for the purpose of their sterility. Then the effect of human exometabolites of different oxidation levels both on wheat productivity and on the SLS microflora composition was examined. The SLS extract with a definite amount of human mineralized wastes was used as an irrigation solution. The conducted experiments demonstrated that the H2 O2 decreasing to 1 ml on 1 g of feces and to 0.25 ml on 1 ml of urine had not affected the sterility of mineralized human wastes. Wheat cultivation on the SLS with the addition in an irrigation solution of mineralized human wastes in the amount simulating 1/6 of a daily human diet showed the absence of basic dependence of plants productivity on oxidation level of human exometabolites. Yet the analysis of the microflora composition of the irrigation solutions demonstrated its dependence on the oxidation level of the exometabolites introduced. The amount of yeast-like fungi increased in 20 times in the solutions containing less oxidized exometabolites in comparison with the variant in which the human wastes were subjected to a full-scale oxidation. Besides, the solutions with less oxidized exometabolites displayed a bigger content of plant pathogenic bacteria and denitrifies. Consequently the

Thirteenth annual U.S. DOE low-level radioactive waste management conference: Proceedings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1991-12-31

The 40 papers in this document comprise the proceedings of the Department of Energy`s Thirteenth Annual Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference that was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 19--21, 1991. General subjects addressed during the conference included: disposal facility design; greater-than-class C low-level waste; public acceptance considerations; waste certification; site characterization; performance assessment; licensing and documentation; emerging low-level waste technologies; waste minimization; mixed waste; tracking and transportation; storage; and regulatory changes. Papers have been processed separately for inclusion on the data base.

Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1988-08-01

In 1980, Congress passed the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act. This Act provided for a new approach to the disposal of low-level radioactive waste. It assigned each state responsibility for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste generated within its borders, and it authorized states to enter into compacts for the purpose of operating regional disposal facilities. It also authorized compacts to restrict the use of regional disposal facilities to only member states. To meet their obligations under the Act, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin formed the Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact. The Compact was ratified bymore » each of the state legislatures and by Congress. The Compact established the Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission, composed on one representative appointed by the Governor or Legislature of each member state. Article 3 of the compact requires that the Commission prepare an annual report regarding the activities and actions of the Commission. It also requires that the annual report be distributed to the Governors and legislative leaders in the member states. The Commission's Bylaw Article 12 requires the annual report to cover the preceding fiscal year, and to be distributed in August of each year. The Bylaw also requires that an annual audit, prepared by a certified public accountant, be included as part of the annual report. 3 figs.« less

Secondary Waste Cast Stone Waste Form Qualification Testing Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westsik, Joseph H.; Serne, R. Jeffrey

2012-09-26

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is being constructed to treat the 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site. The WTP includes a pretreatment facility to separate the wastes into high-level waste (HLW) and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions for vitrification and disposal. The LAW will be converted to glass for final disposal at the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). Cast Stone – a cementitious waste form, has been selected for solidification of this secondary waste stream after treatment in the ETF. The secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form must be acceptablemore » for disposal in the IDF. This secondary waste Cast Stone waste form qualification testing plan outlines the testing of the waste form and immobilization process to demonstrate that the Cast Stone waste form can comply with the disposal requirements. Specifications for the secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form have not been established. For this testing plan, Cast Stone specifications are derived from specifications for the immobilized LAW glass in the WTP contract, the waste acceptance criteria for the IDF, and the waste acceptance criteria in the IDF Permit issued by the State of Washington. This testing plan outlines the testing needed to demonstrate that the waste form can comply with these waste form specifications and acceptance criteria. The testing program must also demonstrate that the immobilization process can be controlled to consistently provide an acceptable waste form product. This testing plan also outlines the testing needed to provide the technical basis for understanding the long-term performance of the waste form in the disposal environment. These waste form performance data are needed to support performance assessment analyses of the long-term environmental impact of the secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form in the IDF« less