Numerical Simulation of Hydrothermal Salt Separation Process and Analysis and Cost Estimating of Shipboard Liquid Waste Disposal

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

possible means to improve a variety of processes: supercritical water in steam Rankine cycles (fossil-fuel powered plants), supercritical carbon ... dioxide and supercritical water in advanced nuclear power plants, and oxidation in supercritical water for use in destroying toxic military wastes and...destruction technologies are installed in a class of ship. Additionally, the properties of one waste water destruction medium, supercritical

Projected Salt Waste Production from a Commercial Pyroprocessing Facility

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

Simpson, Michael F.

Pyroprocessing of used nuclear fuel inevitably produces salt waste from electrorefining and/or oxide reduction unit operations. Various process design characteristics can affect the actual mass of such waste produced. This paper examines both oxide and metal fuel treatment, estimates the amount of salt waste generated, and assesses potential benefit of process options to mitigate the generation of salt waste. For reference purposes, a facility is considered in which 100 MT/year of fuel is processed. Salt waste estimates range from 8 to 20 MT/year from considering numerous scenarios. It appears that some benefit may be derived from advanced processes for separatingmore » fission products from molten salt waste, but the degree of improvement is limited. Waste form production is also considered but appears to be economically unfavorable. Direct disposal of salt into a salt basin type repository is found to be the most promising with respect to minimizing the impact of waste generation on the economic feasibility and sustainability of pyroprocessing.« less

Advances and bottlenecks in microbial hydrogen production.

PubMed

Stephen, Alan J; Archer, Sophie A; Orozco, Rafael L; Macaskie, Lynne E

2017-09-01

Biological production of hydrogen is poised to become a significant player in the future energy mix. This review highlights recent advances and bottlenecks in various approaches to biohydrogen processes, often in concert with management of organic wastes or waste CO 2 . Some key bottlenecks are highlighted in terms of the overall energy balance of the process and highlighting the need for economic and environmental life cycle analyses with regard also to socio-economic and geographical issues. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

TREATMENT OF METAL-LADEN HAZARDOUS WASTES WITH ADVANCED CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY BY-PRODUCTS

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

James T. Cobb, Jr.

2003-09-12

Metal-laden wastes can be stabilized and solidified using advanced clean coal technology by-products (CCTBs)--fluid bed combustor ash and spray drier solids. These utility-generated treatment chemicals are available for purchase through brokers, and commercial applications of this process are being practiced by treaters of metal-laden hazardous waste. A complex of regulations governs this industry, and sensitivities to this complex has discouraged public documentation of treatment of metal-laden hazardous wastes with CCTBs. This report provides a comprehensive public documentation of laboratory studies that show the efficacy of the stabilization and solidification of metal-laden hazardous wastes--such as lead-contaminated soils and sandblast residues--through treatmentmore » with CCTBs. It then describes the extensive efforts that were made to obtain the permits allowing a commercial hazardous waste treater to utilize CCTBs as treatment chemicals and to install the equipment required to do so. It concludes with the effect of this lengthy process on the ability of the treatment company to realize the practical, physical outcome of this effort, leading to premature termination of the project.« less

Waste valorization by biotechnological conversion into added value products.

PubMed

Liguori, Rossana; Amore, Antonella; Faraco, Vincenza

2013-07-01

Fossil fuel reserves depletion, global warming, unrelenting population growth, and costly and problematic waste recycling call for renewable resources of energy and consumer products. As an alternative to the 100 % oil economy, production processes based on biomass can be developed. Huge amounts of lignocellulosic wastes are yearly produced all around the world. They include agricultural residues, food farming wastes, "green-grocer's wastes," tree pruning residues, and organic and paper fraction of urban solid wastes. The common ways currently adopted for disposal of these wastes present environmental and economic disadvantages. As an alternative, processes for adding value to wastes producing high added products should be developed, that is the upgrading concept: adding value to wastes by production of a product with desired reproducible properties, having economic and ecological advantages. A wide range of high added value products, such as enzymes, biofuels, organic acids, biopolymers, bioelectricity, and molecules for food and pharmaceutical industries, can be obtained by upgrading solid wastes. The most recent advancements of their production by biotechnological processes are overviewed in this manuscript.

Office of River Protection Advanced Low-Activity Waste Glass Research and Development Plan

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

Peeler, David K.; Kim, Dong-Sang; Vienna, John D.

2015-11-01

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of River Protection (ORP) has initiated and leads an integrated Advanced Waste Glass (AWG) program to increase the loading of Hanford tank wastes in glass while meeting melter lifetime expectancies and process, regulatory, and product performance requirements. The integrated ORP program is focused on providing a technical, science-based foundation for making key decisions regarding the successful operation of the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) facilities in the context of an optimized River Protection Project (RPP) flowsheet. The fundamental data stemming from this program will support development of advanced glass formulations, keymore » product performance and process control models, and tactical processing strategies to ensure safe and successful operations for both the low-activity waste (LAW) and high-level waste vitrification facilities. These activities will be conducted with the objective of improving the overall RPP mission by enhancing flexibility and reducing cost and schedule. The purpose of this advanced LAW glass research and development plan is to identify the near-term, mid-term, and longer-term research and development activities required to develop and validate advanced LAW glasses, property-composition models and their uncertainties, and an advanced glass algorithm to support WTP facility operations, including both Direct Feed LAW and full pretreatment flowsheets. Data are needed to develop, validate, and implement 1) new glass property-composition models and 2) a new glass formulation algorithm. Hence, this plan integrates specific studies associated with increasing the Na2O and SO3/halide concentrations in glass, because these components will ultimately dictate waste loadings for LAW vitrification. Of equal importance is the development of an efficient and economic strategy for 99Tc management. Specific and detailed studies are being implemented to understand the fate of Tc throughout the WTP flowsheet and the underlying mechanisms that dictate its partitioning between streams within the LAW vitrification facility. These studies are aimed at increasing the single-pass Tc retention in glass and the potential use of high-temperature mineral phases to capture Tc. The Tc-bearing mineral phases would be thermally stable and resistant to Tc release during feed melting reactions or they could serve as alternative waste forms. The LAW glass research and development is focused on reducing the total volume of LAW glass produced and minimizing the impact of (or potentially eliminating) the need for recycle.« less

Stock flow diagram analysis on solid waste management in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulkipli, Faridah; Nopiah, Zulkifli Mohd; Basri, Noor Ezlin Ahmad; Kie, Cheng Jack

2016-10-01

The effectiveness on solid waste management is a major importance to societies. Numerous generation of solid waste from our daily activities has risked for our communities. These due to rapid population grow and advance in economic development. Moreover, the complexity of solid waste management is inherently involved large scale, diverse and element of uncertainties that must assist stakeholders with deviating objectives. In this paper, we proposed a system dynamics simulation by developing a stock flow diagram to illustrate the solid waste generation process and waste recycle process. The analysis highlights the impact on increasing the number of population toward the amount of solid waste generated and the amount of recycled waste. The results show an increment in the number of population as well as the amount of recycled waste will decrease the amount of waste generated. It is positively represent the achievement of government aim to minimize the amount of waste to be disposed by year 2020.

Bioregenerative technologies for waste processing and resource recovery in advanced space life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamberland, Dennis

1991-01-01

The Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) for producing oxygen, water, and food in space will require an interactive facility to process and return wastes as resources to the system. This paper examines the bioregenerative techologies for waste processing and resource recovery considered for a CELSS Resource Recovery system. The components of this system consist of a series of biological reactors to treat the liquid and solid material fractions, in which the aerobic and anaerobic reactors are combined in a block called the Combined Reactor Equipment (CORE) block. The CORE block accepts the human wastes, kitchen wastes, inedible refractory plant materials, grey waters from the CELLS system, and aquaculture solids and processes these materials in either aerobic or anaerobic reactors depending on the desired product and the rates required by the integrated system.

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

Dunn, Darrell; Poinssot, Christophe; Begg, Bruce

Management of nuclear waste remains an important international topic that includes reprocessing of commercial nuclear fuel, waste-form design and development, storage and disposal packaging, the process of repository site selection, system design, and performance assessment. Requirements to manage and dispose of materials from the production of nuclear weapons, and the renewed interest in nuclear power, in particular through the Generation IV Forum and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative, can be expected to increase the need for scientific advances in waste management. A broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines is necessary to provide safe and effective solutions and address complexmore » issues. This volume offers an interdisciplinary perspective on materials-related issues associated with nuclear waste management programs. Invited and contributed papers cover a wide range of topics including studies on: spent fuel; performance assessment and models; waste forms for low- and intermediate-level waste; ceramic and glass waste forms for plutonium and high-level waste; radionuclides; containers and engineered barriers; disposal environments and site characteristics; and partitioning and transmutation.« less

Development of Advanced Nuclide Separation and Recovery Methods using Ion-Exchanhge Techniques in Nuclear Backend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miura, Hitoshi

The development of compact separation and recovery methods using selective ion-exchange techniques is very important for the reprocessing and high-level liquid wastes (HLLWs) treatment in the nuclear backend field. The selective nuclide separation techniques are effective for the volume reduction of wastes and the utilization of valuable nuclides, and expected for the construction of advanced nuclear fuel cycle system and the rationalization of waste treatment. In order to accomplish the selective nuclide separation, the design and synthesis of novel adsorbents are essential for the development of compact and precise separation processes. The present paper deals with the preparation of highly functional and selective hybrid microcapsules enclosing nano-adsorbents in the alginate gel polymer matrices by sol-gel methods, their characterization and the clarification of selective adsorption properties by batch and column methods. The selective separation of Cs, Pd and Re in real HLLW was further accomplished by using novel microcapsules, and an advanced nuclide separation system was proposed by the combination of selective processes using microcapsules.

Oxygen Penalty for Waste Oxidation in an Advanced Life Support System: A Systems Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pisharody, Suresh; Wignarajah, K.; Fisher, John

2002-01-01

Oxidation is one of a number of technologies that are being considered for waste management and resource recovery from waste materials generated on board space missions. Oxidation processes are a very effective and efficient means of clean and complete conversion of waste materials to sterile products. However, because oxidation uses oxygen there is an "oxygen penalty" associated either with resupply of oxygen or with recycling oxygen from some other source. This paper is a systems approach to the issue of oxygen penalty in life support systems and presents findings on the oxygen penalty associated with an integrated oxidation-Sabatier-Oxygen Generation System (OGS) for waste management in an Advanced Life Support System. The findings reveal that such an integrated system can be operated to form a variety of useful products without a significant oxygen penalty.

Trash-to-Gas: Converting Space Trash into Useful Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caraccio, Anne J.; Hintze, Paul E.

2013-01-01

NASA's Logistical Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project is a collaborative effort in which NASA is determined to reduce total logistical mass through reduction, reuse and recycling of various wastes and components of long duration space missions and habitats. LRR is focusing on four distinct advanced areas of study: Advanced Clothing System, Logistics-to-Living, Heat Melt Compactor and Trash to Supply Gas (TtSG). The objective of TtSG is to develop technologies that convert material waste, human waste and food waste into high-value products. High-value products include life support oxygen and water, rocket fuels, raw material production feedstocks, and other energy sources. There are multiple pathways for converting waste to products involving single or multi-step processes. This paper discusses thermal oxidation methods of converting waste to methane. Different wastes, including food, food packaging, Maximum Absorbent Garments (MAGs), human waste simulants, and cotton washcloths have been evaluated in a thermal degradation reactor under conditions promoting pyrolysis, gasification or incineration. The goal was to evaluate the degradation processes at varying temperatures and ramp cycles and to maximize production of desirable products and minimize high molecular weight hydrocarbon (tar) production. Catalytic cracking was also evaluated to minimize tar production. The quantities of CO2, CO, CH4, and H2O were measured under the different thermal degradation conditions. The conversion efficiencies of these products were used to determine the best methods for producing desired products.

Trash to Gas: Converting Space Trash into Useful Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nur, Mononita

2013-01-01

NASA's Logistical Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project is a collaborative effort in which NASA is determined to reduce total logistical mass through reduction, reuse and recycling of various wastes and components of long duration space missions and habitats. LRR is focusing on four distinct advanced areas of study: Advanced Clothing System, Logistics-to-Living, Heat Melt Compactor and Trash to Supply Gas (TtSG). The objective of TtSG is to develop technologies that convert material waste, human waste and food waste into high-value products. High-value products include life support oxygen and water, rocket fuels, raw material production feedstocks, and other energy sources. There are multiple pathways for converting waste to products involving single or multi-step processes. This paper discusses thermal oxidation methods of converting waste to methane. Different wastes, including food, food packaging, Maximum Absorbent Garments (MAGs), human waste simulants, and cotton washcloths have been evaluated in a thermal degradation reactor under conditions promoting pyrolysis, gasification or incineration. The goal was to evaluate the degradation processes at varying temperatures and ramp cycles and to maximize production of desirable products and minimize high molecular weight hydrocarbon (tar) production. Catalytic cracking was also evaluated to minimize tar production. The quantities of C02, CO, CH4, and H20 were measured under the different thermal degradation conditions. The conversion efficiencies of these products were used to determine the best methods for producing desired products.

Advanced ceramic materials for next-generation nuclear applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marra, John

2011-10-01

The nuclear industry is at the eye of a 'perfect storm' with fuel oil and natural gas prices near record highs, worldwide energy demands increasing at an alarming rate, and increased concerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that have caused many to look negatively at long-term use of fossil fuels. This convergence of factors has led to a growing interest in revitalization of the nuclear power industry within the United States and across the globe. Many are surprised to learn that nuclear power provides approximately 20% of the electrical power in the US and approximately 16% of the world-wide electric power. With the above factors in mind, world-wide over 130 new reactor projects are being considered with approximately 25 new permit applications in the US. Materials have long played a very important role in the nuclear industry with applications throughout the entire fuel cycle; from fuel fabrication to waste stabilization. As the international community begins to look at advanced reactor systems and fuel cycles that minimize waste and increase proliferation resistance, materials will play an even larger role. Many of the advanced reactor concepts being evaluated operate at high-temperature requiring the use of durable, heat-resistant materials. Advanced metallic and ceramic fuels are being investigated for a variety of Generation IV reactor concepts. These include the traditional TRISO-coated particles, advanced alloy fuels for 'deep-burn' applications, as well as advanced inert-matrix fuels. In order to minimize wastes and legacy materials, a number of fuel reprocessing operations are being investigated. Advanced materials continue to provide a vital contribution in 'closing the fuel cycle' by stabilization of associated low-level and high-level wastes in highly durable cements, ceramics, and glasses. Beyond this fission energy application, fusion energy will demand advanced materials capable of withstanding the extreme environments of high-temperature plasma systems. Fusion reactors will likely depend on lithium-based ceramics to produce tritium that fuels the fusion plasma, while high-temperature alloys or ceramics will contain and control the hot plasma. All the while, alloys, ceramics, and ceramic-related processes continue to find applications in the management of wastes and byproducts produced by these processes.

An Evaluation of the Functionality of Advanced Fuel Research Prototype Dry Pyrolyzer for Destruction of Solid Wastes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, John; Wignarajah, K.; Howard, Kevin; Serio, Mike; Kroo, Eric

2004-01-01

The prototype dry pyrolyser delivered to Ames Research Center is the end-product of a Phase I1 Small Business Initiative Research (SBIR) project. Some of the major advantages of pyrolysis for processing solid wastes are that it can process solid wastes, it permits elemental recycling while conserving oxygen use, and it can function as a pretreatment for combustion processes. One of the disadvantages of pyrolysis is the formation of tars. By controlling the rate of heating, tar formation can be minimized. This paper presents data on the pyrolysis of various space station wastes. The performance of the pyrolyser is also discussed and appropriate modifications suggested to improve the performance of the dry pyrolyzer.

Waste management in space: a NASA symposium. Special issue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wydeven, T. (Principal Investigator)

1991-01-01

This special issue contains papers from the NASA Symposium on Waste Processing for Advanced Life Support, which was held at NASA Ames Research Center on September 11-13, 1990. Specialists in waste management from academia, government, and industry convened to exchange ideas and advise NASA in developing effective methods for waste management in a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). Innovative and well-established methods were presented to assist in developing and managing wastes in closed systems for future long-duration space missions, especially missions to Mars.

Microbial-processing of fruit and vegetable wastes for production of vital enzymes and organic acids: Biotechnology and scopes.

PubMed

Panda, Sandeep K; Mishra, Swati S; Kayitesi, Eugenie; Ray, Ramesh C

2016-04-01

Wastes generated from fruits and vegetables are organic in nature and contribute a major share in soil and water pollution. Also, green house gas emission caused by fruit and vegetable wastes (FVWs) is a matter of serious environmental concern. This review addresses the developments over the last one decade on microbial processing technologies for production of enzymes and organic acids from FVWs. The advances in genetic engineering for improvement of microbial strains in order to enhance the production of the value added bio-products as well as the concept of zero-waste economy have been briefly discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biotechnology in the management and resource recovery from metal bearing solid wastes: Recent advances.

PubMed

Sethurajan, Manivannan; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Nancharaiah, Yarlagadda V

2018-04-01

Solid metalliferous wastes (sludges, dusts, residues, slags, red mud and tailing wastes) originating from ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgical industries are a serious environmental threat, when waste management practices are not properly followed. Metalliferous wastes generated by metallurgical industries are promising resources for biotechnological extraction of metals. These wastes still contain significant amounts of valuable non-ferrous metals, sometimes precious metals and also rare earth elements. Elemental composition and mineralogy of the metallurgical wastes is dependent on the nature of mining site and composition of primary ores mined. Most of the metalliferous wastes are oxidized in nature and contain less/no reduced sulfidic minerals (which can be quite well processed by biohydrometallurgy). However, application of biohydrometallurgy is more challenging while extracting metals from metallurgical wastes that contain oxide minerals. In this review, origin, elemental composition and mineralogy of the metallurgical solid wastes are presented. Various bio-hydrometallurgical processes that can be considered for the extraction of non-ferrous metals from metal bearing solid wastes are reviewed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation and Characterization of Biomass-Derived Advanced Carbon Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardiansyah, Andri; Chaldun, Elsy Rahimi; Nuryadin, Bebeh Wahid; Fikriyyah, Anti Khoerul; Subhan, Achmad; Ghozali, Muhammad; Purwasasmita, Bambang Sunendar

2018-04-01

In this study, carbon-based advanced materials for lithium-ion battery applications were prepared by using soybean waste-based biomass material, through a straightforward process of heat treatment followed by chemical modification processes. Various types of carbon-based advanced materials were developed. Physicochemical characteristics and electrochemical performance of the resultant materials were characterized systematically. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that the activated carbon and graphene exhibits wrinkles structures and porous morphology. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that both activated carbon and graphene-based material exhibited a good conductivity. For instance, the graphene-based material exhibited equivalent series resistance value of 25.9 Ω as measured by EIS. The graphene-based material also exhibited good reversibility and cyclic performance. Eventually, it would be anticipated that the utilization of soybean waste-based biomass material, which is conforming to the principles of green materials, could revolutionize the development of advanced material for high-performance energy storage applications, especially for lithium-ion batteries application.

Preparation and Characterization of Biomass-Derived Advanced Carbon Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardiansyah, Andri; Chaldun, Elsy Rahimi; Nuryadin, Bebeh Wahid; Fikriyyah, Anti Khoerul; Subhan, Achmad; Ghozali, Muhammad; Purwasasmita, Bambang Sunendar

2018-07-01

In this study, carbon-based advanced materials for lithium-ion battery applications were prepared by using soybean waste-based biomass material, through a straightforward process of heat treatment followed by chemical modification processes. Various types of carbon-based advanced materials were developed. Physicochemical characteristics and electrochemical performance of the resultant materials were characterized systematically. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that the activated carbon and graphene exhibits wrinkles structures and porous morphology. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that both activated carbon and graphene-based material exhibited a good conductivity. For instance, the graphene-based material exhibited equivalent series resistance value of 25.9 Ω as measured by EIS. The graphene-based material also exhibited good reversibility and cyclic performance. Eventually, it would be anticipated that the utilization of soybean waste-based biomass material, which is conforming to the principles of green materials, could revolutionize the development of advanced material for high-performance energy storage applications, especially for lithium-ion batteries application.

To fractionate municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash: Key for utilisation?

PubMed

Sormunen, Laura Annika; Rantsi, Riina

2015-11-01

For the past decade, the Finnish waste sector has increasingly moved from the landfilling of municipal solid waste towards waste incineration. New challenges are faced with the growing amounts of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash, which are mainly landfilled at the moment. Since this is not a sustainable or a profitable solution, finding different utilisation applications for the municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash is crucial. This study reports a comprehensive analysis of bottom ash properties from one waste incineration plant in Finland, which was first treated with a Dutch bottom ash recovery technique called advanced dry recovery. This novel process separates non-ferrous and ferrous metals from bottom ash, generating mineral fractions of different grain sizes (0-2 mm, 2-5 mm, 5-12 mm and 12-50 mm). The main aim of the study was to assess, whether the advanced bottom ash treatment technique, producing mineral fractions of different grain sizes and therefore properties, facilitates the utilisation of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash in Finland. The results were encouraging; the bottom ash mineral fractions have favourable behaviour against the frost action, which is especially useful in the Finnish conditions. In addition, the leaching of most hazardous substances did not restrict the utilisation of bottom ash, especially for the larger fractions (>5 mm). Overall, this study has shown that the advanced bottom ash recovering technique can be one solution to increase the utilisation of bottom ash and furthermore decrease its landfilling in Finland. © The Author(s) 2015.

A Characteristics-Based Approach to Radioactive Waste Classification in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djokic, Denia

The radioactive waste classification system currently used in the United States primarily relies on a source-based framework. This has lead to numerous issues, such as wastes that are not categorized by their intrinsic risk, or wastes that do not fall under a category within the framework and therefore are without a legal imperative for responsible management. Furthermore, in the possible case that advanced fuel cycles were to be deployed in the United States, the shortcomings of the source-based classification system would be exacerbated: advanced fuel cycles implement processes such as the separation of used nuclear fuel, which introduce new waste streams of varying characteristics. To be able to manage and dispose of these potential new wastes properly, development of a classification system that would assign appropriate level of management to each type of waste based on its physical properties is imperative. This dissertation explores how characteristics from wastes generated from potential future nuclear fuel cycles could be coupled with a characteristics-based classification framework. A static mass flow model developed under the Department of Energy's Fuel Cycle Research & Development program, called the Fuel-cycle Integration and Tradeoffs (FIT) model, was used to calculate the composition of waste streams resulting from different nuclear fuel cycle choices: two modified open fuel cycle cases (recycle in MOX reactor) and two different continuous-recycle fast reactor recycle cases (oxide and metal fuel fast reactors). This analysis focuses on the impact of waste heat load on waste classification practices, although future work could involve coupling waste heat load with metrics of radiotoxicity and longevity. The value of separation of heat-generating fission products and actinides in different fuel cycles and how it could inform long- and short-term disposal management is discussed. It is shown that the benefits of reducing the short-term fission-product heat load of waste destined for geologic disposal are neglected under the current source-based radioactive waste classification system, and that it is useful to classify waste streams based on how favorable the impact of interim storage is on increasing repository capacity. The need for a more diverse set of waste classes is discussed, and it is shown that the characteristics-based IAEA classification guidelines could accommodate wastes created from advanced fuel cycles more comprehensively than the U.S. classification framework.

Hidden flows and waste processing--an analysis of illustrative futures.

PubMed

Schiller, F; Raffield, T; Angus, A; Herben, M; Young, P J; Longhurst, P J; Pollard, S J T

2010-12-14

An existing materials flow model is adapted (using Excel and AMBER model platforms) to account for waste and hidden material flows within a domestic environment. Supported by national waste data, the implications of legislative change, domestic resource depletion and waste technology advances are explored. The revised methodology offers additional functionality for economic parameters that influence waste generation and disposal. We explore this accounting system under hypothetical future waste and resource management scenarios, illustrating the utility of the model. A sensitivity analysis confirms that imports, domestic extraction and their associated hidden flows impact mostly on waste generation. The model offers enhanced utility for policy and decision makers with regard to economic mass balance and strategic waste flows, and may promote further discussion about waste technology choice in the context of reducing carbon budgets.

Laser ablation/ionization characterization of solids: Second interim progress report of the strategic environmental research development program

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

Hess, W.P.; Bushaw, B.A.; McCarthy, M.I.

1996-10-01

The Department of Energy is undertaking the enormous task of remediating defense wastes and environmental insults which have occurred over 50 years of nuclear weapons production. It is abundantly clear that significant technology advances are needed to characterize, process, and store highly radioactive waste and to remediate contaminated zones. In addition to the processing and waste form issues, analytical technologies needed for the characterization of solids, and for monitoring storage tanks and contaminated sites do not exist or are currently expensive labor-intensive tasks. This report describes progress in developing sensitive, rapid, and widely applicable laser-based mass spectrometry techniques for analysismore » of mixed chemical wastes and contaminated soils.« less

Thermoelectric energy harvesting for a solid waste processing toilet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stokes, C. David; Baldasaro, Nicholas G.; Bulman, Gary E.; Stoner, Brian R.

2014-06-01

Over 2.5 billion people do not have access to safe and effective sanitation. Without a sanitary sewer infrastructure, self-contained modular systems can provide solutions for these people in the developing world and remote areas. Our team is building a better toilet that processes human waste into burnable fuel and disinfects the liquid waste. The toilet employs energy harvesting to produce electricity and does not require external electrical power or consumable materials. RTI has partnered with Colorado State University, Duke University, and Roca Sanitario under a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Reinvent the Toilet Challenge (RTTC) grant to develop an advanced stand-alone, self-sufficient toilet to effectively process solid and liquid waste. The system operates through the following steps: 1) Solid-liquid separation, 2) Solid waste drying and sizing, 3) Solid waste combustion, and 4) Liquid waste disinfection. Thermoelectric energy harvesting is a key component to the system and provides the electric power for autonomous operation. A portion of the exhaust heat is captured through finned heat-sinks and converted to electricity by thermoelectric (TE) devices to provide power for the electrochemical treatment of the liquid waste, pumps, blowers, combustion ignition, and controls.

25 Years of DECOVALEX - Research Advances and Lessons Learned from an International Model Comparison Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birkholzer, J. T.

2017-12-01

This presentation provides an overview of an international research and model comparison collaboration (DECOVALEX) for advancing the understanding and modeling of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes in geological systems. Prediction of these coupled effects is an essential part of the performance and safety assessment of geologic disposal systems for radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, and is also relevant for a range of other sub-surface engineering activities. DECOVALEX research activities have been supported by a large number of radioactive-waste-management organizations and regulatory authorities. Research teams from more than a dozen international partner organizations have participated in the comparative modeling evaluation of complex field and laboratory experiments in the UK, Switzerland, Japan, France and Sweden. Together, these tasks (1) have addressed a wide range of relevant issues related to engineered and natural system behavior in argillaceous, crystalline and other host rocks, (2) have yielded in-depth knowledge of coupled THM and THMC processes associated with nuclear waste repositories and wider geo-engineering applications, and (3) have advanced the capability, as well as demonstrated the suitability, of numerical simulation models for quantitative analysis.

Integrated gasification and plasma cleaning for waste treatment: A life cycle perspective

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

Evangelisti, Sara; Tagliaferri, Carla; Advanced Plasma Power

2015-09-15

Highlights: • A life cycle assessment of an advanced two-stage process is undertaken. • A comparison of the impacts of the process when fed with 7 feedstock is presented. • Sensitivity analysis on the system is performed. • The treatment of RDF shows the lowest impact in terms of both GWP and AP. • The plasma shows a small contribution to the overall impact of the plant. - Abstract: In the past, almost all residual municipal waste in the UK was landfilled without treatment. Recent European waste management directives have promoted the uptake of more sustainable treatment technologies, especially formore » biodegradable waste. Local authorities have started considering other options for dealing with residual waste. In this study, a life cycle assessment of a future 20 MWe plant using an advanced two-stage gasification and plasma technology is undertaken. This plant can thermally treat waste feedstocks with different composition and heating value to produce electricity, steam and a vitrified product. The objective of the study is to analyse the environmental impacts of the process when fed with seven different feedstocks (including municipal solid waste, solid refuse fuel, reuse-derived fuel, wood biomass and commercial & industrial waste) and identify the process steps which contribute more to the environmental burden. A scenario analysis on key processes, such as oxygen production technology, metal recovery and the appropriate choice for the secondary market aggregate material, is performed. The influence of accounting for the biogenic carbon content in the waste from the calculations of the global warming potential is also shown. Results show that the treatment of the refuse-derived fuel has the lowest impact in terms of both global warming potential and acidification potential because of its high heating value. For all the other impact categories analysed, the two-stage gasification and plasma process shows a negative impact for all the waste streams considered, mainly due to the avoided burdens associated with the production of electricity from the plant. The plasma convertor, key characteristic of the thermal process investigated, although utilising electricity shows a relatively small contribution to the overall environmental impact of the plant. The results do not significantly vary in the scenario analysis. Accounting for biogenic carbon enhanced the performance of biomass and refuse-derived fuel in terms of global warming potential. The main analysis of this study has been performed from a waste management perspective, using 1 ton of waste as functional unit. A comparison of the results when 1 kWhe of electricity produced is used as functional unit shows similar trends for the environmental impact categories considered.« less

Bioremediation of Industrial Waste Through Enzyme Producing Marine Microorganisms.

PubMed

Sivaperumal, P; Kamala, K; Rajaram, R

Bioremediation process using microorganisms is a kind of nature-friendly and cost-effective clean green technology. Recently, biodegradation of industrial wastes using enzymes from marine microorganisms has been reported worldwide. The prospectus research activity in remediation area would contribute toward the development of advanced bioprocess technology. To minimize industrial wastes, marine enzymes could constitute a novel alternative in terms of waste treatment. Nowadays, the evidence on the mechanisms of bioremediation-related enzymes from marine microorganisms has been extensively studied. This review also will provide information about enzymes from various marine microorganisms and their complexity in the biodegradation of comprehensive range of industrial wastes. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

3D Seismic Experimentation and Advanced Processing/Inversion Development for Investigations of the Shallow Subsurface

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

Levander, Alan Richard; Zelt, Colin A.

2015-03-17

The work plan for this project was to develop and apply advanced seismic reflection and wide-angle processing and inversion techniques to high resolution seismic data for the shallow subsurface to seismically characterize the shallow subsurface at hazardous waste sites as an aid to containment and cleanup activities. We proposed to continue work on seismic data that we had already acquired under a previous DoE grant, as well as to acquire additional new datasets for analysis. The project successfully developed and/or implemented the use of 3D reflection seismology algorithms, waveform tomography and finite-frequency tomography using compressional and shear waves for highmore » resolution characterization of the shallow subsurface at two waste sites. These two sites have markedly different near-surface structures, groundwater flow patterns, and hazardous waste problems. This is documented in the list of refereed documents, conference proceedings, and Rice graduate theses, listed below.« less

Solid Waste Management Requirements Definition for Advanced Life Support Missions: Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alazraki, Michael P.; Hogan, John; Levri, Julie; Fisher, John; Drysdale, Alan

2002-01-01

Prior to determining what Solid Waste Management (SWM) technologies should be researched and developed by the Advanced Life Support (ALS) Project for future missions, there is a need to define SWM requirements. Because future waste streams will be highly mission-dependent, missions need to be defined prior to developing SWM requirements. The SWM Working Group has used the mission architecture outlined in the System Integration, Modeling and Analysis (SIMA) Element Reference Missions Document (RMD) as a starting point in the requirement development process. The missions examined include the International Space Station (ISS), a Mars Dual Lander mission, and a Mars Base. The SWM Element has also identified common SWM functionalities needed for future missions. These functionalities include: acceptance, transport, processing, storage, monitoring and control, and disposal. Requirements in each of these six areas are currently being developed for the selected missions. This paper reviews the results of this ongoing effort and identifies mission-dependent resource recovery requirements.

Final Project Report CFA-14-6357: A New Paradigm for Understanding Multiphase Ceramic Waste Form Performance

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

Brinkman, Kyle; Bordia, Rajendra; Reifsnider, Kenneth

This project fabricated model multiphase ceramic waste forms with processing-controlled microstructures followed by advanced characterization with synchrotron and electron microscopy-based 3D tomography to provide elemental and chemical state-specific information resulting in compositional phase maps of ceramic composites. Details of 3D microstructural features were incorporated into computer-based simulations using durability data for individual constituent phases as inputs in order to predict the performance of multiphase waste forms with varying microstructure and phase connectivity.

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

Skibo, A.

SRNL has considerable experience in designing, engineering, and operating systems for removing iodine-129 (I-129) and ruthenium-106 (Ru-106) from waste streams that are directly analogous to the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) waste streams. SRNL proposes to provide the technical background and design and engineering support for an improved I-129 and Ru-106 removal system for application to ALPS on the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

Electrochemical/Pyrometallurgical Waste Stream Processing and Waste Form Fabrication

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

Steven Frank; Hwan Seo Park; Yung Zun Cho

This report summarizes treatment and waste form options being evaluated for waste streams resulting from the electrochemical/pyrometallurgical (pyro ) processing of used oxide nuclear fuel. The technologies that are described are South Korean (Republic of Korea – ROK) and United States of America (US) ‘centric’ in the approach to treating pyroprocessing wastes and are based on the decade long collaborations between US and ROK researchers. Some of the general and advanced technologies described in this report will be demonstrated during the Integrated Recycle Test (IRT) to be conducted as a part of the Joint Fuel Cycle Study (JFCS) collaboration betweenmore » US Department of Energy (DOE) and ROK national laboratories. The JFCS means to specifically address and evaluated the technological, economic, and safe guard issues associated with the treatment of used nuclear fuel by pyroprocessing. The IRT will involve the processing of commercial, used oxide fuel to recover uranium and transuranics. The recovered transuranics will then be fabricated into metallic fuel and irradiated to transmutate, or burn the transuranic elements to shorter lived radionuclides. In addition, the various process streams will be evaluated and tested for fission product removal, electrolytic salt recycle, minimization of actinide loss to waste streams and waste form fabrication and characterization. This report specifically addresses the production and testing of those waste forms to demonstrate their compatibility with treatment options and suitability for disposal.« less

Trash-to-Gas: Using Waste Products to Minimize Logistical Mass During Long Duration Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hintze, Paul E.; Caraccio, A. J.; Anthony, S. M.; Tsoras, A. N.; Devor, Robert; Captain, James G.; Nur, Mononita

2013-01-01

Just as waste-to-energy processes utilizing municipal landftll and biomass wastes are finding increased terrestrial uses, the Trash-to-Gas (TtG) project seeks to convert waste generated during spaceflight into high value commodities. These include methane for propulsion and water for life support in addition to a variety of other gasses. TtG is part of the Logistic Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project under the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems Program. The LRR project will enable a largely mission-independent approach to minimize logistics contributions to total mission architecture mass. LRR includes technologies that reduce the amount of consumables that need to be sent to space, repurpose items sent to space, or convert wastes to commodities. Currently, waste generated on the International Space Station is stored inside a logistic module which is de-orbited into Earth's atmosphere for destruction. The waste consists of food packaging, food, clothing and other items. This paper will discuss current results on incineration as a waste processing method. Incineration is part of a two step process to produce methane from waste: first the waste is converted to carbon oxides; second, the carbon oxides are fed to a Sabatier reactor where they are converted to methane. The quantities of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane and water were measured under the different thermal degradation conditions. The overall carbon conversion efficiency and water recovery are discussed

Trash-to-Gas: Using Waste Products to Minimize Logistical Mass During Long Duration Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hintze, Paul. E.; Caraccio, Anne J.; Anthony, Stephen M.; Tsoras, Alexandra N.; Nur, Monoita; Devor, Robert; Captain, James G.

2013-01-01

Just as waste-to-energy processes utilizing municipal landftll and biomass wastes are finding increased terrestrial uses, the Trash-to-Gas (TtG) project seeks to convert waste generated during spaceflight into high value commodities. These include methane for propulsion and water for life support in addition to a variety of other gasses. TtG is part of the Logistic Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project under the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems Program. The LRR project will enable a largely mission-independent approach to minimize logistics contributions to total mission architecture mass. LRR includes technologies that reduce the amount of consumables that need to be sent to space, repurpose items sent to space, or convert wastes to commodities. Currently, waste generated on the International Space Station is stored inside a logistic module which is de-orbited into Earth's atmosphere for destruction. The waste consists of food packaging, food, clothing and other items. This paper will discuss current results on incineration as a waste processing method. Incineration is part of a two step process to produce methane from waste: first the waste is converted to carbon oxides; second, the carbon oxides are fed to a Sabatier reactor where they are converted to methane. The quantities of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane and water were measured under the different thermal degradation conditions. The overall carbon conversion efficiency and water recovery are discussed.

Biopurification of industrial waste gas from rubber regeneration.

PubMed

Sun, Peishi; Yang, Xianwan; Huang, Ruohua; Bin, Huang; Zheng, Sunsheng; Wei, Zaishan; Xu, Xiaoyi; Lu, Jilai; Sun, Xing; Chen, Liuxin

2004-12-01

By using the biopurifying technology, the organic waste gas in low concentrations emitted from the rubber-regeneration process was purified in this research. The result of the 100-day continuous running test of the industrial test device indicated that the purification efficiency of toluene in the rubber-regeneration waste gas could be maintained at about 90% for a long period of time and the treated waste gas could meet the China National Emission Standard. The cost of waste gas biotreatment was about 0.12-0.14% of rubber-regeneration production value of the factory. The biopurifying technology of waste gas displayed its excellent technical advancement and economic rationale. The following industrialized device was run continuously and passed the examination and acceptance by the local EPA.

Development of an advanced spacecraft water and waste materials processing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murray, R. W.; Schelkopf, J. D.; Middleton, R. L.

1975-01-01

An Integrated Waste Management-Water System (WM-WS) which uses radioisotopes for thermal energy is described and results of its trial in a 4-man, 180 day simulated space mission are presented. It collects urine, feces, trash, and wash water in zero gravity, processes the wastes to a common evaporator, distills and catalytically purifies the water, and separates and incinerates the solid residues using little oxygen and no chemical additives or expendable filters. Technical details on all subsystems are given along with performance specifications. Data on recovered water and heat loss obtained in test trials are presented. The closed loop incinerator and other projects underway to increase system efficiency and capacity are discussed.

From electronic consumer products to e-wastes: Global outlook, waste quantities, recycling challenges.

PubMed

Tansel, Berrin

2017-01-01

Advancements in technology, materials development, and manufacturing processes have changed the consumer products and composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) since 1960s. Increasing quantities of discarded consumer products remain a major challenge for recycling efforts, especially for discarded electronic products (also referred as e-waste). The growing demand for high tech products has increased the e-waste quantities and its cross boundary transport globally. This paper reviews the challenges associated with increasing e-waste quantities. The increasing need for raw materials (especially for rare earth and minor elements) and unregulated e-waste recycling operations in developing and underdeveloped counties contribute to the growing concerns for e-waste management. Although the markets for recycled materials are increasing; there are major challenges for development of the necessary infrastructure for e-waste management and accountability as well as development of effective materials recovery technologies and product design. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling of Solid Waste Processing Options in BIO-Plex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Luis F.; Finn, Cory; Kang, Sukwon; Hogan, John; Luna, Bernadette (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

BIO-Plex is a ground-based test bed currently under development by NASA for testing technologies and practices that may be utilized in future long-term life support missions. All aspects of such an Advanced Life Support (ALS) System must be considered to confidently construct a reliable system, which will not only allow the crew to survive in harsh environments, but allow the crew time to perform meaningful research. Effective handling of solid wastes is a critical aspect of the system, especially when recovery of resources contained in the waste is required. This is particularly important for ALS Systems configurations that include a Biomass Production Chamber. In these cases, significant amounts of inedible biomass waste may be produced, which can ultimately serve as a repository of necessary resources for sustaining life, notably carbon, water, and plant nutrients. Numerous biological and physicochemical solid waste processing options have been considered. Biological options include composting, aerobic digestion, and anaerobic digestion. Physicochemical options include pyrolysis, SCWO (supercritical water oxidation), various incineration configurations, microwave incineration, magnetically assisted gasification, and low temperature plasma reaction. Modeling of these options is a necessary step to assist in the design process. A previously developed top-level model of BIO-Plex implemented in MATLAB Simulink (r) for the use of systems analysis and design has been adopted for this analysis. Presently, this model only considered incineration for solid waste processing. Present work, reported here, includes the expansion of this model to include a wider array of solid waste processing options selected from the above options, bearing in mind potential, near term solid waste treatment systems. Furthermore, a trade study has also been performed among these solid waste processing technologies in an effort to determine the ideal technology for long-term life support missions.

Alternative oxidation technologies for organic mixed waste

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

Borduin, L.C.; Fewell, T.

1998-07-01

The Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) is currently supporting the development and demonstration of several alternative oxidation technology (AOT) processes for treatment of combustible mixed low-level wastes. AOTs have been defined as technologies that destroy organic material without using open-flame reactions. AOTs include both thermal and nonthermal processes that oxidize organic wastes but operate under significantly different physical and chemical conditions than incinerators. Nonthermal processes currently being studied include Delphi DETOX and acid digestion at the Savannah River Site (SRS), and direct chemical oxidation at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). All three technologies are at advanced stages of development ormore » are entering the demonstration phase. Nonflame thermal processes include catalytic chemical oxidation, which is being developed and deployed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and steam reforming, a commercial process being supported by the Department of Energy (DOE). Although testing is complete on some AOT technologies, most require additional support to complete some or all of the identified development objectives. Brief descriptions, status, and planned paths forward for each of the technologies are presented.« less

Fundamental Studies of Irradiation-Induced Defect Formation and Fission Product Dynamics in Oxide Fuels

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

Stubbins, James

2012-12-19

The objective of this research program is to address major nuclear fuels performance issues for the design and use of oxide-type fuels in the current and advanced nuclear reactor applications. Fuel performance is a major issue for extending fuel burn-up which has the added advantage of reducing the used fuel waste stream. It will also be a significant issue with respect to developing advanced fuel cycle processes where it may be possible to incorporate minor actinides in various fuel forms so that they can be 'burned' rather than join the used fuel waste stream. The potential to fission or transmutemore » minor actinides and certain long-lived fission product isotopes would transform the high level waste storage strategy by removing the need to consider fuel storage on the millennium time scale.« less

Recent advances based on the synergetic effect of adsorption for removal of dyes from waste water using photocatalytic process.

PubMed

Natarajan, Subramanian; Bajaj, Hari C; Tayade, Rajesh J

2018-03-01

The problem of textile dye pollution has been addressed by various methods, mainly physical, chemical, biological, and acoustical. These methods mainly separate and/or remove the dye present in water. Recently, advanced oxidation processes (AOP) have been focused for removal of dye from waste water due to their advantages such as ecofriendly, economic and capable to degrade many dyes or organic pollutant present in water. Photocatalysis is one of the advance oxidation processes, mainly carried out under irradiation of light and suitable photocatalytic materials. The photocatalytic activity of the photocatalytic materials mainly depends on the band gap, surface area, and generation of electron-hole pair for degradation dyes present in water. It has been observed that the surface area plays a major role in photocatalytic degradation of dyes, by providing higher surface area, which leads to the higher adsorption of dye molecule on the surface of photocatalyst and enhances the photocatalytic activity. This present review discusses the synergic effect of adsorption of dyes on the photocatalytic efficiency of various nanostructured high surface area photocatalysts. In addition, it also provides the properties of the water polluting dyes, their mechanism and various photocatalytic materials; and their morphology used for the dye degradation under irradiation of light along with the future prospects of highly adsorptive photocatalytic material and their application in photocatalytic removal of dye from waste water. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Trash to Gas (TtG) Simulant Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, John D., II; Hintze, Paul E.

2014-01-01

Space exploration in outer earths orbit is a long-term commitment, where the reuse of discarded materials is a critical component for its success. The Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project under the NASA Advanced Exploration System Program is a project focused on technologies that reduce the amount of consumables that are needed to be sent into space, repurpose items sent to space, or convert wastes to commodities. In particular, Trash to Gas (TtG), part of the LRR project, is a novel space technology capable of converting raw elements from combustible waste including food waste and packaging, paper, wipes and towels, nitrile gloves, fecal matter, urine brine, maximum absorbency garments, and other organic wastes from human space exploration into useful gases. Trash to gas will ultimately reduce mission cost by producing a portion of important consumables in situ. This paper will discuss results of waste processing by steam reforming. Steam reforming is a thermochemical process developed as part of TtG, where waste is heated in the presence of oxygen and steam to produce carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methane and water. The aim of this experiment is to investigate the processing of different waste simulants and their gaseous products. This will lay a foundation for understating and optimizing the production of useful gases for propulsion and recovery of water for life support.

Neural and hybrid modeling: an alternative route to efficiently predict the behavior of biotechnological processes aimed at biofuels obtainment.

PubMed

Curcio, Stefano; Saraceno, Alessandra; Calabrò, Vincenza; Iorio, Gabriele

2014-01-01

The present paper was aimed at showing that advanced modeling techniques, based either on artificial neural networks or on hybrid systems, might efficiently predict the behavior of two biotechnological processes designed for the obtainment of second-generation biofuels from waste biomasses. In particular, the enzymatic transesterification of waste-oil glycerides, the key step for the obtainment of biodiesel, and the anaerobic digestion of agroindustry wastes to produce biogas were modeled. It was proved that the proposed modeling approaches provided very accurate predictions of systems behavior. Both neural network and hybrid modeling definitely represented a valid alternative to traditional theoretical models, especially when comprehensive knowledge of the metabolic pathways, of the true kinetic mechanisms, and of the transport phenomena involved in biotechnological processes was difficult to be achieved.

Neural and Hybrid Modeling: An Alternative Route to Efficiently Predict the Behavior of Biotechnological Processes Aimed at Biofuels Obtainment

PubMed Central

Saraceno, Alessandra; Calabrò, Vincenza; Iorio, Gabriele

2014-01-01

The present paper was aimed at showing that advanced modeling techniques, based either on artificial neural networks or on hybrid systems, might efficiently predict the behavior of two biotechnological processes designed for the obtainment of second-generation biofuels from waste biomasses. In particular, the enzymatic transesterification of waste-oil glycerides, the key step for the obtainment of biodiesel, and the anaerobic digestion of agroindustry wastes to produce biogas were modeled. It was proved that the proposed modeling approaches provided very accurate predictions of systems behavior. Both neural network and hybrid modeling definitely represented a valid alternative to traditional theoretical models, especially when comprehensive knowledge of the metabolic pathways, of the true kinetic mechanisms, and of the transport phenomena involved in biotechnological processes was difficult to be achieved. PMID:24516363

The Role of Ceramics in a Resurgent Nuclear Industry

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

Marra, J

2006-02-28

With fuel oil and natural gas prices near record highs and worldwide energy demands increasing at an alarming rate, there is growing interest in revitalization of the nuclear power industry within the United States and across the globe. Ceramic materials have long played a very important part in the commercial nuclear industry with applications throughout the entire fuel cycle; from fuel fabrication to waste stabilization. As the international community begins to look at advanced fuel cycles that minimize waste and increase proliferation resistance, ceramic materials will play an even larger role. Many of the advanced reactor concepts being evaluated operatemore » at high-temperature requiring the use of durable, heat-resistant materials. Ceramic fuels are being investigated for a variety of Generation IV reactor concepts. These include the traditional TRISO-coated particles as well as advanced inert-matrix fuels. In order to minimize wastes and legacy materials, ceramic processes are also being applied to fuel reprocessing operations. Ceramic materials continue to provide a vital contribution in ''closing the fuel cycle'' by stabilization of associated low-level and high-level wastes in highly durable grout, ceramics, and glass. In the next five years, programs that are currently in the conceptual phase will begin laboratory- and engineering-scale demonstrations. This will require production-scale demonstrations of several ceramic technologies from fuel form development to advanced stabilization methods. Within the next five to ten years, these demonstrations will move to even larger scales and will also include radioactive demonstrations of these advanced technologies. These radioactive demonstrations are critical to program success and will require advances in ceramic materials associated with nuclear energy applications.« less

A review on automated sorting of source-separated municipal solid waste for recycling.

PubMed

Gundupalli, Sathish Paulraj; Hait, Subrata; Thakur, Atul

2017-02-01

A crucial prerequisite for recycling forming an integral part of municipal solid waste (MSW) management is sorting of useful materials from source-separated MSW. Researchers have been exploring automated sorting techniques to improve the overall efficiency of recycling process. This paper reviews recent advances in physical processes, sensors, and actuators used as well as control and autonomy related issues in the area of automated sorting and recycling of source-separated MSW. We believe that this paper will provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the art and will help future system designers in the area. In this paper, we also present research challenges in the field of automated waste sorting and recycling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimised anaerobic treatment of house-sorted biodegradable waste and slaughterhouse waste in a high loaded half technical scale digester.

PubMed

Resch, C; Grasmug, M; Smeets, W; Braun, R; Kirchmayr, R

2006-01-01

Anaerobic co-digestion of organic wastes from households, slaughterhouses and meat processing industries was optimised in a half technical scale plant. The plant was operated for 130 days using two different substrates under organic loading rates of 10 and 12 kgCOD.m(-3).d(-1). Since the substrates were rich in fat and protein components (TKN: 12 g.kg(-1) the treatment was challenging. The process was monitored on-line and in the laboratory. It was demonstrated that an intensive and stable co-digestion of partly hydrolysed organic waste and protein rich slaughterhouse waste can be achieved in the balance of inconsistent pH and buffering NH4-N. In the first experimental period the reduction of the substrate COD was almost complete in an overall stable process (COD reduction >82%). In the second period methane productivity increased, but certain intermediate products accumulated constantly. Process design options for a second digestion phase for advanced degradation were investigated. Potential causes for slow and reduced propionic and valeric acid degradation were assessed. Recommendations for full-scale process implementation can be made from the experimental results reported. The highly loaded and stable codigestion of these substrates may be a good technical and economic treatment alternative.

Enhancing e-waste estimates: improving data quality by multivariate Input-Output Analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Huisman, Jaco; Stevels, Ab; Baldé, Cornelis Peter

2013-11-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (or e-waste) is one of the fastest growing waste streams, which encompasses a wide and increasing spectrum of products. Accurate estimation of e-waste generation is difficult, mainly due to lack of high quality data referred to market and socio-economic dynamics. This paper addresses how to enhance e-waste estimates by providing techniques to increase data quality. An advanced, flexible and multivariate Input-Output Analysis (IOA) method is proposed. It links all three pillars in IOA (product sales, stock and lifespan profiles) to construct mathematical relationships between various data points. By applying this method, the data consolidation steps can generate more accurate time-series datasets from available data pool. This can consequently increase the reliability of e-waste estimates compared to the approach without data processing. A case study in the Netherlands is used to apply the advanced IOA model. As a result, for the first time ever, complete datasets of all three variables for estimating all types of e-waste have been obtained. The result of this study also demonstrates significant disparity between various estimation models, arising from the use of data under different conditions. It shows the importance of applying multivariate approach and multiple sources to improve data quality for modelling, specifically using appropriate time-varying lifespan parameters. Following the case study, a roadmap with a procedural guideline is provided to enhance e-waste estimation studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation Criteria for Solid Waste Processing Research and Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levri, Julie A.; Hogan, J. A.; Alazraki, M. P.

2001-01-01

A preliminary list of criteria is proposed for evaluation of solid waste processing technologies for research and technology development (R&TD) in the Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program. Completion of the proposed list by current and prospective ALS technology developers, with regard to specific missions of interest, may enable identification of appropriate technologies (or lack thereof) and guide future development efforts for the ALS Program solid waste processing area. An attempt is made to include criteria that capture information about the technology of interest as well as its system-wide impacts. Some of the criteria in the list are mission-independent, while the majority are mission-specific. In order for technology developers to respond to mission-specific criteria, critical information must be available on the quantity, composition and state of the waste stream, the wast processing requirements, as well as top-level mission scenario information (e.g. safety, resource recovery, planetary protection issues, and ESM equivalencies). The technology readiness level (TRL) determines the degree to which a technology developer is able to accurately report on the list of criteria. Thus, a criteria-specific minimum TRL for mandatory reporting has been identified for each criterion in the list. Although this list has been developed to define criteria that are needed to direct funding of solid waste processing technologies, this list processes significant overlap in criteria required for technology selection for inclusion in specific tests or missions. Additionally, this approach to technology evaluation may be adapted to other ALS subsystems.

Low temperature conversion of plastic waste into light hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Shah, Sajid Hussain; Khan, Zahid Mahmood; Raja, Iftikhar Ahmad; Mahmood, Qaisar; Bhatti, Zulfiqar Ahmad; Khan, Jamil; Farooq, Ather; Rashid, Naim; Wu, Donglei

2010-07-15

Advance recycling through pyrolytic technology has the potential of being applied to the management of plastic waste (PW). For this purpose 1 l volume, energy efficient batch reactor was manufactured locally and tested for pyrolysis of waste plastic. The feedstock for reactor was 50 g waste polyethylene. The average yield of the pyrolytic oil, wax, pyrogas and char from pyrolysis of PW were 48.6, 40.7, 10.1 and 0.6%, respectively, at 275 degrees C with non-catalytic process. Using catalyst the average yields of pyrolytic oil, pyrogas, wax and residue (char) of 50 g of PW was 47.98, 35.43, 16.09 and 0.50%, respectively, at operating temperature of 250 degrees C. The designed reactor could work at low temperature in the absence of a catalyst to obtain similar products as for a catalytic process. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Crew Refuse Returned from Shuttle Missions with Permanent Gas, Volatile Organic Compound, and Microbial Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, B.; Hummerick, M.; Roberts, M.; Krummins, V.; Kish, A.; Garland, J.; Maxwell, S.; Mills, A.

In addition to the mass and energy costs associated with bioregenerative systems for advanced life support, the storage and processing of waste on spacecraft requires both atmospheric and biological management. Risks to crew health may arise from the presence of potential human pathogens in waste or from decay processes during waste storage and/or processing. This study reports on the permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses of crew refuse returned from shuttle missions STS-105, 109 and 110. The research objective is to characterize the biological stability of the waste stream, to assess the risks associated with its storage, and to provide baseline measures for the evaluation of waste processing technologies. Microbiological samples were collected from packaging material, food waste, bathroom waste, and bulk liquid collected from the volume F waste container. The number of culturable bacteria and total bacteria were determined by plating on R2A media and by Acridine Orange direct count, respectively. Samples of the trash were analyzed for the presence of fecal and total coliforms and other human-associated bacteria. Dry and ash weights were determined to estimate both water and organic content of the materials. The aerobic and anaerobic bio-stability of stored waste was determined by on-line monitoring of CO2 and by laboratory analysis of off-gas samples for hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA method TO15 with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors . This study establishes a baseline measure of waste composition, labile organics, and microbial load for this material.

Evaluating the feasibility of biological waste processing for long term space missions.

PubMed

Garland, J L; Alazraki, M P; Atkinson, C F; Finger, B W

1998-01-01

Recycling waste products during orbital (e.g., International Space Station) and planetary missions (e.g., lunar base, Mars transit mission, Martian base) will reduce storage and resupply costs. Wastes streams on the space station will include human hygiene water, urine, faeces, and trash. Longer term missions will contain human waste and inedible plant material from plant growth systems used for atmospheric regeneration, food production, and water recycling. The feasibility of biological and physical-chemical waste recycling is being investigated as part of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program. In-vessel composting has lower manpower requirements, lower water and volume requirements, and greater potential for sanitization of human waste compared to alternative bioreactor designs such as continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR). Residual solids from the process (i.e. compost) could be used a biological air filter, a plant nutrient source, and a carbon sink. Potential in-vessel composting designs for both near- and long-term space missions are presented and discussed with respect to the unique aspects of space-based systems.

Evaluating the feasibility of biological waste processing for long term space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garland, J. L.; Alazraki, M. P.; Atkinson, C. F.; Finger, B. W.; Sager, J. C. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Recycling waste products during orbital (e.g., International Space Station) and planetary missions (e.g., lunar base, Mars transit mission, Martian base) will reduce storage and resupply costs. Wastes streams on the space station will include human hygiene water, urine, faeces, and trash. Longer term missions will contain human waste and inedible plant material from plant growth systems used for atmospheric regeneration, food production, and water recycling. The feasibility of biological and physical-chemical waste recycling is being investigated as part of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program. In-vessel composting has lower manpower requirements, lower water and volume requirements, and greater potential for sanitization of human waste compared to alternative bioreactor designs such as continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR). Residual solids from the process (i.e. compost) could be used a biological air filter, a plant nutrient source, and a carbon sink. Potential in-vessel composting designs for both near- and long-term space missions are presented and discussed with respect to the unique aspects of space-based systems.

Chemical and toxicological evaluation of transformation products during advanced oxidation processes.

PubMed

vom Eyser, C; Börgers, A; Richard, J; Dopp, E; Janzen, N; Bester, K; Tuerk, J

2013-01-01

The entry of pharmaceuticals into the water cycle from sewage treatment plants is of growing concern because environmental effects are evident at trace levels. Ozonation, UV- and UV/H(2)O(2)-treatment were tested as an additional step in waste water treatment because they have been proven to be effective in eliminating aqueous organic contaminants. The pharmaceuticals carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin, diclofenac, metoprolol and sulfamethoxazole as well as the personal care products galaxolide and tonalide were investigated in terms of degradation efficiency and by-product formation in consideration of toxic effects. The substances were largely removed from treatment plant effluent by ozonation, UV- and UV/H(2)O(2)-treatment. Transformation products were detected in all tested treatment processes. Accompanying analysis showed no genotoxic, cytotoxic or estrogenic potential for the investigated compounds after oxidative treatment of real waste waters. The results indicate that by-product formation from ozonation and advanced oxidation processes does not have any negative environmental impact.

Induced effects of advanced oxidation processes

PubMed Central

Liu, Peng; Li, Chaolin; Zhao, Zhuanjun; Lu, Gang; Cui, Haibo; Zhang, Wenfang

2014-01-01

Hazardous organic wastes from industrial, military, and commercial activities represent one of the greatest challenges to human beings. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are alternatives to the degradation of those organic wastes. However, the knowledge about the exact mechanisms of AOPs is still incomplete. Here we report a phenomenon in the AOPs: induced effects, which is a common property of combustion reaction. Through analysis EDTA oxidation processes by Fenton and UV-Fenton system, the results indicate that, just like combustion, AOPs are typical induction reactions. One most compelling example is that pre-feeding easily oxidizable organic matter can promote the oxidation of refractory organic compound when it was treated by AOPs. Connecting AOPs to combustion, it is possible to achieve some helpful enlightenment from combustion to analyze, predict and understand AOPs. In addition, we assume that maybe other oxidation reactions also have induced effects, such as corrosion, aging and passivation. Muchmore research is necessary to reveal the possibilities of induced effects in those fields. PMID:24503715

Induced effects of advanced oxidation processes.

PubMed

Liu, Peng; Li, Chaolin; Zhao, Zhuanjun; Lu, Gang; Cui, Haibo; Zhang, Wenfang

2014-02-07

Hazardous organic wastes from industrial, military, and commercial activities represent one of the greatest challenges to human beings. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are alternatives to the degradation of those organic wastes. However, the knowledge about the exact mechanisms of AOPs is still incomplete. Here we report a phenomenon in the AOPs: induced effects, which is a common property of combustion reaction. Through analysis EDTA oxidation processes by Fenton and UV-Fenton system, the results indicate that, just like combustion, AOPs are typical induction reactions. One most compelling example is that pre-feeding easily oxidizable organic matter can promote the oxidation of refractory organic compound when it was treated by AOPs. Connecting AOPs to combustion, it is possible to achieve some helpful enlightenment from combustion to analyze, predict and understand AOPs. In addition, we assume that maybe other oxidation reactions also have induced effects, such as corrosion, aging and passivation. Muchmore research is necessary to reveal the possibilities of induced effects in those fields.

Fiber reinforced concrete: An advanced technology for LL/ML radwaste conditioning and disposal

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

Tchemitcheff, E.; Verdier, A.

Radioactive waste immobilization is an integral part of operations in nuclear facilities. The goal of immobilization is to contain radioactive materials in a waste form which can maintain its integrity over very long periods of time, thus effectively isolating the materials from the environment and hence from the public. This is true regardless of the activity of the waste, including low-, and medium-level waste (LLW, MLW). A multiple-year research effort by Cogema culminated in the development of a new process to immobilize nuclear waste in concrete containers reinforced with metal fibers. The fiber concrete containers satisfy all French safety requirementsmore » relating to waste immobilization and disposal, and have been certified by ANDRA, the national radioactive waste management agency. The fiber concrete containers have been fabricated on a production scale since July 1990 by Sogefibre, a jointly-owned subsidiary of SGN and Compagnie Generale des Eaux.« less

Advanced technologies for maintenance of electrical systems and equipment at the Savannah River Site Defense Waste Processing Facility

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

Husler, R.O.; Weir, T.J.

1991-01-01

An enhanced maintenance program is being established to characterize and monitor cables, components, and process response at the Savannah River Site, Defense Waste Processing Facility. This facility was designed and constructed to immobilize the radioactive waste currently stored in underground storage tanks and is expected to begin operation in 1993. The plant is initiating the program to baseline and monitor instrument and control (I C) and electrical equipment, remote process equipment, embedded instrument and control cables, and in-cell jumper cables used in the facility. This program is based on the electronic characterization and diagnostic (ECAD) system which was modified tomore » include process response analysis and to meet rigid Department of Energy equipment requirements. The system consists of computer-automated, state-of-the-art electronics. The data that are gathered are stored in a computerized database for analysis, trending, and troubleshooting. It is anticipated that the data which are gathered and trended will aid in life extension for the facility.« less

Advanced technologies for maintenance of electrical systems and equipment at the Savannah River Site Defense Waste Processing Facility

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

Husler, R.O.; Weir, T.J.

1991-12-31

An enhanced maintenance program is being established to characterize and monitor cables, components, and process response at the Savannah River Site, Defense Waste Processing Facility. This facility was designed and constructed to immobilize the radioactive waste currently stored in underground storage tanks and is expected to begin operation in 1993. The plant is initiating the program to baseline and monitor instrument and control (I&C) and electrical equipment, remote process equipment, embedded instrument and control cables, and in-cell jumper cables used in the facility. This program is based on the electronic characterization and diagnostic (ECAD) system which was modified to includemore » process response analysis and to meet rigid Department of Energy equipment requirements. The system consists of computer-automated, state-of-the-art electronics. The data that are gathered are stored in a computerized database for analysis, trending, and troubleshooting. It is anticipated that the data which are gathered and trended will aid in life extension for the facility.« less

Waste Receiving and Processing Facility Module 2A: Advanced Conceptual Design Report. Volume 3A

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

Not Available

Objective of this document is to provide descriptions of all WRAP 2A feed streams, including physical and chemical attributes, and describe the pathway that was used to select data for volume estimates. WRAP 2A is being designed for nonthermal treatment of contact-handled mixed low-level waste Category 1 and 3. It is based on immobilization and encapsulation treatment using grout or polymer.

Epsilon Metal Waste Form for Immobilization of Noble Metals from Used Nuclear Fuel

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

Crum, Jarrod V.; Strachan, Denis M.; Rohatgi, Aashish

2013-10-01

Epsilon metal (ε-metal), an alloy of Mo, Pd, Rh, Ru, and Tc, is being developed as a waste form to treat and immobilize the undissolved solids and dissolved noble metals from aqueous reprocessing of commercial used nuclear fuel. Epsilon metal is an attractive waste form for several reasons: increased durability relative to borosilicate glass, it can be fabricated without additives (100% waste loading), and in addition it also benefits borosilicate glass waste loading by eliminating noble metals from the glass and thus the processing problems related there insolubility in glass. This work focused on the processing aspects of the epsilonmore » metal waste form development. Epsilon metal is comprised of refractory metals resulting in high reaction temperatures to form the alloy, expected to be 1500 - 2000°C making it a non-trivial phase to fabricate by traditional methods. Three commercially available advanced technologies were identified: spark-plasma sintering, microwave sintering, and hot isostatic pressing, and investigated as potential methods to fabricate this waste form. Results of these investigations are reported and compared in terms of bulk density, phase assemblage (X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis), and microstructure (scanning electron microscopy).« less

Epsilon metal waste form for immobilization of noble metals from used nuclear fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crum, Jarrod V.; Strachan, Denis; Rohatgi, Aashish; Zumhoff, Mac

2013-10-01

Epsilon metal (ɛ-metal), an alloy of Mo, Pd, Rh, Ru, and Tc, is being developed as a waste form to treat and immobilize the undissolved solids and dissolved noble metals from aqueous reprocessing of commercial used nuclear fuel. Epsilon metal is an attractive waste form for several reasons: increased durability relative to borosilicate glass, it can be fabricated without additives (100% waste loading), and in addition it also benefits borosilicate glass waste loading by eliminating noble metals from the glass, thus the processing problems related to their insolubility in glass. This work focused on the processing aspects of the epsilon metal waste form development. Epsilon metal is comprised of refractory metals resulting in high alloying temperatures, expected to be 1500-2000 °C, making it a non-trivial phase to fabricate by traditional methods. Three commercially available advanced technologies were identified: spark-plasma sintering, microwave sintering, and hot isostatic pressing, and investigated as potential methods to fabricate this waste form. Results of these investigations are reported and compared in terms of bulk density, phase assemblage (X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis), and microstructure (scanning electron microscopy).

Chemical Technology Division annual technical report, 1992

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

Battles, J.E.; Myles, K.M.; Laidler, J.J.

1993-06-01

In this period, CMT conducted research and development in the following areas: (1) electrochemical technology, including advanced batteries and fuel cells; (2) technology for fluidized-bed combustion and coal-fired magnetohydrodynamics; (3) methods for treatment of hazardous waste, mixed hazardous/radioactive waste, and municipal solid waste; (4) the reaction of nuclear waste glass and spent fuel under conditions expected for an unsaturated repository; (5) processes for separating and recovering transuranic elements from nuclear waste streams, treating water contaminated with volatile organics, and concentrating radioactive waste streams; (6) recovery processes for discharged fuel and the uranium blanket in the Integral Fast Reactor (EFR); (7)more » processes for removal of actinides in spent fuel from commercial water-cooled nuclear reactors and burnup in IFRs; and (8) physical chemistry of selected materials (corium; Fe-U-Zr, tritium in LiAlO{sub 2} in environments simulating those of fission and fusion energy systems. The Division also conducts basic research in catalytic chemistry associated with molecular energy resources and novel` ceramic precursors; materials chemistry of superconducting oxides, electrified metal/solution interfaces, and molecular sieve structures; and the geochemical processes involved in water-rock interactions occurring in active hydrothermal systems. In addition, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory in CMT provides a broad range of analytical chemistry support services to the technical programs at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).« less

Alkaline-side extraction of technetium from tank waste using crown ethers and other extractants

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

Bonnesen, P.V.; Moyer, B.A.; Presley, D.J.

The chemical development of a new crown-ether-based solvent-extraction process for the separation of (Tc) from alkaline tank-waste supernate is ready for counter-current testing. The process addresses a priority need in the proposed cleanup of Hanford and other tank wastes. This need has arisen from concerns due to the volatility of Tc during vitrification, as well as {sup 99}Tc`s long half-life and environmental mobility. The new process offers several key advantages that direct treatability--no adjustment of the waste composition is needed; economical stripping with water; high efficiency--few stages needed; non-RCRA chemicals--no generation of hazardous or mixed wastes; co-extraction of {sup 90}Sr;more » and optional concentration on a resin. A key concept advanced in this work entails the use of tandem techniques: solvent extraction offers high selectivity, while a subsequent column sorption process on the aqueous stripping solution serves to greatly concentrate the Tc. Optionally, the stripping solution can be evaporated to a small volume. Batch tests of the solvent-extraction and stripping components of the process have been conducted on actual melton Valley Storage Tank (MVST) waste as well as simulants of MVST and Hanford waste. The tandem process was demonstrated on MVST waste simulants using the three solvents that were selected the final candidates for the process. The solvents are 0.04 M bis-4,4{prime}(5{prime})[(tert-butyl)cyclohexano]-18-crown-6 (abbreviated di-t-BuCH18C6) in a 1:1 vol/vol blend of tributyl phosphate and Isopar{reg_sign} M (an isoparaffinic kerosene); 0.02 M di-t-BuCH18C6 in 2:1 vol/vol TBP/Isopar M and pure TBP. The process is now ready for counter-current testing on actual Hanford tank supernates.« less

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

An economic analysis of the processing technologies in CDW recycling platforms.

PubMed

Oliveira Neto, Raul; Gastineau, Pascal; Cazacliu, Bogdan Grigore; Le Guen, Lauredan; Paranhos, Régis Sebben; Petter, Carlos Otávio

2017-02-01

This paper proposes an economic analysis of three different types of processing in CDW (construction and demolition waste) recycling platforms, according to the sophistication of the processing technologies (current advanced, advanced and advanced sorting). The methodology that is adopted is in the economic evaluation concept of projects and is classified with a scoping study phase. In these contexts, three levels of CDW processing capabilities for recycling platforms are analyzed (100, 300 and 600 thousand tons per year). This article considers databases obtained from similar projects that have been published in the specialized literature; the data sources are primarily from the European continent. The paper shows that current advanced process has better economic performance, in terms of IRR, related to the other two processes. The IRR associated with advanced and advanced sorting processes could be raised by, (i) higher price of secondary primary material, and/or (ii) higher capacity of platforms, and/or (iii) higher sharing of secondary primary material in the total production. The first two points depend on the market conditions (prices and total quantity of CDW available) and (potential) fiscal or incentive policies. The last one depends on technological progress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular events in skeletal muscle during disuse atrophy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kandarian, Susan C.; Stevenson, Eric J.

2002-01-01

This review summarizes the current knowledge of the molecular processes underlying skeletal muscle atrophy due to disuse. Because the processes involved with muscle wasting due to illness are similar to disuse, this literature is used for comparison. Areas that are ripe for further study and that will advance our understanding of muscle atrophy are suggested.

FLASH Technology: Full-Scale Hospital Waste Water Treatments Adopted in Aceh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rame; Tridecima, Adeodata; Pranoto, Hadi; Moesliem; Miftahuddin

2018-02-01

A Hospital waste water contains a complex mixture of hazardous chemicals and harmful microbes, which can pose a threat to the environment and public health. Some efforts have been carried out in Nangroe Aceh Darussalam (Aceh), Indonesia with the objective of treating hospital waste water effluents on-site before its discharge. Flash technology uses physical and biological pre-treatment, followed by advanced oxidation process based on catalytic ozonation and followed by GAC and PAC filtration. Flash Full-Scale Hospital waste water Treatments in Aceh from different district have been adopted and investigated. Referring to the removal efficiency of macro-pollutants, the collected data demonstrate good removal efficiency of macro-pollutants using Flash technologies. In general, Flash technologies could be considered a solution to the problem of managing hospital waste water.

Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (NEAMS Waste IPSC).

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

Schultz, Peter Andrew

The objective of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (NEAMS Waste IPSC) is to provide an integrated suite of computational modeling and simulation (M&S) capabilities to quantitatively assess the long-term performance of waste forms in the engineered and geologic environments of a radioactive-waste storage facility or disposal repository. Achieving the objective of modeling the performance of a disposal scenario requires describing processes involved in waste form degradation and radionuclide release at the subcontinuum scale, beginning with mechanistic descriptions of chemical reactions and chemical kinetics at the atomicmore » scale, and upscaling into effective, validated constitutive models for input to high-fidelity continuum scale codes for coupled multiphysics simulations of release and transport. Verification and validation (V&V) is required throughout the system to establish evidence-based metrics for the level of confidence in M&S codes and capabilities, including at the subcontiunuum scale and the constitutive models they inform or generate. This Report outlines the nature of the V&V challenge at the subcontinuum scale, an approach to incorporate V&V concepts into subcontinuum scale modeling and simulation (M&S), and a plan to incrementally incorporate effective V&V into subcontinuum scale M&S destined for use in the NEAMS Waste IPSC work flow to meet requirements of quantitative confidence in the constitutive models informed by subcontinuum scale phenomena.« less

In-Space Propulsion, Logistics Reduction, and Evaluation of Steam Reformer Kinetics: Problems and Prospects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, D. A.; Palaszewski, B. A.; Kulis, M. J.; Gokoglu, S. A.

2015-01-01

Human space missions generate waste materials. A 70-kg crewmember creates a waste stream of 1 kg per day, and a four-person crew on a deep space habitat for a 400+ day mission would create over 1600 kg of waste. Converted into methane, the carbon could be used as a fuel for propulsion or power. The NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project is investing in space resource utilization with an emphasis on repurposing logistics materials for useful purposes and has selected steam reforming among many different competitive processes as the preferred method for repurposing organic waste into methane. Already demonstrated at the relevant processing rate of 5.4 kg of waste per day, high temperature oxygenated steam consumes waste and produces carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen which can then be converted into methane catalytically. However, the steam reforming process has not been studied in microgravity. Data are critically needed to understand the mechanisms that allow use of steam reforming in a reduced gravity environment. This paper reviews the relevant literature, identifies gravity-dependent mechanisms within the steam gasification process, and describes an innovative experiment to acquire the crucial kinetic information in a small-scale reactor specifically designed to operate within the requirements of a reduced gravity aircraft flight. The experiment will determine if the steam reformer process is mass-transport limited, and if so, what level of forced convection will be needed to obtain performance comparable to that in 1-g.

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

Washiya, Tadahiro; Komaki, Jun; Funasaka, Hideyuki

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been developing the new aqueous reprocessing system named 'NEXT' (New Extraction system for TRU recovery)1-2, which provides many advantages as waste volume reduction, cost savings by advanced components and simplification of process operation. Advanced head-end systems in the 'NEXT' process consist of fuel disassembly system, fuel shearing system and continuous dissolver system. We developed reliable fuel disassembly system with innovative procedure, and short-length shearing system and continuous dissolver system can be provided highly concentrated dissolution to adapt to the uranium crystallization process. We have carried out experimental studies, and fabrication of engineering-scale test devicesmore » to confirm the systems performance. In this paper, research and development of advanced head-end systems are described. (authors)« less

Characterization of microbial and chemical composition of shuttle wet waste with permanent gas and volatile organic compound analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, B. V.; Hummerick, M.; Roberts, M. S.; Krumins, V.; Kish, A. L.; Garland, J. L.; Maxwell, S.; Mills, A.

2004-01-01

Solid-waste treatment in space for Advanced Life Support, ALS, applications requires that the material can be safely processed and stored in a confined environment. Many solid-wastes are not stable because they are wet (40-90% moisture) and contain levels of soluble organic compounds that can contribute to the growth of undesirable microorganisms with concomitant production of noxious odors. In the absence of integrated Advanced Life Support systems on orbit, permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses were performed on crew refuse returned from the volume F "wet" trash of three consecutive Shuttle missions (STS-105, 109, and 110). These analyses were designed to characterize the short-term biological stability of the material and assess potential crew risks resulting from microbial decay processes during storage. Waste samples were collected post-orbiter landing and sorted into packaging material, food waste, toilet waste, and bulk liquid fractions deposited during flight in the volume F container. Aerobic and anaerobic microbial loads were determined in each fraction by cultivation on R2A and by acridine orange direct count (AODC). Dry and ash weights were performed to determine both water and organic content of the materials. Experiments to determine the aerobic and anaerobic biostability of refuse stored for varying periods of time were performed by on-line monitoring of CO 2 and laboratory analysis for production of hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA Method TO15 by USEPA et al. [EPA Method TO15, The Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Ambient Air using SUMMA, Passivated Canister Sampling and Gas Chromatographic Analysis, 1999] with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors. These baseline measures of waste stream content, labile organics, and microbial load in the volume F Shuttle trash provide data for waste subsystem analysis and atmospheric management within the ALS Project.

Characterization of microbial and chemical composition of shuttle wet waste with permanent gas and volatile organic compound analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, B. V.; Hummerick, M.; Roberts, M. S.; Krumins, V.; Kish, A. L.; Garland, J. L.; Maxwell, S.; Mills, A.

2004-01-01

Solid-waste treatment in space for Advanced Life Support, ALS, applications requires that the material can be safely processed and stored in a confined environment. Many solid-wastes are not stable because they are wet (40-90% moisture) and contain levels of soluble organic compounds that can contribute to the growth of undesirable microorganisms with concomitant production of noxious odors. In the absence of integrated Advanced Life Support systems on orbit, permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses were performed on crew refuse returned from the volume F "wet" trash of three consecutive Shuttle missions (STS-105, 109, and 110). These analyses were designed to characterize the short-term biological stability of the material and assess potential crew risks resulting from microbial decay processes during storage. Waste samples were collected post-orbiter landing and sorted into packaging material, food waste, toilet waste, and bulk liquid fractions deposited during flight in the volume F container. Aerobic and anaerobic microbial loads were determined in each fraction by cultivation on R2A and by acridine orange direct count (AODC). Dry and ash weights were performed to determine both water and organic content of the materials. Experiments to determine the aerobic and anaerobic biostability of refuse stored for varying periods of time were performed by on-line monitoring of CO2 and laboratory analysis for production of hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA Method TO15 by USEPA et al. [EPA Method TO15, The Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Ambient Air using SUMMA, Passivated Canister Sampling and Gas Chromatographic Analysis,1999] with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors. These baseline measures of waste stream content, labile organics, and microbial load in the volume F Shuttle trash provide data for waste subsystem analysis and atmospheric management within the ALS Project. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Characterization of microbial and chemical composition of shuttle wet waste with permanent gas and volatile organic compound analyses.

PubMed

Peterson, B V; Hummerick, M; Roberts, M S; Krumins, V; Kish, A L; Garland, J L; Maxwell, S; Mills, A

2004-01-01

Solid-waste treatment in space for Advanced Life Support, ALS, applications requires that the material can be safely processed and stored in a confined environment. Many solid-wastes are not stable because they are wet (40-90% moisture) and contain levels of soluble organic compounds that can contribute to the growth of undesirable microorganisms with concomitant production of noxious odors. In the absence of integrated Advanced Life Support systems on orbit, permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses were performed on crew refuse returned from the volume F "wet" trash of three consecutive Shuttle missions (STS-105, 109, and 110). These analyses were designed to characterize the short-term biological stability of the material and assess potential crew risks resulting from microbial decay processes during storage. Waste samples were collected post-orbiter landing and sorted into packaging material, food waste, toilet waste, and bulk liquid fractions deposited during flight in the volume F container. Aerobic and anaerobic microbial loads were determined in each fraction by cultivation on R2A and by acridine orange direct count (AODC). Dry and ash weights were performed to determine both water and organic content of the materials. Experiments to determine the aerobic and anaerobic biostability of refuse stored for varying periods of time were performed by on-line monitoring of CO2 and laboratory analysis for production of hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA Method TO15 by USEPA et al. [EPA Method TO15, The Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Ambient Air using SUMMA, Passivated Canister Sampling and Gas Chromatographic Analysis,1999] with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors. These baseline measures of waste stream content, labile organics, and microbial load in the volume F Shuttle trash provide data for waste subsystem analysis and atmospheric management within the ALS Project. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Improvement of electrical resistivity tomography for leachate injection monitoring.

PubMed

Clément, R; Descloitres, M; Günther, T; Oxarango, L; Morra, C; Laurent, J-P; Gourc, J-P

2010-03-01

Leachate recirculation is a key process in the scope of operating municipal waste landfills as bioreactors, which aims to increase the moisture content to optimize the biodegradation in landfills. Given that liquid flows exhibit a complex behaviour in very heterogeneous porous media, in situ monitoring methods are required. Surface time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is usually proposed. Using numerical modelling with typical 2D and 3D injection plume patterns and 2D and 3D inversion codes, we show that wrong changes of resistivity can be calculated at depth if standard parameters are used for time-lapse ERT inversion. Major artefacts typically exhibit significant increases of resistivity (more than +30%) which can be misinterpreted as gas migration within the waste. In order to eliminate these artefacts, we tested an advanced time-lapse ERT procedure that includes (i) two advanced inversion tools and (ii) two alternative array geometries. The first advanced tool uses invariant regions in the model. The second advanced tool uses an inversion with a "minimum length" constraint. The alternative arrays focus on (i) a pole-dipole array (2D case), and (ii) a star array (3D case). The results show that these two advanced inversion tools and the two alternative arrays remove almost completely the artefacts within +/-5% both for 2D and 3D situations. As a field application, time-lapse ERT is applied using the star array during a 3D leachate injection in a non-hazardous municipal waste landfill. To evaluate the robustness of the two advanced tools, a synthetic model including both true decrease and increase of resistivity is built. The advanced time-lapse ERT procedure eliminates unwanted artefacts, while keeping a satisfactory image of true resistivity variations. This study demonstrates that significant and robust improvements can be obtained for time-lapse ERT monitoring of leachate recirculation in waste landfills. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement of electrical resistivity tomography for leachate injection monitoring

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

Clement, R., E-mail: remi.clement@hmg.inpg.f; Descloitres, M.; Guenther, T., E-mail: Thomas.Guenther@liag-hannover.d

2010-03-15

Leachate recirculation is a key process in the scope of operating municipal waste landfills as bioreactors, which aims to increase the moisture content to optimize the biodegradation in landfills. Given that liquid flows exhibit a complex behaviour in very heterogeneous porous media, in situ monitoring methods are required. Surface time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is usually proposed. Using numerical modelling with typical 2D and 3D injection plume patterns and 2D and 3D inversion codes, we show that wrong changes of resistivity can be calculated at depth if standard parameters are used for time-lapse ERT inversion. Major artefacts typically exhibit significantmore » increases of resistivity (more than +30%) which can be misinterpreted as gas migration within the waste. In order to eliminate these artefacts, we tested an advanced time-lapse ERT procedure that includes (i) two advanced inversion tools and (ii) two alternative array geometries. The first advanced tool uses invariant regions in the model. The second advanced tool uses an inversion with a 'minimum length' constraint. The alternative arrays focus on (i) a pole-dipole array (2D case), and (ii) a star array (3D case). The results show that these two advanced inversion tools and the two alternative arrays remove almost completely the artefacts within +/-5% both for 2D and 3D situations. As a field application, time-lapse ERT is applied using the star array during a 3D leachate injection in a non-hazardous municipal waste landfill. To evaluate the robustness of the two advanced tools, a synthetic model including both true decrease and increase of resistivity is built. The advanced time-lapse ERT procedure eliminates unwanted artefacts, while keeping a satisfactory image of true resistivity variations. This study demonstrates that significant and robust improvements can be obtained for time-lapse ERT monitoring of leachate recirculation in waste landfills.« less

Review of the Scientific Understanding of Radioactive Waste at the U.S. DOE Hanford Site.

PubMed

Peterson, Reid A; Buck, Edgar C; Chun, Jaehun; Daniel, Richard C; Herting, Daniel L; Ilton, Eugene S; Lumetta, Gregg J; Clark, Sue B

2018-01-16

This Critical Review reviews the origin and chemical and rheological complexity of radioactive waste at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site. The waste, stored in underground tanks, was generated via three distinct processes over decades of plutonium extraction operations. Although close records were kept of original waste disposition, tank-to-tank transfers and conditions that impede equilibrium complicate our understanding of the chemistry, phase composition, and rheology of the waste. Tank waste slurries comprise particles and aggregates from nano to micro scales, with varying densities, morphologies, heterogeneous compositions, and complicated responses to flow regimes and process conditions. Further, remnant or changing radiation fields may affect the stability and rheology of the waste. These conditions pose challenges for transport through conduits or pipes to treatment plants for vitrification. Additionally, recalcitrant boehmite degrades glass quality and the high aluminum content must be reduced prior to vitrification for the manufacture of waste glass of acceptable durability. However, caustic leaching indicates that boehmite dissolves much more slowly than predicted given surface normalized rates. Existing empirical models based on ex situ experiments and observations generally only describe material balances and have not effectively predicted process performance. Recent advances in the areas of in situ microscopy, aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy, theoretical modeling across scales, and experimental methods for probing the physics and chemistry at mineral-fluid and mineral-mineral interfaces are being implemented to build robustly predictive physics-based models.

Pyrolysis of plastic waste for liquid fuel production as prospective energy resource

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharuddin, S. D. A.; Abnisa, F.; Daud, W. M. A. W.; Aroua, M. K.

2018-03-01

The worldwide plastic generation expanded over years because of the variety applications of plastics in numerous sectors that caused the accumulation of plastic waste in the landfill. The growing of plastics demand definitely affected the petroleum resources availability as non-renewable fossil fuel since plastics were the petroleum-based material. A few options that have been considered for plastic waste management were recycling and energy recovery technique. Nevertheless, several obstacles of recycling technique such as the needs of sorting process that was labour intensive and water pollution that lessened the process sustainability. As a result, the plastic waste conversion into energy was developed through innovation advancement and extensive research. Since plastics were part of petroleum, the oil produced through the pyrolysis process was said to have high calorific value that could be used as an alternative fuel. This paper reviewed the thermal and catalytic degradation of plastics through pyrolysis process and the key factors that affected the final end product, for instance, oil, gaseous and char. Additionally, the liquid fuel properties and a discussion on several perspectives regarding the optimization of the liquid oil yield for every plastic were also included in this paper.

Human Support Technology Research to Enable Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joshi, Jitendra

2003-01-01

Contents include the following: Advanced life support. System integration, modeling, and analysis. Progressive capabilities. Water processing. Air revitalization systems. Why advanced CO2 removal technology? Solid waste resource recovery systems: lyophilization. ISRU technologies for Mars life support. Atmospheric resources of Mars. N2 consumable/make-up for Mars life. Integrated test beds. Monitoring and controlling the environment. Ground-based commercial technology. Optimizing size vs capability. Water recovery systems. Flight verification topics.

Valorisation of mixed bakery waste in non-sterilized fermentation for L-lactic acid production by an evolved Thermoanaerobacterium sp. strain.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaofeng; Zhu, Muzi; Huang, Xiongliang; Lin, Carol Sze Ki; Wang, Jufang; Li, Shuang

2015-12-01

In this study, an advanced biorefinery technology that uses mixed bakery waste has been developed to produce l-lactic acid using an adaptively evolved Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense LA1002-G40 in a non-sterilized system. Under these conditions, mixed bakery waste was directly hydrolysed by Aspergillus awamori and Aspergillus oryzae, resulting in a nutrient-rich hydrolysate containing 83.6g/L glucose, 9.5 g/L fructose and 612 mg/L free amino nitrogen. T. aotearoense LA1002-G40 was evaluated and then adaptively evolved to grow in this nutrient-rich hydrolysate. Using a 5-L fermenter, the overall lactic acid production from mixed bakery waste was 0.18 g/g with a titer, productivity and yield of 78.5 g/L, 1.63 g/L/h and 0.85 g/g, respectively. This is an innovative procedure involving a complete bioconversion process for l-lactic acid produced from mixed bakery waste under non-sterilized conditions. The proposed process could be potentially applied to turn food waste into l-lactic acid in an economically feasible way. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Malnutrition and Cachexia in Heart Failure.

PubMed

Rahman, Adam; Jafry, Syed; Jeejeebhoy, Khursheed; Nagpal, A Dave; Pisani, Barbara; Agarwala, Ravi

2016-05-01

Heart failure is a growing public health concern. Advanced heart failure is frequently associated with severe muscle wasting, termed cardiac cachexia This process is driven by systemic inflammation and tumor necrosis factor in a manner common to other forms of disease-related wasting seen with cancer or human immunodeficiency virus. A variable degree of malnutrition is often superimposed from poor nutrient intake. Cardiac cachexia significantly decreases quality of life and survival in patients with heart failure. This review outlines the evaluation of nutrition status in heart failure, explores the pathophysiology of cardiac cachexia, and discusses therapeutic interventions targeting wasting in these patients. © 2015 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Waste Management System overview for future spacecraft.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ingelfinger, A. L.; Murray, R. W.

1973-01-01

Waste Management Systems (WMS) for post Apollo spacecraft will be significantly more sophisticated and earthlike in user procedures. Some of the features of the advanced WMS will be accommodation of both males and females, automatic operation, either tissue wipe or anal wash, measurement and sampling of urine, feces and vomitus for medical analysis, water recovery, and solids disposal. This paper presents an overview of the major problems of and approaches to waste management for future spacecraft. Some of the processes discussed are liquid/gas separation, the Dry-John, the Hydro-John, automated sampling, vapor compression distillation, vacuum distillation-catalytic oxidation, incineration, and the integration of the above into complete systems.

Removal of Chalk River unidentified deposit (CRUD) radioactive waste by enhanced electrokinetic process

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

Kim, Won-Seok; Nam, Seongsik; Chang, Seeun

Decontamination techniques proposed and used to remove Chalk River unidentified deposit (CRUD) in radioactive waste management. In cases of huge volumes of metal or radionuclides contaminated by CRUD, removal of CRUD by mechanical or chemical decontamination is difficult. An advanced electrokinetic process combined with chemical decontamination was applied to remove CRUD and experimentally evaluated. We used oxalic acid for CRUD removal, and cobalt (Co) released from the CRUD was transferred to the cathode in an electrokinetic reactor. Our results indicate that the combined system is efficient for CRUD removal with enhanced, efficiency by use of the cation exchange membrane andmore » zeolite.« less

Removal of Chalk River unidentified deposit (CRUD) radioactive waste by enhanced electrokinetic process

DOE PAGES

Kim, Won-Seok; Nam, Seongsik; Chang, Seeun; ...

2017-08-13

Decontamination techniques proposed and used to remove Chalk River unidentified deposit (CRUD) in radioactive waste management. In cases of huge volumes of metal or radionuclides contaminated by CRUD, removal of CRUD by mechanical or chemical decontamination is difficult. An advanced electrokinetic process combined with chemical decontamination was applied to remove CRUD and experimentally evaluated. We used oxalic acid for CRUD removal, and cobalt (Co) released from the CRUD was transferred to the cathode in an electrokinetic reactor. Our results indicate that the combined system is efficient for CRUD removal with enhanced, efficiency by use of the cation exchange membrane andmore » zeolite.« less

Engineering a more sustainable world through catalysis and green chemistry.

PubMed

Sheldon, Roger A

2016-03-01

The grand challenge facing the chemical and allied industries in the twenty-first century is the transition to greener, more sustainable manufacturing processes that efficiently use raw materials, eliminate waste and avoid the use of toxic and hazardous materials. It requires a paradigm shift from traditional concepts of process efficiency, focusing on chemical yield, to one that assigns economic value to replacing fossil resources with renewable raw materials, eliminating waste and avoiding the use of toxic and/or hazardous substances. The need for a greening of chemicals manufacture is readily apparent from a consideration of the amounts of waste generated per kilogram of product (the E factors) in various segments of the chemical industry. A primary source of this waste is the use of antiquated 'stoichiometric' technologies and a major challenge is to develop green, catalytic alternatives. Another grand challenge for the twenty-first century, driven by the pressing need for climate change mitigation, is the transition from an unsustainable economy based on fossil resources--oil, coal and natural gas--to a sustainable one based on renewable biomass. In this context, the valorization of waste biomass, which is currently incinerated or goes to landfill, is particularly attractive. The bio-based economy involves cross-disciplinary research at the interface of biotechnology and chemical engineering, focusing on the development of green, chemo- and biocatalytic technologies for waste biomass conversion to biofuels, chemicals and bio-based materials. Biocatalysis has many benefits to offer in this respect. The catalyst is derived from renewable biomass and is biodegradable. Processes are performed under mild conditions and generally produce less waste and are more energy efficient than conventional ones. Thanks to modern advances in biotechnology 'tailor-made' enzymes can be economically produced on a large scale. However, for economic viability it is generally necessary to recover and re-use the enzyme and this can be achieved by immobilization, e.g. as solid cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs), enabling separation by filtration or centrifugation. A recent advance is the use of 'smart', magnetic CLEAs, which can be separated magnetically from reaction mixtures containing suspensions of solids; truly an example of cross-disciplinary research at the interface of physical and life sciences, which is particularly relevant to biomass conversion processes. © 2016 The Author(s).

Engineering a more sustainable world through catalysis and green chemistry

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The grand challenge facing the chemical and allied industries in the twenty-first century is the transition to greener, more sustainable manufacturing processes that efficiently use raw materials, eliminate waste and avoid the use of toxic and hazardous materials. It requires a paradigm shift from traditional concepts of process efficiency, focusing on chemical yield, to one that assigns economic value to replacing fossil resources with renewable raw materials, eliminating waste and avoiding the use of toxic and/or hazardous substances. The need for a greening of chemicals manufacture is readily apparent from a consideration of the amounts of waste generated per kilogram of product (the E factors) in various segments of the chemical industry. A primary source of this waste is the use of antiquated ‘stoichiometric’ technologies and a major challenge is to develop green, catalytic alternatives. Another grand challenge for the twenty-first century, driven by the pressing need for climate change mitigation, is the transition from an unsustainable economy based on fossil resources—oil, coal and natural gas—to a sustainable one based on renewable biomass. In this context, the valorization of waste biomass, which is currently incinerated or goes to landfill, is particularly attractive. The bio-based economy involves cross-disciplinary research at the interface of biotechnology and chemical engineering, focusing on the development of green, chemo- and biocatalytic technologies for waste biomass conversion to biofuels, chemicals and bio-based materials. Biocatalysis has many benefits to offer in this respect. The catalyst is derived from renewable biomass and is biodegradable. Processes are performed under mild conditions and generally produce less waste and are more energy efficient than conventional ones. Thanks to modern advances in biotechnology ‘tailor-made’ enzymes can be economically produced on a large scale. However, for economic viability it is generally necessary to recover and re-use the enzyme and this can be achieved by immobilization, e.g. as solid cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs), enabling separation by filtration or centrifugation. A recent advance is the use of ‘smart’, magnetic CLEAs, which can be separated magnetically from reaction mixtures containing suspensions of solids; truly an example of cross-disciplinary research at the interface of physical and life sciences, which is particularly relevant to biomass conversion processes. PMID:27009181

Enhancing e-waste estimates: Improving data quality by multivariate Input–Output Analysis

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

Wang, Feng, E-mail: fwang@unu.edu; Design for Sustainability Lab, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Landbergstraat 15, 2628CE Delft; Huisman, Jaco

2013-11-15

Highlights: • A multivariate Input–Output Analysis method for e-waste estimates is proposed. • Applying multivariate analysis to consolidate data can enhance e-waste estimates. • We examine the influence of model selection and data quality on e-waste estimates. • Datasets of all e-waste related variables in a Dutch case study have been provided. • Accurate modeling of time-variant lifespan distributions is critical for estimate. - Abstract: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (or e-waste) is one of the fastest growing waste streams, which encompasses a wide and increasing spectrum of products. Accurate estimation of e-waste generation is difficult, mainly due to lackmore » of high quality data referred to market and socio-economic dynamics. This paper addresses how to enhance e-waste estimates by providing techniques to increase data quality. An advanced, flexible and multivariate Input–Output Analysis (IOA) method is proposed. It links all three pillars in IOA (product sales, stock and lifespan profiles) to construct mathematical relationships between various data points. By applying this method, the data consolidation steps can generate more accurate time-series datasets from available data pool. This can consequently increase the reliability of e-waste estimates compared to the approach without data processing. A case study in the Netherlands is used to apply the advanced IOA model. As a result, for the first time ever, complete datasets of all three variables for estimating all types of e-waste have been obtained. The result of this study also demonstrates significant disparity between various estimation models, arising from the use of data under different conditions. It shows the importance of applying multivariate approach and multiple sources to improve data quality for modelling, specifically using appropriate time-varying lifespan parameters. Following the case study, a roadmap with a procedural guideline is provided to enhance e-waste estimation studies.« less

Analysis of post-mining excavations as places for municipal waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Górniak-Zimroz, Justyna

2018-01-01

Waste management planning is an interdisciplinary task covering a wide range of issues including costs, legal requirements, spatial planning, environmental protection, geography, demographics, and techniques used in collecting, transporting, processing and disposing of waste. Designing and analyzing this issue is difficult and requires the use of advanced analysis methods and tools available in GIS geographic information systems containing readily available graphical and descriptive databases, data analysis tools providing expert decision support while selecting the best-designed alternative, and simulation models that allow the user to simulate many variants of waste management together with graphical visualization of the results of performed analyzes. As part of the research study, there have been works undertaken concerning the use of multi-criteria data analysis in waste management in areas located in southwestern Poland. These works have proposed the inclusion in waste management of post-mining excavations as places for the final or temporary collection of waste assessed in terms of their suitability with the tools available in GIS systems.

Benefits and challenges of using LCA to advance sustainable wasteand materials management

EPA Science Inventory

MSW management can be complex and involve many unit processes that can vary based on needs of urban, rural, and suburbia to safely manage waste and to optimize energy and resource recovery while considering local infrastructure and priorities.

Review of the Scientific Understanding of Radioactive Waste at the U.S. DOE Hanford Site

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

Peterson, Reid A.; Buck, Edgar C.; Chun, Jaehun

This paper reviews the origin and chemical and rheological complexity of radioactive waste at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site. The waste, stored in underground tanks, was generated via three distinct processes over decades of plutonium extraction operations. Although close records were kept of original waste disposition, tank-to-tank transfers and conditions that impede equilibrium complicate our understanding of the chemistry, phase composition, and rheology of the waste. Tank waste slurries comprise particles and aggregates from nano to micron scales, with varying densities, morphologies, heterogeneous compositions, and complicated responses to flow regimes and process conditions. Further, remnant or changing radiationmore » fields may affect the stability and rheology of the waste. These conditions pose challenges for transport through conduits or pipes to treatment plants for vitrification. Additionally, recalcitrant boehmite degrades glass quality and must be reduced prior to vitrification, but dissolves much more slowly than predicted given surface normalized rates. Existing empirical models based on ex situ experiments and observations lack true predictive capabilities. Recent advances in in situ microscopy, aberration corrected TEM, theoretical modeling across scales, and experimental methods for probing the physics and chemistry at mineral-fluid and mineral-mineral interfaces are being implemented to build robustly predictive physics-based models.« less

Energy and cost savings results for advanced technology systems from the Cogeneration Technology Alternatives Study /CTAS/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sagerman, G. D.; Barna, G. J.; Burns, R. K.

1979-01-01

The Cogeneration Technology Alternatives Study (CTAS), a program undertaken to identify the most attractive advanced energy conversion systems for industrial cogeneration applications in the 1985-2000 time period, is described, and preliminary results are presented. Two cogeneration options are included in the analysis: a topping application, in which fuel is input to the energy conversion system which generates electricity and waste heat from the conversion system is used to provide heat to the process, and a bottoming application, in which fuel is burned to provide high temperature process heat and waste heat from the process is used as thermal input to the energy conversion system which generates energy. Steam turbines, open and closed cycle gas turbines, combined cycles, diesel engines, Stirling engines, phosphoric acid and molten carbonate fuel cells and thermionics are examined. Expected plant level energy savings, annual energy cost savings, and other results of the economic analysis are given, and the sensitivity of these results to the assumptions concerning fuel prices, price of purchased electricity and the potential effects of regional energy use characteristics is discussed.

Monitoring of waste disposal in deep geological formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

German, V.; Mansurov, V.

2003-04-01

In the paper application of kinetic approach for description of rock failure process and waste disposal microseismic monitoring is advanced. On base of two-stage model of failure process the capability of rock fracture is proved. The requests to monitoring system such as real time mode of data registration and processing and its precision range are formulated. The method of failure nuclei delineation in a rock masses is presented. This method is implemented in a software program for strong seismic events forecasting. It is based on direct use of the fracture concentration criterion. The method is applied to the database of microseismic events of the North Ural Bauxite Mine. The results of this application, such as: efficiency, stability, possibility of forecasting rockburst are discussed.

Final Report - "Foaming and Antifoaming and Gas Entrainment in Radioactive Waste Pretreatment and Immobilization Processes"

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

Wasan, Darsh T.

2007-10-09

The Savannah River Site (SRS) and Hanford site are in the process of stabilizing millions of gallons of radioactive waste slurries remaining from production of nuclear materials for the Department of Energy (DOE). The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at SRS is currently vitrifying the waste in borosilicate glass, while the facilities at the Hanford site are in the construction phase. Both processes utilize slurry-fed joule-heated melters to vitrify the waste slurries. The DWPF has experienced difficulty during operations. The cause of the operational problems has been attributed to foaming, gas entrainment and the rheological properties of the process slurries.more » The rheological properties of the waste slurries limit the total solids content that can be processed by the remote equipment during the pretreatment and meter feed processes. Highly viscous material can lead to air entrainment during agitation and difficulties with pump operations. Excessive foaming in waste evaporators can cause carryover of radionuclides and non-radioactive waste to the condensate system. Experimental and theoretical investigations of the surface phenomena, suspension rheology and bubble generation of interactions that lead to foaming and air entrainment problems in the DOE High Level and Low Activity Radioactive Waste separation and immobilization processes were pursued under this project. The first major task accomplished in the grant proposal involved development of a theoretical model of the phenomenon of foaming in a three-phase gas-liquid-solid slurry system. This work was presented in a recently completed Ph.D. thesis (9). The second major task involved the investigation of the inter-particle interaction and microstructure formation in a model slurry by the batch sedimentation method. Both experiments and modeling studies were carried out. The results were presented in a recently completed Ph.D. thesis. The third task involved the use of laser confocal microscopy to study the effectiveness of three slurry rheology modifiers. An effective modifier was identified which resulted in lowering the yield stress of the waste simulant. Therefore, the results of this research have led to the basic understanding of the foaming/antifoaming mechanism in waste slurries as well as identification of a rheology modifier, which enhances the processing throughput, and accelerates the DOE mission. The objectives of this research effort were to develop a fundamental understanding of the physico-chemical mechanisms that produced foaming and air entrainment in the DOE High Level (HLW) and Low Activity (LAW) radioactive waste separation and immobilization processes, and to develop and test advanced antifoam/defoaming/rheology modifier agents. Antifoams/rheology modifiers developed from this research ere tested using non-radioactive simulants of the radioactive wastes obtained from Hanford and the Savannah River Site (SRS).« less

Impacts of Process and Prediction Uncertainties on Projected Hanford Waste Glass Amount

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

Gervasio, V.; Kim, D. S.; Vienna, J. D.

Analyses were performed to evaluate the impacts of using the advanced glass models, constraints, and uncertainty descriptions on projected Hanford glass mass. The maximum allowable waste oxide loading (WOL) was estimated for waste compositions while simultaneously satisfying all applicable glass property and composition constraints with sufficient confidence. Different components of prediction and composition/process uncertainties were systematically included in the calculations to evaluate their impacts on glass mass. The analyses estimated the production of 23,360 MT of immobilized high-level waste (IHLW) glass when no uncertainties were taken into account. Accounting for prediction and composition/process uncertainties resulted in 5.01 relative percent increasemore » in estimated glass mass of 24,531 MT. Roughly equal impacts were found for prediction uncertainties (2.58 RPD) and composition/process uncertainties (2.43 RPD). The immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) mass was predicted to be 282,350 MT without uncertainty and with waste loading “line” rules in place. Accounting for prediction and composition/process uncertainties resulted in only 0.08 relative percent increase in estimated glass mass of 282,562 MT. Without application of line rules the glass mass decreases by 10.6 relative percent (252,490 MT) for the case with no uncertainties. Addition of prediction uncertainties increases glass mass by 1.32 relative percent and the addition of composition/process uncertainties increase glass mass by an additional 7.73 relative percent (9.06 relative percent increase combined). The glass mass estimate without line rules (275,359 MT) was 2.55 relative percent lower than that with the line rules (282,562 MT), after accounting for all applicable uncertainties.« less

American power conference: Proceedings

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

Not Available

1994-01-01

The first volume of this conference contains papers on the following topics: (1) Controls, monitoring, and expert systems (Harnessing microprocessor revolution for a more competitive power industry; Plant control--Upgrades; Neural network applications); (2) Diversification and globalization (Electric utility diversification/globalization--Panel; Private power in developing countries); (3) Environment and clean air (Clean Air compliance costs; Site selection for power stations and related facilities; Electric utility trace substance emissions; Solid waste disposal and commercial use; Precipitators/fabric filters; and Effect of flow modifications on fisheries and water quality); (4) Generation--Fuel options equipment (Alternate fuels; Advances in fuel cells for electric power applications; Secondary containmentmore » and seismic requirements for petrochemical facilities; Clean coal technology demonstration; Advanced energy systems; Hydropower); (5) Nuclear operations options (Radioactive waste management and disposal; Off normal conditions; Advanced light water reactors--15 years after TMI; Structural dynamic analyses for nuclear power plants); (6) Retrofit, betterment, repowering maintenance (Project management; Improving competitiveness through process re-engineering; Central stations; Water and wastewater treatment); (7) System planning, operation demand maintenance (Transmission system access; Stability; Systems planning); (8) Transmission and distribution (Transformers; Relaying for system protection; Managing EMF effects); and (9) Education (Power engineering). 155 papers have been processed separately for inclusion on the data base.« less

Advanced Flue Gas Desulfurization (AFGD) Demonstration Project, A DOE Assessment

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

National Energy Technology Laboratory

2001-08-31

The AFGD process as demonstrated by Pure Air at the Bailly Station offers a reliable and cost-effective means of achieving a high degree of SO{sub 2} emissions reduction when burning high-sulfur coals. Many innovative features have been successfully incorporated in this process, and it is ready for widespread commercial use. The system uses a single-loop cocurrent scrubbing process with in-situ oxidation to produce wallboard-grade gypsum instead of wet sludge. A novel wastewater evaporation system minimizes effluents. The advanced scrubbing process uses a common absorber to serve multiple boilers, thereby saving on capital through economies of scale. Major results of themore » project are: (1) SO{sub 2} removal of over 94 percent was achieved over the three-year demonstration period, with a system availability exceeding 99.5 percent; (2) a large, single absorber handled the combined flue gas of boilers generating 528 MWe of power, and no spares were required; (3) direct injection of pulverized limestone into the absorber was successful; (4) Wastewater evaporation eliminated the need for liquid waste disposal; and (5) the gypsum by-product was used directly for wallboard manufacture, eliminating the need to dispose of waste sludge.« less

Alternative High-Performance Ceramic Waste Forms

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

Sundaram, S. K.

This final report (M5NU-12-NY-AU # 0202-0410) summarizes the results of the project titled “Alternative High-Performance Ceramic Waste Forms,” funded in FY12 by the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP Project # 12-3809) being led by Alfred University in collaboration with Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). The overall focus of the project is to advance fundamental understanding of crystalline ceramic waste forms and to demonstrate their viability as alternative waste forms to borosilicate glasses. We processed single- and multiphase hollandite waste forms based on simulated waste streams compositions provided by SRNL based on the advanced fuel cycle initiative (AFCI) aqueous separation process developed in the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D). For multiphase simulated waste forms, oxide and carbonate precursors were mixed together via ball milling with deionized water using zirconia media in a polyethylene jar for 2 h. The slurry was dried overnight and then separated from the media. The blended powders were then subjected to melting or spark plasma sintering (SPS) processes. Microstructural evolution and phase assemblages of these samples were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion analysis of x-rays (EDAX), wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDS), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM), selective area x-ray diffraction (SAXD), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). These results showed that the processing methods have significant effect on the microstructure and thus the performance of these waste forms. The Ce substitution into zirconolite and pyrochlore materials was investigated using a combination of experimental (in situ XRD and x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES)) and modeling techniques to study these single phases independently. In zirconolite materials, a transition from the 2M to the 4M polymorph was observed with increasing Ce content. The resulting powders were consolidated via SPS. Ce was reduced to the trivalent oxidation state and the zirconolite was converted into undesirable perovskite. The zirconolite polymorphs found in the synthesized powders were recovered after a post-SPS heat treatment in air. These results demonstrated the potential of processing in controlling the phase assemblage in these waste forms. Hollandites with Cr 3+ trivalent cations were identified as potential hosts for Cs immobilization and are being investigated for Cs retention properties. Series of compositions Ba 1.15-xCs 2xCr 2.3Ti 5.7O 16, with increasing Cs loadings, were prepared by sol-gel process and characterized for structural parameters. Structural characterization was performed by a combination of powder XRD and neutron powder diffraction. Phase pure hollandite adapting monoclinic symmetry (I2/m) was observed for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.55. These results were used to develop a new structural model to interpret Cs immobilization in these hollandites. Performance of these waste forms were evaluated for chemical durability and radiation resistance. Product consistency testing (PCT) and vapor hydration testing (VHT) were used for testing of chemical durability. Radiation resistance was tested using He + ions to simulatemore » $$\\alpha$$ particles and heavy ions such as Au 3+ to simulate a recoil. These results showed that these waste forms were chemically durable. The waste forms also amorphized to various degrees on exposure to simulated radiation.« less

Industrial waste recycling strategies optimization problem: mixed integer programming model and heuristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Jiafu; Liu, Yang; Fung, Richard; Luo, Xinggang

2008-12-01

Manufacturers have a legal accountability to deal with industrial waste generated from their production processes in order to avoid pollution. Along with advances in waste recovery techniques, manufacturers may adopt various recycling strategies in dealing with industrial waste. With reuse strategies and technologies, byproducts or wastes will be returned to production processes in the iron and steel industry, and some waste can be recycled back to base material for reuse in other industries. This article focuses on a recovery strategies optimization problem for a typical class of industrial waste recycling process in order to maximize profit. There are multiple strategies for waste recycling available to generate multiple byproducts; these byproducts are then further transformed into several types of chemical products via different production patterns. A mixed integer programming model is developed to determine which recycling strategy and which production pattern should be selected with what quantity of chemical products corresponding to this strategy and pattern in order to yield maximum marginal profits. The sales profits of chemical products and the set-up costs of these strategies, patterns and operation costs of production are considered. A simulated annealing (SA) based heuristic algorithm is developed to solve the problem. Finally, an experiment is designed to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method. By comparing a single strategy to multiple strategies in an example, it is shown that the total sales profit of chemical products can be increased by around 25% through the simultaneous use of multiple strategies. This illustrates the superiority of combinatorial multiple strategies. Furthermore, the effects of the model parameters on profit are discussed to help manufacturers organize their waste recycling network.

Chemical, Thermal and Spectroscopic Methods to Assess Biodegradation of Winery-Distillery Wastes during Composting.

PubMed

Torres-Climent, A; Gomis, P; Martín-Mata, J; Bustamante, M A; Marhuenda-Egea, F C; Pérez-Murcia, M D; Pérez-Espinosa, A; Paredes, C; Moral, R

2015-01-01

The objective of this work was to study the co-composting process of wastes from the winery and distillery industry with animal manures, using the classical chemical methods traditionally used in composting studies together with advanced instrumental methods (thermal analysis, FT-IR and CPMAS 13C NMR techniques), to evaluate the development of the process and the quality of the end-products obtained. For this, three piles were elaborated by the turning composting system, using as raw materials winery-distillery wastes (grape marc and exhausted grape marc) and animal manures (cattle manure and poultry manure). The classical analytical methods showed a suitable development of the process in all the piles, but these techniques were ineffective to study the humification process during the composting of this type of materials. However, their combination with the advanced instrumental techniques clearly provided more information regarding the turnover of the organic matter pools during the composting process of these materials. Thermal analysis allowed to estimate the degradability of the remaining material and to assess qualitatively the rate of OM stabilization and recalcitrant C in the compost samples, based on the energy required to achieve the same mass losses. FT-IR spectra mainly showed variations between piles and time of sampling in the bands associated to complex organic compounds (mainly at 1420 and 1540 cm-1) and to nitrate and inorganic components (at 875 and 1384 cm-1, respectively), indicating composted material stability and maturity; while CPMAS 13C NMR provided semi-quantitatively partition of C compounds and structures during the process, being especially interesting their variation to evaluate the biotransformation of each C pool, especially in the comparison of recalcitrant C vs labile C pools, such as Alkyl /O-Alkyl ratio.

Chemical, Thermal and Spectroscopic Methods to Assess Biodegradation of Winery-Distillery Wastes during Composting

PubMed Central

Torres-Climent, A.; Gomis, P.; Martín-Mata, J.; Bustamante, M. A.; Marhuenda-Egea, F. C.; Pérez-Murcia, M. D.; Pérez-Espinosa, A.; Paredes, C.; Moral, R.

2015-01-01

The objective of this work was to study the co-composting process of wastes from the winery and distillery industry with animal manures, using the classical chemical methods traditionally used in composting studies together with advanced instrumental methods (thermal analysis, FT-IR and CPMAS 13C NMR techniques), to evaluate the development of the process and the quality of the end-products obtained. For this, three piles were elaborated by the turning composting system, using as raw materials winery-distillery wastes (grape marc and exhausted grape marc) and animal manures (cattle manure and poultry manure). The classical analytical methods showed a suitable development of the process in all the piles, but these techniques were ineffective to study the humification process during the composting of this type of materials. However, their combination with the advanced instrumental techniques clearly provided more information regarding the turnover of the organic matter pools during the composting process of these materials. Thermal analysis allowed to estimate the degradability of the remaining material and to assess qualitatively the rate of OM stabilization and recalcitrant C in the compost samples, based on the energy required to achieve the same mass losses. FT-IR spectra mainly showed variations between piles and time of sampling in the bands associated to complex organic compounds (mainly at 1420 and 1540 cm-1) and to nitrate and inorganic components (at 875 and 1384 cm-1, respectively), indicating composted material stability and maturity; while CPMAS 13C NMR provided semi-quantitatively partition of C compounds and structures during the process, being especially interesting their variation to evaluate the biotransformation of each C pool, especially in the comparison of recalcitrant C vs labile C pools, such as Alkyl /O-Alkyl ratio. PMID:26418458

Direct valorisation of waste cocoa butter triglycerides via catalytic epoxidation, ring-opening and polymerisation.

PubMed

Plaza, Dorota D; Strobel, Vinzent; Heer, Parminder Kaur Ks; Sellars, Andrew B; Hoong, Seng-Soi; Clark, Andrew J; Lapkin, Alexei A

2017-09-01

Development of circular economy requires significant advances in the technologies for valorisation of waste, as waste becomes new feedstock. Food waste is a particularly important feedstock, containing large variation of complex chemical functionality. Although most food waste sources are complex mixtures, waste from food processing, no longer suitable for the human food chain, may also represent relatively clean materials. One such material requiring valorisation is cocoa butter. Epoxidation of a triglyceride from a food waste source, processing waste cocoa butter, into the corresponding triglyceride epoxide was carried out using a modified Ishii-Venturello catalyst in batch and continuous flow reactors. The batch reactor achieved higher yields due to the significant decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the laminar flow tubular reactor. Integral and differential models describing the reaction and the phase transfer kinetics were developed for the epoxidation of cocoa butter and the model parameters were estimated. Ring-opening of the epoxidised cocoa butter was undertaken to provide polyols of varying molecular weight (M w = 2000-84 000 Da), hydroxyl value (27-60 mg KOH g -1 ) and acid value (1-173 mg KOH g -1 ), using either aqueous ortho-phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ) or boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BF 3 · OEt 2 )-mediated oligomerisation in bulk, using hexane or tetrahydrofuran (THF) as solvents. The thermal and tensile properties of the polyurethanes obtained from the reaction of these polyols with 4,4'-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) are described. The paper presents a complete valorisation scheme for a food manufacturing industry waste stream, starting from the initial chemical transformation, developing a process model for the design of a scaled-up process, and leading to synthesis of the final product, in this case a polymer. This work describes aspects of optimisation of the conversion route, focusing on clean synthesis and also demonstrates the interdisciplinary nature of the development projects, requiring input from different areas of chemistry, process modelling and process design. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) : gap analysis for high fidelity and performance assessment code development.

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

Lee, Joon H.; Siegel, Malcolm Dean; Arguello, Jose Guadalupe, Jr.

2011-03-01

This report describes a gap analysis performed in the process of developing the Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Campaign. The goal of the Waste IPSC is to develop an integrated suite of computational modeling and simulation capabilities to quantitatively assess the long-term performance of waste forms in the engineered and geologic environments of a radioactive waste storage or disposal system. The Waste IPSC will provide this simulation capability (1) for a range of disposal concepts, waste form types, engineered repositorymore » designs, and geologic settings, (2) for a range of time scales and distances, (3) with appropriate consideration of the inherent uncertainties, and (4) in accordance with rigorous verification, validation, and software quality requirements. The gap analyses documented in this report were are performed during an initial gap analysis to identify candidate codes and tools to support the development and integration of the Waste IPSC, and during follow-on activities that delved into more detailed assessments of the various codes that were acquired, studied, and tested. The current Waste IPSC strategy is to acquire and integrate the necessary Waste IPSC capabilities wherever feasible, and develop only those capabilities that cannot be acquired or suitably integrated, verified, or validated. The gap analysis indicates that significant capabilities may already exist in the existing THC codes although there is no single code able to fully account for all physical and chemical processes involved in a waste disposal system. Large gaps exist in modeling chemical processes and their couplings with other processes. The coupling of chemical processes with flow transport and mechanical deformation remains challenging. The data for extreme environments (e.g., for elevated temperature and high ionic strength media) that are needed for repository modeling are severely lacking. In addition, most of existing reactive transport codes were developed for non-radioactive contaminants, and they need to be adapted to account for radionuclide decay and in-growth. The accessibility to the source codes is generally limited. Because the problems of interest for the Waste IPSC are likely to result in relatively large computational models, a compact memory-usage footprint and a fast/robust solution procedure will be needed. A robust massively parallel processing (MPP) capability will also be required to provide reasonable turnaround times on the analyses that will be performed with the code. A performance assessment (PA) calculation for a waste disposal system generally requires a large number (hundreds to thousands) of model simulations to quantify the effect of model parameter uncertainties on the predicted repository performance. A set of codes for a PA calculation must be sufficiently robust and fast in terms of code execution. A PA system as a whole must be able to provide multiple alternative models for a specific set of physical/chemical processes, so that the users can choose various levels of modeling complexity based on their modeling needs. This requires PA codes, preferably, to be highly modularized. Most of the existing codes have difficulties meeting these requirements. Based on the gap analysis results, we have made the following recommendations for the code selection and code development for the NEAMS waste IPSC: (1) build fully coupled high-fidelity THCMBR codes using the existing SIERRA codes (e.g., ARIA and ADAGIO) and platform, (2) use DAKOTA to build an enhanced performance assessment system (EPAS), and build a modular code architecture and key code modules for performance assessments. The key chemical calculation modules will be built by expanding the existing CANTERA capabilities as well as by extracting useful components from other existing codes.« less

Chemical Technology Division annual technical report, 1990

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

Not Available

1991-05-01

Highlights of the Chemical Technology (CMT) Division's activities during 1990 are presented. In this period, CMT conducted research and development in the following areas: (1) electrochemical technology, including advanced batteries and fuel cells; (2) technology for coal- fired magnetohydrodynamics and fluidized-bed combustion; (3) methods for recovery of energy from municipal waste and techniques for treatment of hazardous organic waste; (4) the reaction of nuclear waste glass and spent fuel under conditions expected for a high-level waste repository; (5) processes for separating and recovering transuranic elements from nuclear waste streams, concentrating plutonium solids in pyrochemical residues by aqueous biphase extraction, andmore » treating natural and process waters contaminated by volatile organic compounds; (6) recovery processes for discharged fuel and the uranium blanket in the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR); (7) processes for removal of actinides in spent fuel from commercial water-cooled nuclear reactors and burnup in IFRs; and (8) physical chemistry of selected materials in environments simulating those of fission and fusion energy systems. The Division also has a program in basic chemistry research in the areas of fluid catalysis for converting small molecules to desired products; materials chemistry for superconducting oxides and associated and ordered solutions at high temperatures; interfacial processes of importance to corrosion science, high-temperature superconductivity, and catalysis; and the geochemical processes responsible for trace-element migration within the earth's crust. The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory in CMT provides a broad range of analytical chemistry support services to the scientific and engineering programs at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). 66 refs., 69 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Current Development in Treatment and Hydrogen Energy Conversion of Organic Solid Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Hang-Sik

2008-02-01

This manuscript summarized current developments on continuous hydrogen production technologies researched in Korea advanced institute of science and technology (KAIST). Long-term continuous pilot-scale operation of hydrogen producing processes fed with non-sterile food waste exhibited successful results. Experimental findings obtained by the optimization processes of growth environments for hydrogen producing bacteria, the development of high-rate hydrogen producing strategies, and the feasibility tests for real field application could contribute to the progress of fermentative hydrogen production technologies. Three major technologies such as controlling dilution rate depending on the progress of acidogenesis, maintaining solid retention time independently from hydraulic retention time, and decreasing hydrogen partial pressure by carbon dioxide sparging could enhance hydrogen production using anaerobic leaching beds reactors and anaerobic sequencing batch reactors. These findings could contribute to stable, reliable and effective performances of pilot-scale reactors treating organic wastes.

Recent advances in the production of value added chemicals and lipids utilizing biodiesel industry generated crude glycerol as a substrate - Metabolic aspects, challenges and possibilities: An overview.

PubMed

Vivek, Narisetty; Sindhu, Raveendran; Madhavan, Aravind; Anju, Alphonsa Jose; Castro, Eulogio; Faraco, Vincenza; Pandey, Ashok; Binod, Parameswaran

2017-09-01

One of the major ecological concerns associated with biodiesel production is the generation of waste/crude glycerol during the trans-esterification process. Purification of this crude glycerol is not economically viable. In this context, the development of an efficient and economically viable strategy would be biotransformation reactions converting the biodiesel derived crude glycerol into value added chemicals. Hence the process ensures the sustainability and waste management in biodiesel industry, paving a path to integrated biorefineries. This review addresses a waste to wealth approach for utilization of crude glycerol in the production of value added chemicals, current trends, challenges, future perspectives, metabolic approaches and the genetic tools developed for the improved synthesis over wild type microorganisms were described. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced waste management technology evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Couch, H.; Birbara, P.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this program is to evaluate the feasibility of steam reforming spacecraft wastes into simple recyclable inorganic salts, carbon dioxide and water. Model waste compounds included cellulose, urea, methionine, Igapon TC-42, and high density polyethylenes. These are compounds found in urine, feces, hygiene water, etc. The gasification and steam reforming process used the addition of heat and low quantities of oxygen to oxidize and reduce the model compounds.The studied reactions were aimed at recovery of inorganic residues that can be recycled into a closed biologic system. Results indicate that even at very low concentrations of oxygen (less than 3%) the formation of a carbonaceous residue was suppressed. The use of a nickel/cobalt reforming catalyst at reaction temperature of 1600 degrees yielded an efficient destruction of the organic effluents, including methane and ammonia. Additionally, the reforming process with nickel/cobalt catalyst diminished the noxious odors associated with butyric acid, methionine and plastics.

An inexact reverse logistics model for municipal solid waste management systems.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi Mei; Huang, Guo He; He, Li

2011-03-01

This paper proposed an inexact reverse logistics model for municipal solid waste management systems (IRWM). Waste managers, suppliers, industries and distributors were involved in strategic planning and operational execution through reverse logistics management. All the parameters were assumed to be intervals to quantify the uncertainties in the optimization process and solutions in IRWM. To solve this model, a piecewise interval programming was developed to deal with Min-Min functions in both objectives and constraints. The application of the model was illustrated through a classical municipal solid waste management case. With different cost parameters for landfill and the WTE, two scenarios were analyzed. The IRWM could reflect the dynamic and uncertain characteristics of MSW management systems, and could facilitate the generation of desired management plans. The model could be further advanced through incorporating methods of stochastic or fuzzy parameters into its framework. Design of multi-waste, multi-echelon, multi-uncertainty reverse logistics model for waste management network would also be preferred. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Converting citrus wastes into value-added products: Economic and environmently friendly approaches.

PubMed

Sharma, Kavita; Mahato, Neelima; Cho, Moo Hwan; Lee, Yong Rok

2017-02-01

Citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, tangerines, and mandarins, are among the most widely cultivated fruits around the globe. Its production is increasing every year due to rising consumer demand. Citrus-processing industries generate huge amounts of wastes every year, and citrus peel waste alone accounts for almost 50% of the wet fruit mass. Citrus waste is of immense economic value as it contains an abundance of various flavonoids, carotenoids, dietary fiber, sugars, polyphenols, essential oils, and ascorbic acid, as well as considerable amounts of some trace elements. Citrus waste also contains high levels of sugars suitable for fermentation for bioethanol production. However, compounds such as D-limonene must be removed for efficient bioethanol production. The aim of the present article was to review the latest advances in various popular methods of extraction for obtaining value-added products from citrus waste/byproducts and their potential utility as a source of various functional compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DECOVALEX Project: from 1992 to 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsang, Chin-Fu; Stephansson, Ove; Jing, Lanru; Kautsky, Fritz

2009-05-01

The DECOVALEX project is a unique international research collaboration, initiated in 1992, for advancing the understanding and mathematical modelling of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) and thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes in geological systems—subjects of importance for performance assessment of radioactive waste repositories in geological formations. From 1992 up to 2007, the project has made important progress and played a key role in the development of numerical modelling of coupled processes in fractured rocks and buffer/backfill materials. The project has been conducted by research teams supported by a large number of radioactive-waste-management organizations and regulatory authorities, including those of Canada, China, Finland, France, Japan, Germany, Spain, Sweden, UK, and the USA. Through this project, in-depth knowledge has been gained of coupled THM and THMC processes associated with nuclear waste repositories, as well as numerical simulation models for their quantitative analysis. The knowledge accumulated from this project, in the form of a large number of research reports and international journal and conference papers in the open literature, has been applied effectively in the implementation and review of national radioactive-waste-management programmes in the participating countries. This paper presents an overview of the project.

Electrochemical Processes for In-Situ Treatment of Contaminated Soils - Final Report - 09/15/1996 - 01/31/2001

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

Huang, Chin-Pao

2001-05-31

This project will study electrochemical processes for the in situ treatment of soils contaminated by mixed wastes, i.e., organic and inorganic. Soil samples collected form selected DOE waste sites will be characterized for specific organic and metal contaminants and hydraulic permeability. The soil samples are then subject to desorption experiments under various physical-chemical conditions such as pH and the presence of surfactants. Batch electro-osmosis experiments will be conducted to study the transport of contaminants in the soil-water systems. Organic contaminants that are released from the soil substrate will be treated by an advanced oxidation process, i.e., electron-Fantan. Finally, laboratory reactormore » integrating the elector-osmosis and elector-Fantan processes will be used to study the treatment of contaminated soil in situ.« less

Chemistry Division: Annual progress report for period ending March 31, 1987

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

Not Available

1987-08-01

This report is divided into the following sections: coal chemistry; aqueous chemistry at high temperatures and pressures; geochemistry of crustal processes to high temperatures and pressures; chemistry of advanced inorganic materials; structure and dynamics of advanced polymeric materials; chemistry of transuranium elements and compounds; separations chemistry; reactions and catalysis in molten salts; surface science related to heterogeneous catalysis; electron spectroscopy; chemistry related to nuclear waste disposal; computational modeling of security document printing; and special topics. (DLC)

Incinerator technology overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoleri, Joseph J.

1991-04-01

In the 1960's, much effort was expended on cleaning up the air and water. Air Quality and Water Quality Acts were written and inpleinented in many states and coninunities. New products such as unleaded gasoline and water base paints were developed to aid in minimizing pollution. Conversion from oil fired combustion systems to natural gas fired for comfort and industrial heating was the normal practice. In 1970, the Clean Air Act was passed. There was concern on how to safely dispose of hazardous wastes. Indiscriminate dumping of chemical process wastes had been the practice since the birth of the chemical industry in the USA. Land dumping, inadequate landfills, and river-ocean dumping were the most economical ways to dispose of chemical wastes. Processes that would have reduced or eliminated wastes were disregarded as being too costly. Many of the major chemical companies who regarded a safe environment as their responsibility installed waste treatment and disposal facilities on their plant sites. Many of these plants elected to use incinerators as the treatment process. This was not always the most economical method, but in many cases it was the only method of disposal that provided a safe and sure method of maximum destruction. Environmental concern over contamination from uncontrolled land disposal sites, and the emergence of tougher regulations for land disposal provide incentives for industry to employ a wide variety of traditional and advanced technologies for managing hazardous wastes. Incineration systems utilizing proper design, operation, and maintenance provides the safest and in the long run, the most economical avenue to the maximum level of destruction of organic hazardous wastes.

Life cycle assessment of integrated waste management systems for alternative legacy scenarios of the London Olympic Park.

PubMed

Parkes, Olga; Lettieri, Paola; Bogle, I David L

2015-06-01

This paper presents the results of the life cycle assessment (LCA) of 10 integrated waste management systems (IWMSs) for 3 potential post-event site design scenarios of the London Olympic Park. The aim of the LCA study is to evaluate direct and indirect emissions resulting from various treatment options of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually generated on site together with avoided emissions resulting from energy, materials and nutrients recovery. IWMSs are modelled using GaBi v6.0 Product Sustainability software and results are presented based on the CML (v.Nov-10) characterisation method. The results show that IWMSs with advanced thermal treatment (ATT) and incineration with energy recovery have the lowest Global Warming Potential (GWP) than IWMSs where landfill is the primary waste treatment process. This is due to higher direct emissions and lower avoided emissions from the landfill process compared to the emissions from the thermal treatment processes. LCA results demonstrate that significant environmental savings are achieved through substitution of virgin materials with recycled ones. The results of the sensitivity analysis carried out for IWMS 1 shows that increasing recycling rate by 5%, 10% and 15% compared to the baseline scenario can reduce GWP by 8%, 17% and 25% respectively. Sensitivity analysis also shows how changes in waste composition affect the overall result of the system. The outcomes of such assessments provide decision-makers with fundamental information regarding the environmental impacts of different waste treatment options necessary for sustainable waste management planning. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Recent trends in biological extraction of chitin from marine shell wastes: a review.

PubMed

Kaur, Surinder; Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh

2015-03-01

The natural biopolymer chitin and its deacetylated product chitosan are widely used in innumerable applications ranging from biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, food, agriculture and personal care products to environmental sector. The abundant and renewable marine processing wastes are commercially exploited for the extraction of chitin. However, the traditional chitin extraction processes employ harsh chemicals at elevated temperatures for a prolonged time which can harm its physico-chemical properties and are also held responsible for the deterioration of environmental health. In view of this, green extraction methods are increasingly gaining popularity due to their environmentally friendly nature. The bioextraction of chitin from crustacean shell wastes has been increasingly researched at the laboratory scale. However, the bioextraction of chitin is not currently exploited to its maximum potential on the commercial level. Bioextraction of chitin is emerging as a green, cleaner, eco-friendly and economical process. Specifically in the chitin extraction, microorganisms-mediated fermentation processes are highly desirable due to easy handling, simplicity, rapidity, controllability through optimization of process parameters, ambient temperature and negligible solvent consumption, thus reducing environmental impact and costs. Although, chitin production from crustacean shell waste through biological means is still at its early stage of development, it is undergoing rapid progress in recent years and showing a promising prospect. Driven by reduced energy, wastewater or solvent, advances in biological extraction of chitin along with valuable by-products will have high economic and environmental impact.

Inclusion of products of physicochemical oxidation of organic wastes in matter recycling of biological-technical life support systems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Kudenko, Yurii; Trifonov, Sergei; Ushakova, Sofya

Inclusion of products of human and plant wastes' `wet' incineration in 22 medium using alter-nating current into matter recycling of biological-technical life support system (BTLSS) has been considered. Fluid and gaseous components have been shown to be the products of such processing. In particular, the final product contained all necessary for plant cultivation nitrogen forms: NO2, NO3, NH4+. As the base solution included urine than NH4+ form dominated. At human solid wastes' mineralization NO2 NH4+ were registered in approximately equal amount. Comparative analysis of mineral composition of oxidized human wastes' and standard Knop solutions has been carried out. On the grounds of that analysis the dilution methods of solutions prepared with addition of oxidized human wastes for their further use for plant irrigation have been suggested. Reasonable levels of wheat productivity cultivated at use of given solutions have been obtained. CO2, N2 and O2 have been determined to be the main gas components of the gas admixture emitted within the given process. These gases easily integrate in matter recycling process of closed ecosystem. The data of plants' cultivation feasibility in the atmosphere obtained after closing of gas loop including physicochemical facility and vegetation chamber with plants-representatives of LSS phototrophic unit has been received. Conclusion of advance research on creation of matter recycling process in the integrated physical-chemical-biological model system has been drawn.

Effective pine bark composting with the Dome Aeration Technology

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

Trois, Cristina; Polster, Andreas

2007-07-01

In South Africa garden refuse is primarily disposed of in domestic landfills. Due to the large quantities generated, any form of treatment would be beneficial for volume reduction, waste stabilization and resource recovery. Dome Aeration Technology (DAT) is an advanced process for aerobic biological degradation of garden refuse and general waste [Paar, S., Brummack, J., Gemende, B., 1999a. Advantages of dome aeration in mechanical-biological waste treatment. In: Proceedings of the 7th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, Cagliari, 4-8 October 1999; Paar, S., Brummack, J., Gemende, B., 1999b. Mechanical-biological waste stabilization by the dome aeration method. Environment Protection Engineering 25more » (3/99). Mollekopf, N., Brummack, J., Paar, S., Vorster, K., 2002. Use of the Dome Aeration Technology for biochemical stabilization of waste prior to landfilling. In: Proceedings of the Wastecon 2002, Waste Congress and Exhibition, Durban, South Africa.]. It is a non-reactor open windrow composting process, with the main advantage being that the input material needs no periodic turning. A rotting time of only 3-4 months indicates the high efficiency. Additionally, the low capital/operational costs, low energy inputs and limited plant requirements provide potential for use in aerobic refuse stabilization. The innovation in the DAT process is the passive aeration achieved by thermally driven advection through open windrows caused by temperature differences between the degrading material and the outside environment. This paper investigates the application of Dome Aeration Technology to pine bark composting as part of an integrated waste management strategy. A full-scale field experiment was performed at the Bisasar Road Landfill Site in Durban to assess the influence of climate, waste composition and operational conditions on the process. A test windrow was constructed and measurements of temperature and airflow through the material were taken. The process monitoring revealed that prevailing climatic conditions in a subtropical location do not affect the high efficiency of this technology. However, the composition of the input material can be detrimental for production of high quality compost because of a lack of nitrate.« less

THE DOE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE PROGRAM: OVERVIEW OF TECHNICAL TASKS AND RESULTS

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

Marra, J.; Fox, K.; Farfan, E.

2009-12-08

The DOE Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) Office of Engineering and Technology is responsible for implementing EM's International Cooperative Program. Over the past 15 years, collaborative work has been conducted through this program with researchers in Russia, Ukraine, France, United Kingdom and Republic of Korea. Currently, work is being conducted with researchers in Russia and Ukraine. Efforts aimed at evaluating and advancing technologies to support U.S. high-level waste (HLW) vitrification initiatives are being conducted in collaboration with Russian researchers. Work at Khlopin Radium Institute (KRI) is targeted at improving the throughput of current vitrification processes by increasing melting rate. Thesemore » efforts are specifically targeted at challenging waste types identified at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and Hanford Site. The objectives of current efforts at SIA Radon are to gain insight into vitrification process limits for the cold crucible induction melter (CCIM) technology. Previous demonstration testing has shown that the CCIM offers the potential for dramatic increases in waste loading and waste throughput. However, little information is known regarding operational limits that could affect long-term, efficient CCIM operations. Collaborative work with the Russian Electrotechnical University (ETU) 'LETI' is aimed at advancing CCIM process monitoring, process control and design. The goal is to further mature the CCIM technology and to establish it as a viable HLW vitrification technology. The greater than two year effort conducted with the International Radioecology Laboratory in the Ukraine recently completed. The objectives of this study were: to assess the long-term impacts to the environment from radiation exposure in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ); and to provide information on remediation guidelines and ecological risk assessment within radioactively contaminated territories around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) based on the results of long-term field monitoring, analytical measurements, and numerical modeling of soils and groundwater radioactive contamination.« less

Applicability of fluidized bed reactor in recalcitrant compound degradation through advanced oxidation processes: a review.

PubMed

Tisa, Farhana; Abdul Raman, Abdul Aziz; Wan Daud, Wan Mohd Ashri

2014-12-15

Treatment of industrial waste water (e.g. textile waste water, phenol waste water, pharmaceutical etc) faces limitation in conventional treatment procedures. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) do not suffer from the limits of conventional treatment processes and consequently degrade toxic pollutants more efficiently. Complexity is faced in eradicating the restrictions of AOPs such as sludge formation, toxic intermediates formation and high requirement for oxidants. Increased mass-transfer in AOPs is an alternate solution to this problem. AOPs combined with Fluidized bed reactor (FBR) can be a potential choice compared to fixed bed or moving bed reactor, as AOP catalysts life-span last for only maximum of 5-10 cycles. Hence, FBR-AOPs require lesser operational and maintenance cost by reducing material resources. The time required for AOP can be minimized using FBR and also treatable working volume can be increased. FBR-AOP can process from 1 to 10 L of volume which is 10 times more than simple batch reaction. The mass transfer is higher thus the reaction time is lesser. For having increased mass transfer sludge production can be successfully avoided. The review study suggests that, optimum particle size, catalyst to reactor volume ratio, catalyst diameter and liquid or gas velocity is required for efficient FBR-AOP systems. However, FBR-AOPs are still under lab-scale investigation and for industrial application cost study is needed. Cost of FBR-AOPs highly depends on energy density needed and the mechanism of degradation of the pollutant. The cost of waste water treatment containing azo dyes was found to be US$ 50 to US$ 500 per 1000 gallons where, the cost for treating phenol water was US$ 50 to US$ 800 per 1000 gallons. The analysis for FBR-AOP costs has been found to depend on the targeted pollutant, degradation mechanism (zero order, 1st order and 2nd order) and energy consumptions by the AOPs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Use of Microwave Incineration to Process Biological Wastes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Sidney C.; Srinivasan, Venkatesh; Covington, Alan (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The handling and disposal of solid waste matter that has biological or biohazardous components is a difficult issue for hospitals, research laboratories, and industry. NASA faces the same challenge as it is developing regenerative systems that will process waste materials into materials that can be used to sustain humans living in space for extended durations. Plants provide critical functions in such a regenerative life support scheme in that they photosynthesize carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. The edible portions of the plant provide a food source for the crew. Inedible portions can be processed into materials that are more recyclable. The Advanced Life Support Division at NASA Ames Research Center has been evaluating a microwave incinerator that will oxidize inedible plant matter into carbon dioxide and water. The commercially available microwave incinerator is produced by Matsushita Electronic Instruments Corporation of Japan. Microwave incineration is a technology that is simple, safe, and compact enough for home use. It also has potential applications for institutions that produce biological or biohazardous waste. The incinerator produces a sterile ash that has only 13% of the mass of the original waste. The authors have run several sets of tests with the incinerator to establish its viability in processing biological material. One goal of the tests is to show that the incinerator does not generate toxic compounds as a byproduct of the combustion process. This paper will describe the results of the tests, including analyses of the resulting ash and exhaust gases. The significance of the results and their implications on commercial applications of the technology will also be discussed.

Pilot installation for the thermo-chemical characterisation of solid wastes

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

Marculescu, C.; Antonini, G.; Badea, A.

The increasing production and the large variety of wastes require operators of thermal treatment units to continuously adapt the installations or the functioning parameters to the different physical and chemical properties of the wastes. Usually, the treated waste is encountered in the form of heterogeneous mixtures. The classical tests such as thermogravimetry and calorimetric bomb operate component by component, separately. In addition to this, they can analyse only small quantities of waste at a time (a few grams). These common tests are necessary but insufficient in the global waste analysis in the view further thermal treatment. This paper presents anmore » experimental installation, which was designed and built at the CNRS Science Division, Department of Industrial Methods, Compiegne University of Technology, France. It allows the determination of waste thermal and chemical properties by means of thermal treatment. Also, it is capable of continuously analysing significant quantities of waste (up to 50 kg/h) as compared to the classical tests and it can work under various conditions: {center_dot}oxidant or reductive atmosphere (on choice); {center_dot}variable temperature between 400 and 1000 deg. C; {center_dot}independently set residence time of treated sample in the installation and flow conditions. The installation reproduces the process conditions from incinerators or pyrolysis reactors. It also provides complete information on the kinetics of the waste thermal degradation and on the pollutant emissions. Using different mixtures of components present in the municipal solid waste and also in the reconstituted MSW samples, we defined a series of criteria for characterising waste behaviour during the stages of the main treatment process such as: feeding, devolatilisation/oxidation, advancement, solid residue evacuation, and pollutants emission.« less

Advances in bioleaching for recovery of metals and bioremediation of fuel ash and sewage sludge.

PubMed

Gu, Tingyue; Rastegar, Seyed Omid; Mousavi, Seyyed Mohammad; Li, Ming; Zhou, Minghua

2018-08-01

Bioleaching has been successfully used in commercial metal mining for decades. It uses microbes to biosolubilize metal-containing inorganic compounds such as metal oxides and sulfides. There is a growing interest in using bioleaching for bioremediation of solid wastes by removing heavy metals from ash and sewage sludge. This review presents the state of the art in bioleaching research for recovery of metals and bioremediation of solid wastes. Various process parameters such as reaction time, pH, temperature, mass transfer rate, nutrient requirement, pulp density and particle size are discussed. Selections of more effective microbes are assessed. Pretreatment methods that enhance bioleaching are also discussed. Critical issues in bioreactor scale-up are analyzed. The potential impact of advances in biofilm and microbiome is explained. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy geotechnics: Advances in subsurface energy recovery, storage, exchange, and waste management

DOE PAGES

McCartney, John S.; Sanchez, Marcelo; Tomac, Ingrid

2016-02-17

Energy geotechnics involves the use of geotechnical principles to understand and engineer the coupled thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical processes encountered in collecting, exchanging, storing, and protecting energy resources in the subsurface. In addition to research on these fundamental coupled processes and characterization of relevant material properties, applied research is being performed to develop analytical tools for the design and analysis of different geo-energy applications. In conclusion, the aims of this paper are to discuss the fundamental physics and constitutive models that are common to these different applications, and to summarize recent advances in the development of relevant analytical tools.

Energy geotechnics: Advances in subsurface energy recovery, storage, exchange, and waste management

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

McCartney, John S.; Sanchez, Marcelo; Tomac, Ingrid

Energy geotechnics involves the use of geotechnical principles to understand and engineer the coupled thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical processes encountered in collecting, exchanging, storing, and protecting energy resources in the subsurface. In addition to research on these fundamental coupled processes and characterization of relevant material properties, applied research is being performed to develop analytical tools for the design and analysis of different geo-energy applications. In conclusion, the aims of this paper are to discuss the fundamental physics and constitutive models that are common to these different applications, and to summarize recent advances in the development of relevant analytical tools.

75 FR 31843 - Identification of Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials That Are Solid Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-04

...On January 2, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to solicit comment on which non-hazardous secondary materials that are used as fuels or ingredients in combustion units are solid wastes under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The meaning of ``solid waste'' as defined under RCRA is of particular importance since it will determine whether a combustion unit is required to meet emissions standards for solid waste incineration units issued under section 129 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) or emissions standards for commercial, industrial, and institutional boilers issued under CAA section 112. CAA section 129 states that the term ``solid waste'' shall have the meaning ``established by the Administrator pursuant to [RCRA].'' EPA is proposing a definition of non-hazardous solid waste that would be used to identify whether non-hazardous secondary materials burned as fuels or used as ingredients in combustion units are solid waste. EPA is also proposing that non-hazardous secondary materials that have been discarded, and are therefore solid wastes, may be rendered products after they have been processed (altered chemically or physically) into a fuel or ingredient product. This proposed rule is necessary to identify units for the purpose of developing certain standards under sections 112 and 129 of the CAA. In addition to this proposed rule, EPA is concurrently proposing air emission requirements under CAA section 112 for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers and process heaters, as well as air emission requirements under CAA section 129 for commercial and industrial solid waste incineration units.

Processing liquid organic wastes at the NNL Preston laboratory

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

Coppersthwaite, Duncan; Greenwood, Howard; Docrat, Tahera

2013-07-01

Organic compounds of various kinds have been used in the nuclear industry for numerous duties in uranium chemical, metal and ceramic processing plants. In the course of the various operations undertaken, these organic compounds have become contaminated with uranic material, either accidentally or as an inevitable part of the process. Typically, the chemical/physical form and/or concentration of the uranic content of the organics has prevented disposal. In order to address the issue of contaminated liquid organic wastes, the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) has developed a suite of treatments designed to recover uranium and to render the waste suitable for disposal.more » The developed processes are operated at industrial scale via the NNL Preston Laboratory Residue Processing Plant. The Oil Waste Leaching (OWL) Process is a fully industrialised process used for the treatment of contaminated oils with approximately 200 tonnes of uranium contaminated oil being treated to date. The process was originally developed for the treatment of contaminated tributyl phosphate and odourless kerosene which had been adsorbed onto sawdust. However, over the years, the OWL process has been refined for a range of oils including 'water emulsifiable' cutting oils, lubricating oils, hydraulic oils/fluids and 'Fomblin' (fully fluorinated) oils. Chemically, the OWL process has proved capable of treating solvents as well as oils but the highly volatile/flammable nature of many solvents has required additional precautions compared with those required for oil treatment. These additional precautions led to the development of the Solvent Treatment Advanced Rig (STAR), an installation operated under an inert atmosphere. STAR is a small 'module' (100 dm{sup 3} volume) which allows the treatment of both water miscible and immiscible solvents. This paper discusses the challenges associated with the treatment of liquid organic wastes and the process developments which have allowed a wide range of materials to be successfully treated. (authors)« less

Heterogeneous photocatalysis and its potential applications in water and wastewater treatment: a review.

PubMed

Ahmed, Syed Nabeel; Haider, Waseem

2018-08-24

There has been a considerable amount of research in the development of sustainable water treatment techniques capable of improving the quality of water. Unavailability of drinkable water is a crucial issue especially in regions where conventional drinking water treatment systems fail to eradicate aquatic pathogens, toxic metal ions and industrial waste. The research and development in this area have given rise to a new class of processes called advanced oxidation processes, particularly in the form of heterogeneous photocatalysis, which converts photon energy into chemical energy. Advances in nanotechnology have improved the ability to develop and specifically tailor the properties of photocatalytic materials used in this area. This paper discusses many of those photocatalytic nanomaterials, both metal-based and metal-free, which have been studied for water and waste water purification and treatment in recent years. It also discusses the design and performance of the recently studied photocatalytic reactors, along with the recent advancements in the visible-light photocatalysis. Additionally, the effects of the fundamental parameters such as temperature, pH, catalyst-loading and reaction time have also been reviewed. Moreover, different techniques that can increase the photocatalytic efficiency as well as recyclability have been systematically presented, followed by a discussion on the photocatalytic treatment of actual wastewater samples and the future challenges associated with it.

Treatment of metal-laden hazardous wastes with advanced clean coal technology by-products. Quarterly report, December 30, 1996--March 30, 1997

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

NONE

1997-12-31

The objective of this project is to utilize coal ashes to process hazardous materials such as industrial waste water treatment residues, contaminated soils, and air pollution control dusts from the metal industry and municipal waste incineration. This report describes the activities of the project team during the reporting period. The principal work has focused upon continuing evaluation of aged samples from Phase 1, planning supportive laboratory studies for Phase 2, completing scholarly work, reestablishing MAX Environmental Technologies, Inc., as the subcontractor for the field work of Phase 2, proposing two presentations for later in 1997, and making and responding tomore » several outside contacts.« less

Closed Fuel Cycle Waste Treatment Strategy

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

Vienna, J. D.; Collins, E. D.; Crum, J. V.

This study is aimed at evaluating the existing waste management approaches for nuclear fuel cycle facilities in comparison to the objectives of implementing an advanced fuel cycle in the U.S. under current legal, regulatory, and logistical constructs. The study begins with the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) Integrated Waste Management Strategy (IWMS) (Gombert et al. 2008) as a general strategy and associated Waste Treatment Baseline Study (WTBS) (Gombert et al. 2007). The tenets of the IWMS are equally valid to the current waste management study. However, the flowsheet details have changed significantly from those considered under GNEP. In addition, significantmore » additional waste management technology development has occurred since the GNEP waste management studies were performed. This study updates the information found in the WTBS, summarizes the results of more recent technology development efforts, and describes waste management approaches as they apply to a representative full recycle reprocessing flowsheet. Many of the waste management technologies discussed also apply to other potential flowsheets that involve reprocessing. These applications are occasionally discussed where the data are more readily available. The report summarizes the waste arising from aqueous reprocessing of a typical light-water reactor (LWR) fuel to separate actinides for use in fabricating metal sodium fast reactor (SFR) fuel and from electrochemical reprocessing of the metal SFR fuel to separate actinides for recycle back into the SFR in the form of metal fuel. The primary streams considered and the recommended waste forms include; Tritium in low-water cement in high integrity containers (HICs); Iodine-129: As a reference case, a glass composite material (GCM) formed by the encapsulation of the silver Mordenite (AgZ) getter material in a low-temperature glass is assumed. A number of alternatives with distinct advantages are also considered including a fused silica waste form with encapsulated nano-sized AgI crystals; Carbon-14 immobilized as a CaCO3 in a cement waste form; Krypton-85 stored as a compressed gas; An aqueous reprocessing high-level waste (HLW) raffinate waste immobilized by the vitrification process; An undissolved solids (UDS) fraction from aqueous reprocessing of LWR fuel either included in the borosilicate HLW glass or immobilized in the form of a metal alloy or titanate ceramics; Zirconium-based LWR fuel cladding hulls and stainless steel (SS) fuel assembly hardware super-compacted for disposal or purified for reuse (or disposal as low-level waste, LLW) of Zr by reactive gas separations; Electrochemical process salt HLW incorporated into a glass bonded Sodalite waste form; and Electrochemical process UDS and SS cladding hulls melted into an iron based alloy waste form. Mass and volume estimates for each of the recommended waste forms based on the source terms from a representative flowsheet are reported. In addition to the above listed primary waste streams, a range of secondary process wastes are generated by aqueous reprocessing of LWR fuel, metal SFR fuel fabrication, and electrochemical reprocessing of SFR fuel. These secondary wastes have been summarized and volumes estimated by type and classification. The important waste management data gaps and research needs have been summarized for each primary waste stream and selected waste process.« less

Optimization of Sinter Plant Operating Conditions Using Advanced Multivariate Statistics: Intelligent Data Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-González, Daniel; Martín-Duarte, Ramón; Ruiz-Bustinza, Íñigo; Mochón, Javier; González-Gasca, Carmen; Verdeja, Luis Felipe

2016-08-01

Blast furnace operators expect to get sinter with homogenous and regular properties (chemical and mechanical), necessary to ensure regular blast furnace operation. Blends for sintering also include several iron by-products and other wastes that are obtained in different processes inside the steelworks. Due to their source, the availability of such materials is not always consistent, but their total production should be consumed in the sintering process, to both save money and recycle wastes. The main scope of this paper is to obtain the least expensive iron ore blend for the sintering process, which will provide suitable chemical and mechanical features for the homogeneous and regular operation of the blast furnace. The systematic use of statistical tools was employed to analyze historical data, including linear and partial correlations applied to the data and fuzzy clustering based on the Sugeno Fuzzy Inference System to establish relationships among the available variables.

Vermicomposting as an advanced biological treatment for industrial waste from the leather industry.

PubMed

Nunes, Ramom R; Bontempi, Rhaissa M; Mendonça, Giovane; Galetti, Gustavo; Rezende, Maria Olímpia O

2016-01-01

The leather industry (tanneries) generates high amounts of toxic wastes, including solid and liquid effluents that are rich in organic matter and mineral content. Vermicomposting was studied as an alternative method of treating the wastes from tanneries. Vermicompost was produced from the following tannery residues: tanned chips of wet-blue leather, sludge from a liquid residue treatment station, and a mixture of both. Five hundred earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were added to each barrel. During the following 135 days the following parameters were evaluated: pH, total organic carbon (TOC), organic matter (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), C:N ratio, and chromium content as Cr (III) and Cr (VI). The results for pH, TOC and OM contents showed decreases in their values during the composting process, whereas values for CEC and total nitrogen rose, indicating that the vermicompost reached maturity. For chromium, at 135 days, all values of Cr (VI) were below the detectable level. Therefore, the Cr (VI) content had probably been biologically transformed into Cr (III), confirming the use of this technique as an advanced biological treatment. The study reinforces the idea that vermicomposting could be introduced as an effective technology for the treatment of industrial tannery waste and the production of agricultural inputs.

Thermal plasma technology for the treatment of wastes: a critical review.

PubMed

Gomez, E; Rani, D Amutha; Cheeseman, C R; Deegan, D; Wise, M; Boccaccini, A R

2009-01-30

This review describes the current status of waste treatment using thermal plasma technology. A comprehensive analysis of the available scientific and technical literature on waste plasma treatment is presented, including the treatment of a variety of hazardous wastes, such as residues from municipal solid waste incineration, slag and dust from steel production, asbestos-containing wastes, health care wastes and organic liquid wastes. The principles of thermal plasma generation and the technologies available are outlined, together with potential applications for plasma vitrified products. There have been continued advances in the application of plasma technology for waste treatment, and this is now a viable alternative to other potential treatment/disposal options. Regulatory, economic and socio-political drivers are promoting adoption of advanced thermal conversion techniques such as thermal plasma technology and these are expected to become increasingly commercially viable in the future.

Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures Report

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Each year EPA releases the Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures report, formerly called Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: Facts and Figures. It includes information on Municipal Solid Waste generation, recycling, an

Analysis of waste management issues arising from a field study evaluating decontamination of a biological agent from a building.

PubMed

Lemieux, P; Wood, J; Drake, J; Minamyer, S; Silvestri, E; Yund, C; Nichols, T; Ierardi, M; Amidan, B

2016-01-01

The Bio-response Operational Testing and Evaluation (BOTE) Project was a cross-government effort designed to operationally test and evaluate a response to a biological incident (release of Bacillus anthracis [Ba] spores, the causative agent for anthrax) from initial public health and law enforcement response through environmental remediation. The BOTE Project was designed to address site remediation after the release of a Ba simulant, Bacillus atrophaeus spp. globigii (Bg), within a facility, drawing upon recent advances in the biological sampling and decontamination areas. A key component of response to a biological contamination incident is the proper management of wastes and residues, which is woven throughout all response activities. Waste is generated throughout the response and includes items like sampling media packaging materials, discarded personal protective equipment, items removed from the facility either prior to or following decontamination, aqueous waste streams, and materials generated through the application of decontamination technologies. The amount of residual contaminating agent will impact the available disposal pathways and waste management costs. Waste management is an integral part of the decontamination process and should be included through "Pre-Incident" response planning. Overall, the pH-adjusted bleach decontamination process generated the most waste from the decontamination efforts, and fumigation with chlorine dioxide generated the least waste. A majority of the solid waste generated during pH-adjusted bleach decontamination was the nonporous surfaces that were removed, bagged, decontaminated ex situ, and treated as waste. The waste during the two fumigation rounds of the BOTE Project was associated mainly with sampling activities. Waste management activities may represent a significant contribution to the overall cost of the response/recovery operation. This paper addresses the waste management activities for the BOTE field test. Management of waste is a critical element of activities dealing with remediation of buildings and outdoor areas following a biological contamination incident. Waste management must be integrated into the overall remediation process, along with sampling, decontamination, resource management, and other important response elements, rather than being a stand-alone activity. The results presented in this paper will provide decision makers and emergency planners at the federal/state/tribal/local level information that can be used to integrate waste management into an overall systems approach to planning and response activities.

Post-treatment of reclaimed waste water based on an electrochemical advanced oxidation process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verostko, Charles E.; Murphy, Oliver J.; Hitchens, G. D.; Salinas, Carlos E.; Rogers, Tom D.

1992-01-01

The purification of reclaimed water is essential to water reclamation technology life-support systems in lunar/Mars habitats. An electrochemical UV reactor is being developed which generates oxidants, operates at low temperatures, and requires no chemical expendables. The reactor is the basis for an advanced oxidation process in which electrochemically generated ozone and hydrogen peroxide are used in combination with ultraviolet light irradiation to produce hydroxyl radicals. Results from this process are presented which demonstrate concept feasibility for removal of organic impurities and disinfection of water for potable and hygiene reuse. Power, size requirements, Faradaic efficiency, and process reaction kinetics are discussed. At the completion of this development effort the reactor system will be installed in JSC's regenerative water recovery test facility for evaluation to compare this technique with other candidate processes.

The advances of Chinese non-ferrous metal mineral industry and its environmental management

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

Miao Zewei; Gao Lin; Zhou Xiaoyuan

1998-12-31

With the steady growth of Chinese economy, the nonferrous metal industry of China was also developed quickly. The gross output of ten main nonferrous metals 4.25 million tons in 1995 so that China ranks the fourth in the world. However, a series of environmental problems also occurred, which relate to characteristics of mineral resources, techniques for mining, dressing, smelting and processing, equipment and their management level. The major pollutants include sulphur dioxide, industrial powder-dust and smoke-dust, water containing heavy metal ions as well as solid wastes. Air, water body, soil, vegetation and people`s health were polluted and damaged to differentmore » extent due to the above pollutants. For the purpose of environmental management and pollution control, some measures must be taken: (1) to strengthen environmental planning, accelerate and perfect environmental laws and related regulations as well as spread the consciousness of environmental protection energetically; (2) to extend cleaner production and adopt advanced technologies so as to reduce environmental pollution; (3) to turn the concept of the end-of-pipe management to the whole-process control; (4) to recovery or reuse the wastes fully. In addition, general situation and policies on reclamation of mining land as well as theory, methods and techniques of restoration of waste land were also stated in the paper.« less

Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) - Materials and Waste Management in the United States Key Facts and Figures

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Each year EPA produces a report called Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures. It includes information on municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling. The 2014 report provides information on historical tipping fees for MSW, and information on the construction and demolition debris generation, which is outside of the scope of MSW. The Facts and Figures website includes recent reports (2012 to 2014 as well as historical information on materials in the U.S. Municipal Waste Stream, 1960 to 2014 (in tons). The reports for both current and historical waste prevention can be accessed at EPA's SMM website. The recent Annual Facts and Figures reports are accessible at the following link: https://www.epa.gov/smm/advancing-sustainable-materials-management-facts-and-figures-report. Historical data as well as studies and summary tables related to the Advancing Sustainable Materials Management Report are accessible here: https://www.epa.gov/smm/studies-summary-tables-and-data-related-advancing-sustainable-materials-management-report. An excel file containing the data from 1960 - 2014 is located here: https://edg.epa.gov/data/PUBLIC/OLEM/Materials_Municipal_Waste_Stream_1960_to_2014.xlsx. EPA also maintains a list of state and local waste characterization studies (reports are not available for all states). You can search for your state at https://www.epa.gov/smm/advancing-

Waste Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Recycling Techniques.

PubMed

Ning, Chao; Lin, Carol Sze Ki; Hui, David Chi Wai; McKay, Gordon

2017-04-01

With the development of technologies and the change of consumer attitudes, the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is increasing annually. As the core part of WEEE, the waste printed circuit board (WPCB) is a dangerous waste but at the same time a rich resource for various kinds of materials. In this work, various WPCB treatment methods as well as WPCB recycling techniques divided into direct treatment (landfill and incineration), primitive recycling technology (pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, biometallurgy and primitive full recovery of NMF-non metallic fraction), and advanced recycling technology (mechanical separation, direct use and modification of NMF) are reviewed and analyzed based on their advantages and disadvantages. Also, the evaluation criteria are discussed including economic, environmental, and gate-to-market ability. This review indicates the future research direction of WPCB recycling should focus on a combination of several techniques or in series recycling to maximize the benefits of process.

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.

Processing of electronic waste in a counter current teeter-bed separator.

PubMed

Dey, Sujit Kumar; Ari, Vidyadhar; Das, Avimanyu

2012-09-30

Advanced gravity separation of ground electronic waste (e-waste) in a teeter-bed separator was investigated. It was established that the Floatex Density Seprator (FDS) is a promising device for wet processing of e-waste to recover metal values physically. It was possible to enrich the metal content from 23% in the feed to 37% in the product in a single stage operation using the FDS with over 95% recovery of the metals. A two-stage processing scheme was developed that enriched the metal content further to 48.2%. The influence of the operating variables, namely, teeter water flow rate, bed pressure and feed rate were quantified. Low bed pressures and low teeter water rates produced higher mass yields with poorer product grades. On the contrary, a high bed pressure and high teeter water rate combination led to a lower mass yield but better product quality. A high feed rate introduced en-masse settling leading to higher yield but at a poorer product grade. For an FDS with 230 mm × 230 mm cross section and a height of 530 mm, the process condition with 6.6l pm teeter water rate, 5.27 kPa bed pressure and 82 kg/hr feed rate maximized the yield for a target product grade of 37% metal in a single pass. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Healthy environments for healthy people: bioremediation today and tomorrow.

PubMed Central

Bonaventura, C; Johnson, F M

1997-01-01

Increases in environmental contamination lead to a progressive deterioration of environmental quality. This condition challenges our global society to find effective measures of remediation to reverse the negative conditions that severely threaten human and environmental health. We discuss the progress being made toward this goal through application of bioremediation techniques. Bioremediation generally utilizes microbes (bacteria, fungi, yeast, and algae), although higher plants are used in some applications. New bioremediation approaches are emerging based on advances in molecular biology and process engineering. Bioremediation continues to be the favored approach for processing biological wastes and avoiding microbial pathogenesis. Bioremediation may also play an increasing role in concentrating metals and radioactive materials to avoid toxicity or to recover metals for reuse. Microbes can biodegrade organic chemicals; purposeful enhancement of this natural process can aid in pollutant degradation and waste-site cleanup operations. Recently developed rapid-screening assays can identify organisms capable of degrading specific wastes and new gene-probe methods can ascertain their abundance at specific sites. New tools and techniques for use of bioremediation in situ, in biofilters, and in bioreactors are contributing to the rapid growth of this field. Bioremediation has already proven itself to be a cost-effective and beneficial addition to chemical and physical methods of managing wastes and environmental pollutants. We anticipate that it will play an increasingly important role as a result of new and emerging techniques and processes. Images Figure 3. PMID:9114274

New insights into polyurethane biodegradation and realistic prospects for the development of a sustainable waste recycling process.

PubMed

Cregut, Mickael; Bedas, M; Durand, M-J; Thouand, G

2013-12-01

Polyurethanes are polymeric plastics that were first used as substitutes for traditional polymers suspected to release volatile organic hazardous substances. The limitless conformations and formulations of polyurethanes enabled their use in a wide variety of applications. Because approximately 10 Mt of polyurethanes is produced each year, environmental concern over their considerable contribution to landfill waste accumulation appeared in the 1990s. To date, no recycling processes allow for the efficient reuse of polyurethane waste due to their high resistance to (a)biotic disturbances. To find alternatives to systematic accumulation or incineration of polyurethanes, a bibliographic analysis was performed on major scientific advances in the polyurethane (bio)degradation field to identify opportunities for the development of new technologies to recondition this material. Until polymers exhibiting oxo- or hydro-biodegradative traits are generated, conventional polyurethanes that are known to be only slightly biodegradable are of great concern. The research focused on polyurethane biodegradation highlights recent attempts to reprocess conventional industrial polyurethanes via microbial or enzymatic degradation. This review describes several wonderful opportunities for the establishment of new processes for polyurethane recycling. Meeting these new challenges could lead to the development of sustainable management processes involving polymer recycling or reuse as environmentally safe options for industries. The ability to upgrade polyurethane wastes to chemical compounds with a higher added value would be especially attractive. © 2013.

Analysis of edible oil processing options for the BIO-Plex advanced life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenwalt, C. J.; Hunter, J.

2000-01-01

Edible oil is a critical component of the proposed plant-based Advanced Life Support (ALS) diet. Soybean, peanut, and single-cell oil are the oil source options to date. In terrestrial manufacture, oil is ordinarily extracted with hexane, an organic solvent. However, exposed solvents are not permitted in the spacecraft environment or in enclosed human tests by National Aeronautics and Space Administration due to their potential danger and handling difficulty. As a result, alternative oil-processing methods will need to be utilized. Preparation and recovery options include traditional dehulling, crushing, conditioning, and flaking, extrusion, pressing, water extraction, and supercritical extraction. These processing options were evaluated on criteria appropriate to the Advanced Life Support System and BIO-Plex application including: product quality, product stability, waste production, risk, energy needs, labor requirements, utilization of nonrenewable resources, usefulness of by-products, and versatility and mass of equipment to determine the most appropriate ALS edible oil-processing operation.

Life cycle assessment of integrated waste management systems for alternative legacy scenarios of the London Olympic Park

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

Parkes, Olga, E-mail: o.parkes@ucl.ac.uk; Lettieri, Paola, E-mail: p.lettieri@ucl.ac.uk; Bogle, I. David L.

Highlights: • Application of LCA in planning integrated waste management systems. • Environmental valuation of 3 legacy scenarios for the Olympic Park. • Hot-spot analysis highlights the importance of energy and materials recovery. • Most environmental savings are achieved through materials recycling. • Sensitivity analysis shows importance of waste composition and recycling rates. - Abstract: This paper presents the results of the life cycle assessment (LCA) of 10 integrated waste management systems (IWMSs) for 3 potential post-event site design scenarios of the London Olympic Park. The aim of the LCA study is to evaluate direct and indirect emissions resulting frommore » various treatment options of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually generated on site together with avoided emissions resulting from energy, materials and nutrients recovery. IWMSs are modelled using GaBi v6.0 Product Sustainability software and results are presented based on the CML (v.Nov-10) characterisation method. The results show that IWMSs with advanced thermal treatment (ATT) and incineration with energy recovery have the lowest Global Warming Potential (GWP) than IWMSs where landfill is the primary waste treatment process. This is due to higher direct emissions and lower avoided emissions from the landfill process compared to the emissions from the thermal treatment processes. LCA results demonstrate that significant environmental savings are achieved through substitution of virgin materials with recycled ones. The results of the sensitivity analysis carried out for IWMS 1 shows that increasing recycling rate by 5%, 10% and 15% compared to the baseline scenario can reduce GWP by 8%, 17% and 25% respectively. Sensitivity analysis also shows how changes in waste composition affect the overall result of the system. The outcomes of such assessments provide decision-makers with fundamental information regarding the environmental impacts of different waste treatment options necessary for sustainable waste management planning.« less

Energy conversion and storage program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cairns, E. J.

1992-03-01

The Energy Conversion and Storage Program applies chemistry and materials science principles to solve problems in: (1) production of new synthetic fuels; (2) development of high-performance rechargeable batteries and fuel cells; (3) development of advanced thermochemical processes for energy conversion; (4) characterization of complex chemical processes; and (5) application of novel materials for energy conversion and transmission. Projects focus on transport-process principles, chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, separation processes, organic and physical chemistry, novel materials, and advanced methods of analysis. Electrochemistry research aims to develop advanced power systems for electric vehicle and stationary energy storage applications. Topics include identification of new electrochemical couples for advanced rechargeable batteries, improvements in battery and fuel-cell materials, and the establishment of engineering principles applicable to electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Chemical Applications research includes topics such as separations, catalysis, fuels, and chemical analyses. Included in this program area are projects to develop improved, energy-efficient methods for processing waste streams from synfuel plants and coal gasifiers. Other research projects seek to identify and characterize the constituents of liquid fuel-system streams and to devise energy-efficient means for their separation. Materials Applications research includes the evaluation of the properties of advanced materials, as well as the development of novel preparation techniques. For example, the use of advanced techniques, such as sputtering and laser ablation, are being used to produce high-temperature superconducting films.

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 4.9 2017 2 3 3 2 4 2 9.8 2018 3 3 3 3 4 3 7.9 2019 3 3 3 3 4 3 5.1 2020 3 3 3 3 4 3 14.6 2021 3 3 3 3 4 3 7.3 2022 3 3 3 3 4 3 8.8 2023 4 4 4 4 4 4 9.1 2024 5 5 5 5 5 5 6.9 2025 6 6 6 6 6 6 6.9 CCC = canister cooling and crystallization; FMP = feeding, melting, and pouring; GCF = glass ceramic formulation; MSA = mixing, sampling, and analyses. This TMP is intended to guide the development of the glass ceramics waste form and process to the point where it is ready for industrialization.« less

A holistic approach to managing palm oil mill effluent (POME): biotechnological advances in the sustainable reuse of POME.

PubMed

Wu, Ta Yeong; Mohammad, Abdul Wahab; Jahim, Jamaliah Md; Anuar, Nurina

2009-01-01

During the last century, a great deal of research and development as well as applications has been devoted to waste. These include waste minimization and treatment, the environmental assessment of waste, minimization of environmental impact, life cycle assessment and others. The major reason for such huge efforts is that waste generation constitutes one of the major environmental problems where production industries are concerned. Until now, an increasing pressure has been put on finding methods of reusing waste, for instance through cleaner production, thus mirroring rapid changes in environmental policies. The palm oil industry is one of the leading industries in Malaysia with a yearly production of more than 13 million tons of crude palm oil and plantations covering 11% of the Malaysian land area. However, the production of such amounts of crude palm oil result in even larger amounts of palm oil mill effluent (POME), estimated at nearly three times the quantity of crude palm oil. Normally, POME is treated using end-of-pipe processes, but it is worth considering the potential value of POME prior to its treatment through introduction of a cleaner production. It is envisaged that POME can be sustainably reused as a fermentation substrate in the production of various metabolites, fertilizers and animal feeds through biotechnological advances. The present paper thus discusses various technically feasible and economically beneficial means of transforming the POME into low or preferably high value added products.

Advances in Multiphase Flow and Transport in the Subsurface Environment

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

Shi, Xiaoqing; Finsterle, Stefan; Zhang, Keni

Multiphase flow and transport processes in the subsurface environment are extremely important in a number of industrial and environmental applications at various spatial and temporal scales. Thus, it is necessary to identify, understand, and predict these processes to improve the production of conventional and unconventional oil and gas, to increase the safety of geological sequestration of carbon dioxide and nuclear waste disposal, and to make remediation of contaminated aquifers more effective.

Chemistry and Materials Science, 1990--1991. [Second annual report

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

Sugihara, T.T.; Bruner, J.M.; McElroy, L.A.

1991-12-31

This 2-year (FY 1990-91) contains 49 technical articles in ten sections: research sampler, metals and alloys, energetic materials, chemistry and physics of advanced materials, bonding and reactions at surfaces and interfaces, superconductivity, energy R and D, waste processing and management, characterization and analysis, and facilities and instrumentation. Two more sections list department personnel, their publications etc., consultants, and summary of department budgets. The articles are processed separately for the data base. (DLC)

Advances in Multiphase Flow and Transport in the Subsurface Environment

DOE PAGES

Shi, Xiaoqing; Finsterle, Stefan; Zhang, Keni; ...

2018-03-04

Multiphase flow and transport processes in the subsurface environment are extremely important in a number of industrial and environmental applications at various spatial and temporal scales. Thus, it is necessary to identify, understand, and predict these processes to improve the production of conventional and unconventional oil and gas, to increase the safety of geological sequestration of carbon dioxide and nuclear waste disposal, and to make remediation of contaminated aquifers more effective.

WIPP Hazardous Waste Facility Permit Update

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

Kehrman, B.; Most, W.

2006-07-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (HWFP) was issued on October 27, 1999 [1]. Since that time, the WIPP has sought modifications to clarify the permit language, provide alternative methods for meeting permit requirements and to update permit conditions. Significant advancements have been made in transuranic (TRU) waste management as the result of modifications to the HWFP. Among these advancements is a modification to obtain a drum age criteria (DAC) value to perform headspace gas sampling on drums to be super-compacted and placed in a 100-gallon overpack drum. In addition, the Section 311 permit modification requestmore » that would allow for more efficient waste characterization, and the modification to authorize the shipment and disposal of Remote-Handled (RH) TRU waste were merged together and submitted to the regulator as the Consolidated Permit Modification Request (PMR). The submittal of the Consolidated PMR came at the request of the regulator as part of responses to Notices of Deficiency (NODs) for the separate PMRs which had been submitted in previous years. Section 311 of the fiscal year 2004 Energy and Water Developments Appropriations Act (Public Law 108-137) [2] directs the Department of Energy to submit a permit modification that limits waste confirmation to radiography or visual examination of a statistical subpopulation of containers. Section 311 also specifically directs that disposal room performance standards be to be met by monitoring for volatile organic compounds in the underground disposal rooms. This statute translates into the elimination of other waste confirmation methods such as headspace gas sampling and analysis and solids sampling and analysis. These methods, as appropriate, will continue to be used by the generator sites during hazardous waste determinations or characterization activities. This modification is expected to reduce the overall cost of waste analysis by hundreds of millions of dollars [3]. Combining both the chap. 311 and RH TRU waste permit modification requests allows for both the regulator and DOE to expedite action on the modification requests. The Combined PMR reduces costs by having only one administrative process for both modification requests. (authors)« less

Iron Phosphate Glass-Containing Hanford Waste Simulant

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

Sevigny, Gary J.; Kimura, Marcia L.; Fischer, Christopher M.

2012-01-18

Resolution of the nation's high-level tank waste legacy requires the design, construction, and operation of large and technically complex one-of-a-kind processing waste treatment and vitrification facilities. While the ultimate limits for waste loading and melter efficiency have yet to be defined or realized, significant reductions in glass volumes for disposal and mission life may be possible with advancements in melter technologies and/or glass formulations. This test report describes the experimental results from a small-scale test using the research-scale melter (RSM) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to demonstrate the viability of iron-phosphate-based glass with a selected waste composition that ismore » high in sulfate (4.37 wt% SO3). The primary objective of the test was to develop data to support a cost-benefit analysis related to the implementation of phosphate-based glasses for Hanford low-activity waste (LAW) and/or other high-level waste streams within the U.S. Department of Energy complex. The testing was performed by PNNL and supported by Idaho National Laboratory, Savannah River National Laboratory, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Mo-Sci Corporation.« less

Reactor-based management of used nuclear fuel: assessment of major options.

PubMed

Finck, Phillip J; Wigeland, Roald A; Hill, Robert N

2011-01-01

This paper discusses the current status of the ongoing Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) program in the U.S. Department of Energy that is investigating the potential for using the processing and recycling of used nuclear fuel to improve radioactive waste management, including used fuel. A key element of the strategies is to use nuclear reactors for further irradiation of recovered chemical elements to transmute certain long-lived highly-radioactive isotopes into less hazardous isotopes. Both thermal and fast neutron spectrum reactors are being studied as part of integrated nuclear energy systems where separations, transmutation, and disposal are considered. Radiotoxicity is being used as one of the metrics for estimating the hazard of used fuel and the processing of wastes resulting from separations and recycle-fuel fabrication. Decay heat from the used fuel and/or wastes destined for disposal is used as a metric for use of a geologic repository. Results to date indicate that the most promising options appear to be those using fast reactors in a repeated recycle mode to limit buildup of higher actinides, since the transuranic elements are a key contributor to the radiotoxicity and decay heat. Using such an approach, there could be much lower environmental impact from the high-level waste as compared to direct disposal of the used fuel, but there would likely be greater generation of low-level wastes that will also require disposal. An additional potential waste management benefit is having the ability to tailor waste forms and contents to one or more targeted disposal environments (i.e., to be able to put waste in environments best-suited for the waste contents and forms). Copyright © 2010 Health Physics Society

Biochemicals from food waste and recalcitrant biomass via syngas fermentation: A review.

PubMed

Wainaina, Steven; Horváth, Ilona Sárvári; Taherzadeh, Mohammad J

2018-01-01

An effective method for the production of value-added chemicals from food waste and lignocellulosic materials is a hybrid thermal-biological process, which involves gasification of the solid materials to syngas (primarily CO and H 2 ) followed by fermentation. This paper reviews the recent advances in this process. The special focus is on the cultivation methods that involve the use of single strains, defined mixed cultures and undefined mixed cultures for production of carboxylic acids and higher alcohols. A rate limiting step in these processes is the low mass transfer between the gas and the liquid phases. Therefore, novel techniques that can enhance the gas-liquid mass transfer including membrane- and trickle-bed bioreactors were discussed. Such bioreactors have shown promising results in increasing the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k L a). High gas pressure also influences the mass transfer in certain batch processes, although the presence of impurities in the gas would impede the process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incinerator technology overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoleri, Joseph J.

1993-03-01

Many of the major chemical companies in the U.S. who regarded a safe environment as their responsibility installed waste treatment and disposal facilities on their plant sites in the last two decades. Many of these plants elected to use incinerators as the treatment process. This was not always the most economical method, but in many cases it was the only method of disposal that provided a safe and sure method of maximum destruction. Environmental concern over contamination from uncontrolled land disposal sites, and the emergence of tougher regulations for land disposal provide incentives for industry to employ a wide variety of traditional and advanced technologies for managing hazardous wastes. Incineration systems utilizing proper design, operation, and maintenance provides the safest, and in the long run, the most economical avenue to the maximum level of destruction of organic hazardous wastes.

Advanced Energy and Water Recovery Technology from Low Grade Waste Heat

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

Dexin Wang

2011-12-19

The project has developed a nanoporous membrane based water vapor separation technology that can be used for recovering energy and water from low-temperature industrial waste gas streams with high moisture contents. This kind of exhaust stream is widely present in many industrial processes including the forest products and paper industry, food industry, chemical industry, cement industry, metal industry, and petroleum industry. The technology can recover not only the sensible heat but also high-purity water along with its considerable latent heat. Waste heats from such streams are considered very difficult to recover by conventional technology because of poor heat transfer performancemore » of heat-exchanger type equipment at low temperature and moisture-related corrosion issues. During the one-year Concept Definition stage of the project, the goal was to prove the concept and technology in the laboratory and identify any issues that need to be addressed in future development of this technology. In this project, computational modeling and simulation have been conducted to investigate the performance of a nanoporous material based technology, transport membrane condenser (TMC), for waste heat and water recovery from low grade industrial flue gases. A series of theoretical and computational analyses have provided insight and support in advanced TMC design and experiments. Experimental study revealed condensation and convection through the porous membrane bundle was greatly improved over an impermeable tube bundle, because of the membrane capillary condensation mechanism and the continuous evacuation of the condensate film or droplets through the membrane pores. Convection Nusselt number in flue gas side for the porous membrane tube bundle is 50% to 80% higher than those for the impermeable stainless steel tube bundle. The condensation rates for the porous membrane tube bundle also increase 60% to 80%. Parametric study for the porous membrane tube bundle heat transfer performance was also done, which shows this heat transfer enhancement approach works well in a wide parameters range for typical flue gas conditions. Better understanding of condensing heat transfer mechanism for porous membrane heat transfer surfaces, shows higher condensation and heat transfer rates than non-permeable tubes, due to existence of the porous membrane walls. Laboratory testing has documented increased TMC performance with increased exhaust gas moisture content levels, which has exponentially increased potential markets for the product. The TMC technology can uniquely enhance waste heat recovery in tandem with water vapor recovery for many other industrial processes such as drying, wet and dry scrubber exhaust gases, dewatering, and water chilling. A new metallic substrate membrane tube development and molded TMC part fabrication method, provides an economical way to expand this technology for scaled up applications with less than 3 year payback expectation. A detailed market study shows a broad application area for this advanced waste heat and water recovery technology. A commercialization partner has been lined up to expand this technology to this big market. This research work led to new findings on the TMC working mechanism to improve its performance, better scale up design approaches, and economical part fabrication methods. Field evaluation work needs to be done to verify the TMC real world performance, and get acceptance from the industry, and pave the way for our commercial partner to put it into a much larger waste heat and waste water recovery market. This project is addressing the priority areas specified for DOE Industrial Technologies Program's (ITP's): Energy Intensive Processes (EIP) Portfolio - Waste Heat Minimization and Recovery platform.« less

Chemical Technology Division, Annual technical report, 1991

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

Not Available

1992-03-01

Highlights of the Chemical Technology (CMT) Division's activities during 1991 are presented. In this period, CMT conducted research and development in the following areas: (1) electrochemical technology, including advanced batteries and fuel cells; (2) technology for fluidized-bed combustion and coal-fired magnetohydrodynamics; (3) methods for treatment of hazardous and mixed hazardous/radioactive waste; (4) the reaction of nuclear waste glass and spent fuel under conditions expected for an unsaturated repository; (5) processes for separating and recovering transuranic elements from nuclear waste streams; (6) recovery processes for discharged fuel and the uranium blanket in the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR); (7) processes for removalmore » of actinides in spent fuel from commercial water-cooled nuclear reactors and burnup in IFRs; and (8) physical chemistry of selected materials in environments simulating those of fission and fusion energy systems. The Division also conducts basic research in catalytic chemistry associated with molecular energy resources; chemistry of superconducting oxides and other materials of interest with technological application; interfacial processes of importance to corrosion science, catalysis, and high-temperature superconductivity; and the geochemical processes involved in water-rock interactions occurring in active hydrothermal systems. In addition, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory in CMT provides a broad range of analytical chemistry support services to the technical programs at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).« less

Chemical Technology Division, Annual technical report, 1991

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

Not Available

1992-03-01

Highlights of the Chemical Technology (CMT) Division`s activities during 1991 are presented. In this period, CMT conducted research and development in the following areas: (1) electrochemical technology, including advanced batteries and fuel cells; (2) technology for fluidized-bed combustion and coal-fired magnetohydrodynamics; (3) methods for treatment of hazardous and mixed hazardous/radioactive waste; (4) the reaction of nuclear waste glass and spent fuel under conditions expected for an unsaturated repository; (5) processes for separating and recovering transuranic elements from nuclear waste streams; (6) recovery processes for discharged fuel and the uranium blanket in the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR); (7) processes for removalmore » of actinides in spent fuel from commercial water-cooled nuclear reactors and burnup in IFRs; and (8) physical chemistry of selected materials in environments simulating those of fission and fusion energy systems. The Division also conducts basic research in catalytic chemistry associated with molecular energy resources; chemistry of superconducting oxides and other materials of interest with technological application; interfacial processes of importance to corrosion science, catalysis, and high-temperature superconductivity; and the geochemical processes involved in water-rock interactions occurring in active hydrothermal systems. In addition, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory in CMT provides a broad range of analytical chemistry support services to the technical programs at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).« less

Environmental biocatalysis: from remediation with enzymes to novel green processes.

PubMed

Alcalde, Miguel; Ferrer, Manuel; Plou, Francisco J; Ballesteros, Antonio

2006-06-01

Modern biocatalysis is developing new and precise tools to improve a wide range of production processes, which reduce energy and raw material consumption and generate less waste and toxic side-products. Biocatalysis is also achieving new advances in environmental fields, from enzymatic bioremediation to the synthesis of renewable and clean energies and biochemical cleaning of 'dirty' fossil fuels. Despite the obvious benefits of biocatalysis, the major hurdles hindering the exploitation of the repertoire of enzymatic processes are, in many cases, the high production costs and the low yields obtained. This article will discuss these issues, pinpointing specific new advances in recombinant DNA techniques amenable to future biocatalyst development, in addition to drawing the attention of the biotechnology community to the active pursuit and development of environmental biocatalysis, from remediation with enzymes to novel green processes.

Radiation Stability of Benzyl Tributyl Ammonium Chloride towards Technetium-99 Extraction - 13016

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

Paviet-Hartmann, Patricia; Horkley, Jared; Campbell, Keri

2013-07-01

A closed nuclear fuel cycle combining new separation technologies along with generation III and generation IV reactors is a promising way to achieve a sustainable energy supply. But it is important to keep in mind that future recycling processes of used nuclear fuel (UNF) must minimize wastes, improve partitioning processes, and integrate waste considerations into processes. New separation processes are being developed worldwide to complement the actual industrialized PUREX process which selectively separates U(VI) and Pu(IV) from the raffinate. As an example, the UREX process has been developed in the United States to co-extract hexavalent uranium (U) and hepta-valent technetiummore » (Tc) by tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP). Tc-99 is recognized to be one of the most abundant, long-lived radio-toxic isotopes in UNF (half-life, t{sub 1/2} = 2.13 x 10{sup 5} years), and as such, is targeted in UNF separation strategies for isolation and encapsulation in solid waste-forms for final disposal in a nuclear waste repository. Immobilization of Tc-99 by a durable solid waste-form is a challenge, and its fate in new advanced technology processes is of importance. It is essential to be able to quantify and locate 1) its occurrence in any new developed flowsheets, 2) its chemical form in the individual phases of a process, 3) its potential quantitative transfer in any waste streams, and consequently, 4) its quantitative separation for either potential transmutation to Ru-100 or isolation and encapsulation in solid waste-forms for ultimate disposal. In addition, as a result of an U(VI)-Tc(VII) co-extraction in a UREX-based process, Tc(VII) could be found in low level waste (LLW) streams. There is a need for the development of new extraction systems that would selectively extract Tc-99 from LLW streams and concentrate it for feed into high level waste (HLW) for either Tc-99 immobilization in metallic waste-forms (Tc-Zr alloys), and/or borosilicate-based waste glass. Studies have been launched to investigate the suitability of new macro-compounds such as crown-ethers, aza-crown ethers, quaternary ammonium salts, and resorcin-arenes for the selective extraction of Tc-99 from nitric acid solutions. The selectivity of the ligand is important in evaluating potential separation processes and also the radiation stability of the molecule is essential for minimization of waste and radiolysis products. In this paper, we are reporting the extraction of TcO{sub 4}{sup -} by benzyl tributyl ammonium chloride (BTBA). Experimental efforts were focused on determining the best extraction conditions by varying the ligand's matrix conditions and concentration, as well as varying the organic phase composition (i.e. diluent variation). Furthermore, the ligand has been investigated for radiation stability. The ?-irradiation was performed on the neat organic phases containing the ligand at different absorbed doses to a maximum of 200 kGy using an external Co-60 source. Post-irradiation solvent extraction measurements will be discussed. (authors)« less

2014 Radiological Monitoring Results Associated with the Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Pond

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

Lewis, Mike

2015-02-01

This report summarizes radiological monitoring performed of the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste wastewater prior to discharge into the Cold Waste Pond and of specific groundwater monitoring wells associated with the Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit (#LA-000161-01, Modification B). All radiological monitoring is performed to fulfill Department of Energy requirements under the Atomic Energy Act.

Lignocellulosic agriculture wastes as biomass feedstocks for second-generation bioethanol production: concepts and recent developments.

PubMed

Saini, Jitendra Kumar; Saini, Reetu; Tewari, Lakshmi

2015-08-01

Production of liquid biofuels, such as bioethanol, has been advocated as a sustainable option to tackle the problems associated with rising crude oil prices, global warming and diminishing petroleum reserves. Second-generation bioethanol is produced from lignocellulosic feedstock by its saccharification, followed by microbial fermentation and product recovery. Agricultural residues generated as wastes during or after processing of agricultural crops are one of such renewable and lignocellulose-rich biomass resources available in huge amounts for bioethanol production. These agricultural residues are converted to bioethanol in several steps which are described here. This review enlightens various steps involved in production of the second-generation bioethanol. Mechanisms and recent advances in pretreatment, cellulases production and second-generation ethanol production processes are described here.

Treatment of winery wastewater by physicochemical, biological and advanced processes: a review.

PubMed

Ioannou, L A; Li Puma, G; Fatta-Kassinos, D

2015-04-09

Winery wastewater is a major waste stream resulting from numerous cleaning operations that occur during the production stages of wine. The resulting effluent contains various organic and inorganic contaminants and its environmental impact is notable, mainly due to its high organic/inorganic load, the large volumes produced and its seasonal variability. Several processes for the treatment of winery wastewater are currently available, but the development of alternative treatment methods is necessary in order to (i) maximize the efficiency and flexibility of the treatment process to meet the discharge requirements for winery effluents, and (ii) decrease both the environmental footprint, as well as the investment/operational costs of the process. This review, presents the state-of-the-art of the processes currently applied and/or tested for the treatment of winery wastewater, which were divided into five categories: i.e., physicochemical, biological, membrane filtration and separation, advanced oxidation processes, and combined biological and advanced oxidation processes. The advantages and disadvantages, as well as the main parameters/factors affecting the efficiency of winery wastewater treatment are discussed. Both bench- and pilot/industrial-scale processes have been considered for this review. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical/chemical closed-loop water-recycling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herrmann, Cal C.; Wydeven, Theodore

1991-01-01

Water needs, water sources, and means for recycling water are examined in terms appropriate to the water quality requirements of a small crew and spacecraft intended for long duration exploration missions. Inorganic, organic, and biological hazards are estimated for waste water sources. Sensitivities to these hazards for human uses are estimated. The water recycling processes considered are humidity condensation, carbon dioxide reduction, waste oxidation, distillation, reverse osmosis, pervaporation, electrodialysis, ion exchange, carbon sorption, and electrochemical oxidation. Limitations and applications of these processes are evaluated in terms of water quality objectives. Computerized simulation of some of these chemical processes is examined. Recommendations are made for development of new water recycling technology and improvement of existing technology for near term application to life support systems for humans in space. The technological developments are equally applicable to water needs on Earth, in regions where extensive water recycling is needed or where advanced water treatment is essential to meet EPA health standards.

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This newsletter reports on the Huber Technology Groups (HTG) high temperature advanced hazardous waste treatment technology capable of very high destruction and removal efficiencies of various hazardous wastes. This newsletter addresses the destruction of PCBs in an EPA certification test of the HTG Advanced Electric Reactor. provide information

Advancement of Double Effect Absorption Cycle by Input of Low Temperature Waste Heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kojima, Hiroshi; Edera, Masaru; Nakamura, Makoto; Oka, Masahiro; Akisawa, Atsushi; Kashiwagi, Takao

Energy conservation is becoming important for global environmental protection. New simple techniques of more efficient1y using the waste heat of gas co-generation systems for refrigerationare required. In first report, a new method of using the low temperature waste heat for refrigeration was proposed, and the basic characteristics of the promising methods of recovering waste heat were c1arified. In this report, the more detailed simulation model of the series flow type double effect absorption refrigerator with auxiliary heat exchanger was constructed and the static characteristics were investigated. Then experiments on this advanced absorption refrigerator were carried out, and the results of the calculation and experiments were compared and discussed. Moreover, the betterment of the simulation model of this advanced absorption refrigerator was carried out.

Updated Liquid Secondary Waste Grout Formulation and Preliminary Waste Form Qualification

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

Saslow, Sarah A.; Um, Wooyong; Russell, Renee L.

This report describes the results from liquid secondary waste grout (LSWG) formulation and cementitious waste form qualification tests performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS). New formulations for preparing a cementitious waste form from a high-sulfate liquid secondary waste stream simulant, developed for Effluent Management Facility (EMF) process condensates merged with low activity waste (LAW) caustic scrubber, and the release of key constituents (e.g. 99Tc and 129I) from these monoliths were evaluated. This work supports a technology development program to address the technology needs for Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) liquid secondarymore » waste (LSW) solidification and supports future Direct Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) operations. High-priority activities included simulant development, LSWG formulation, and waste form qualification. The work contained within this report relates to waste form development and testing and does not directly support the 2017 integrated disposal facility (IDF) performance assessment (PA). However, this work contains valuable information for use in PA maintenance past FY17, and for future waste form development efforts. The provided data should be used by (i) cementitious waste form scientists to further understanding of cementitious dissolution behavior, (ii) IDF PA modelers who use quantified constituent leachability, effective diffusivity, and partitioning coefficients to advance PA modeling efforts, and (iii) the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contractors and decision makers as they assess the IDF PA program. The results obtained help fill existing data gaps, support final selection of a LSWG waste form, and improve the technical defensibility of long-term waste form performance estimates.« less

Energy Conversion and Storage Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cairns, E. J.

1993-06-01

This report is the 1992 annual progress report for the Energy Conversion and Storage Program, a part of the Energy and Environment Division of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Work described falls into three broad areas: electrochemistry; chemical applications; and materials applications. The Energy Conversion and Storage Program applies principles of chemistry and materials science to solve problems in several areas: (1) production of new synthetic fuels, (2) development of high-performance rechargeable batteries and fuel cells, (3) development of advanced thermochemical processes for energy conversion, (4) characterization of complex chemical processes and chemical species, and (5) study and application of novel materials for energy conversion and transmission. Projects focus on transport-process principles, chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, separation processes, organic and physical chemistry, novel materials, and advanced methods of analysis. Electrochemistry research aims to develop advanced power systems for electric vehicle and stationary energy storage applications. Chemical applications research includes topics such as separations, catalysis, fuels, and chemical analyses. Included in this program area are projects to develop improved, energy-efficient methods for processing product and waste streams from synfuel plants, coal gasifiers, and biomass conversion processes. Materials applications research includes evaluation of the properties of advanced materials, as well as development of novel preparation techniques. For example, techniques such as sputtering, laser ablation, and poised laser deposition are being used to produce high-temperature superconducting films.

Concrete and cement composites used for radioactive waste deposition.

PubMed

Koťátková, Jaroslava; Zatloukal, Jan; Reiterman, Pavel; Kolář, Karel

2017-11-01

This review article presents the current state-of-knowledge of the use of cementitious materials for radioactive waste disposal. An overview of radwaste management processes with respect to the classification of the waste type is given. The application of cementitious materials for waste disposal is divided into two main lines: i) as a matrix for direct immobilization of treated waste form; and ii) as an engineered barrier of secondary protection in the form of concrete or grout. In the first part the immobilization mechanisms of the waste by cement hydration products is briefly described and an up-to date knowledge about the performance of different cementitious materials is given, including both traditional cements and alternative binder systems. The advantages, disadvantages as well as gaps in the base of information in relation to individual materials are stated. The following part of the article is aimed at description of multi-barrier systems for intermediate level waste repositories. It provides examples of proposed concepts by countries with advanced waste management programmes. In the paper summary, the good knowledge of the material durability due to its vast experience from civil engineering is highlighted however with the urge for specific approach during design and construction of a repository in terms of stringent safety requirements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-Activity Radioactive Wastes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In 2003 EPA published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to collect public comment on alternatives for disposal of waste containing low concentrations of radioactive material ('low-activity' waste).

Advanced Life Support Technologies and Scenarios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.

2011-01-01

As NASA looks beyond the International Space Station toward long-duration, deep space missions away from Earth, the current practice of supplying consumables and spares will not be practical nor affordable. New approaches are sought for life support and habitation systems that will reduce dependency on Earth and increase mission sustainability. To reduce launch mass, further closure of Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) beyond the current capability of the ISS will be required. Areas of particular interest include achieving higher degrees of recycling within Atmosphere Revitalization, Water Recovery and Waste Management Systems. NASA is currently investigating advanced carbon dioxide reduction processes that surpass the level of oxygen recovery available from the Sabatier Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) on the ISS. Improving the efficiency of the recovery of water from spacecraft solid and liquid wastes is possible through use of emerging technologies such as the heat melt compactor and brine dewatering systems. Another significant consumable is that of food. Food production systems based on higher plants may not only contribute significantly to the diet, but also contribute to atmosphere revitalization, water purification and waste utilization. Bioreactors may be potentially utilized for wastewater and solid waste management. The level at which bioregenerative technologies are utilized will depend on their comparative requirements for spacecraft resources including mass, power, volume, heat rejection, crew time and reliability. Planetary protection requirements will need to be considered for missions to other solar system bodies.

Decontamination of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine waste water by hydrodynamic cavitation-induced advanced Fenton process.

PubMed

Torabi Angaji, Mahmood; Ghiaee, Reza

2015-03-01

A pilot scale hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) reactor, using iron metal blades, as the heterogeneous catalyst, with no external source of H₂O₂ was developed for catalytic decontamination of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) waste water. In situ generation of Fenton reagents suggested an induced advanced Fenton process (IAFP) to explain the enhancing effect of the used catalyst in the HC process. The effects of the applied catalyst, pH of the initial solution (1.0-9.7), initial UDMH concentration (2-15 mg/l), inlet pressure (5.5-7.8bar), and downstream pressure (2-6 bar), have been investigated. The results showed that the highest cavitation yield can be obtained at pH 3 and initial UDMH concentration of 10mg/l. Also, an increase in the inlet pressure would lead to an increase in the extent of UDMH degradation. In addition, the optimum value of 3 bar was determined for the downstream pressure that resulted to 98.6% degradation of UDMH after 120 min of processing time. Neither n-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) nor any other toxic byproduct (/end-product) was observed in the investigated samples. Formic acid and acetic acid, as well as nitromethane, were identified as oxidation by-products. The present work has conclusively established that hydrodynamic cavitation in combination with Fenton's chemistry can be effectively used for the degradation of UDMH. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advances in Glass Formulations for Hanford High-Aluminum, High-Iron and Enhanced Sulphate Management in HLW Streams - 13000

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

Kruger, Albert A.

2013-07-01

The current estimates and glass formulation efforts have been conservative in terms of achievable waste loadings. These formulations have been specified to ensure that the glasses are homogenous, contain essentially no crystalline phases, are processable in joule-heated, ceramic-lined melters and meet Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Contract terms. The WTP's overall mission will require the immobilization of tank waste compositions that are dominated by mixtures of aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), bismuth (Bi), iron (Fe), phosphorous (P), zirconium (Zr), and sulphur (S) compounds as waste-limiting components. Glass compositions for these waste mixtures have been developed based upon previousmore » experience and current glass property models. Recently, DOE has initiated a testing program to develop and characterize HLW glasses with higher waste loadings and higher throughput efficiencies. Results of this work have demonstrated the feasibility of increases in waste loading from about 25 wt% to 33-50 wt% (based on oxide loading) in the glass depending on the waste stream. In view of the importance of aluminum limited waste streams at Hanford (and also Savannah River), the ability to achieve high waste loadings without adversely impacting melt rates has the potential for enormous cost savings from reductions in canister count and the potential for schedule acceleration. Consequently, the potential return on the investment made in the development of these enhancements is extremely favorable. Glass composition development for one of the latest Hanford HLW projected compositions with sulphate concentrations high enough to limit waste loading have been successfully tested and show tolerance for previously unreported tolerance for sulphate. Though a significant increase in waste loading for high-iron wastes has been achieved, the magnitude of the increase is not as substantial as those achieved for high-aluminum, high-chromium, high-bismuth or sulphur. Waste processing rate increases for high-iron streams as a combined effect of higher waste loadings and higher melt rates resulting from new formulations have been achieved. (author)« less

Advances in Glass Formulations for Hanford High-Alumimum, High-Iron and Enhanced Sulphate Management in HLW Streams - 13000

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

Kruger, Albert A.

2013-01-16

The current estimates and glass formulation efforts have been conservative in terms of achievable waste loadings. These formulations have been specified to ensure that the glasses are homogenous, contain essentially no crystalline phases, are processable in joule-heated, ceramic-lined melters and meet Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Contract terms. The WTP?s overall mission will require the immobilization of tank waste compositions that are dominated by mixtures of aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), bismuth (Bi), iron (Fe), phosphorous (P), zirconium (Zr), and sulphur (S) compounds as waste-limiting components. Glass compositions for these waste mixtures have been developed based upon previousmore » experience and current glass property models. Recently, DOE has initiated a testing program to develop and characterize HLW glasses with higher waste loadings and higher throughput efficiencies. Results of this work have demonstrated the feasibility of increases in waste loading from about 25 wt% to 33-50 wt% (based on oxide loading) in the glass depending on the waste stream. In view of the importance of aluminum limited waste streams at Hanford (and also Savannah River), the ability to achieve high waste loadings without adversely impacting melt rates has the potential for enormous cost savings from reductions in canister count and the potential for schedule acceleration. Consequently, the potential return on the investment made in the development of these enhancements is extremely favorable. Glass composition development for one of the latest Hanford HLW projected compositions with sulphate concentrations high enough to limit waste loading have been successfully tested and show tolerance for previously unreported tolerance for sulphate. Though a significant increase in waste loading for high-iron wastes has been achieved, the magnitude of the increase is not as substantial as those achieved for high-aluminum, high-chromium, high-bismuth or sulphur. Waste processing rate increases for high-iron streams as a combined effect of higher waste loadings and higher melt rates resulting from new formulations have been achieved.« less

Energy Supply- Production of Fuel from Agricultural and Animal Waste

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

Gabriel Miller

2009-03-25

The Society for Energy and Environmental Research (SEER) was funded in March 2004 by the Department of Energy, under grant DE-FG-36-04GO14268, to produce a study, and oversee construction and implementation, for the thermo-chemical production of fuel from agricultural and animal waste. The grant focuses on the Changing World Technologies (CWT) of West Hempstead, NY, thermal conversion process (TCP), which converts animal residues and industrial food processing biproducts into fuels, and as an additional product, fertilizers. A commercial plant was designed and built by CWT, partially using grant funds, in Carthage, Missouri, to process animal residues from a nearby turkey processingmore » plant. The DOE sponsored program consisted of four tasks. These were: Task 1 Optimization of the CWT Plant in Carthage - This task focused on advancing and optimizing the process plant operated by CWT that converts organic waste to fuel and energy. Task 2 Characterize and Validate Fuels Produced by CWT - This task focused on testing of bio-derived hydrocarbon fuels from the Carthage plant in power generating equipment to determine the regulatory compliance of emissions and overall performance of the fuel. Task 3 Characterize Mixed Waste Streams - This task focused on studies performed at Princeton University to better characterize mixed waste incoming streams from animal and vegetable residues. Task 4 Fundamental Research in Waste Processing Technologies - This task focused on studies performed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the chemical reformation reaction of agricultural biomass compounds in a hydrothermal medium. Many of the challenges to optimize, improve and perfect the technology, equipment and processes in order to provide an economically viable means of creating sustainable energy were identified in the DOE Stage Gate Review, whose summary report was issued on July 30, 2004. This summary report appears herein as Appendix 1, and the findings of the report formed the basis for much of the subsequent work under the grant. An explanation of the process is presented as well as the completed work on the four tasks.« less

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: ADVANCED ELECTRIC REACTOR (AER) FOR THE TREATMENT OF DIOXIN- CONTAMINATED SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

This newsletter reports on the Huber Technology Groups (HTG) high temperature advanced hazardous waste treatment technology capable of very high destruction and removal efficiencies of various hazardous wastes. This newsletter addresses the destruction of PCBs in an EPA certifi...

Mixed Waste Focus Area alternative oxidation technologies development and demonstration program

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

Borduin, L.C.; Fewell, T.; Gombert, D.

1998-07-01

The Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) is currently supporting the development and demonstration of several alternative oxidation technology (AOT) processes for treatment of combustible mixed low-level wastes. The impetus for this support derives from regulatory and political hurdles frequently encountered by traditional thermal techniques, primarily incinerators. AOTs have been defined as technologies that destroy organic material without using open-flame reactions. Whether thermal or nonthermal, the processes have the potential advantages of relatively low-volume gaseous emissions, generation of few or no dioxin/furan compounds, and operation at low enough temperatures that metals (except mercury) and most radionuclides are not volatilized. Technology developmentmore » and demonstration are needed to confirm and realize the potential of AOTs and to compare them on an equal basis with their fully demonstrated thermal counterparts. AOTs include both thermal and nonthermal processes that oxidize organic wastes but operate under significantly different physical and chemical conditions than incinerators. Nonthermal processes currently being studied include Delphi DETOX and acid digestion at the Savannah River Site, and direct chemical oxidation at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. All three technologies are at advanced stages of development or are entering the demonstration phase. Nonflame thermal processes include catalytic chemical oxidation, which is being developed and deployed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and team reforming, a commercial process being supported by Department of Energy. Related technologies include two low-flow, secondary oxidation processes (Phoenix and Thermatrix units) that have been tested at MSE, Inc., in Butte, Montana. Although testing is complete on some AOT technologies, most require additional support to complete some or all of the identified development objectives. Brief descriptions, status, and planned paths forward for each of the technologies are presented.« less

Life Cycle Assessment of Mixed Municipal Solid Waste: Multi-input versus multi-output perspective.

PubMed

Fiorentino, G; Ripa, M; Protano, G; Hornsby, C; Ulgiati, S

2015-12-01

This paper analyses four strategies for managing the Mixed Municipal Solid Waste (MMSW) in terms of their environmental impacts and potential advantages by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. To this aim, both a multi-input and a multi-output approach are applied to evaluate the effect of these perspectives on selected impact categories. The analyzed management options include direct landfilling with energy recovery (S-1), Mechanical-Biological Treatment (MBT) followed by Waste-to-Energy (WtE) conversion (S-2), a combination of an innovative MBT/MARSS (Material Advanced Recovery Sustainable Systems) process and landfill disposal (S-3), and finally a combination of the MBT/MARSS process with WtE conversion (S-4). The MARSS technology, developed within an European LIFE PLUS framework and currently implemented at pilot plant scale, is an innovative MBT plant having the main goal to yield a Renewable Refined Biomass Fuel (RRBF) to be used for combined heat and power production (CHP) under the regulations enforced for biomass-based plants instead of Waste-to-Energy systems, for increased environmental performance. The four scenarios are characterized by different resource investment for plant and infrastructure construction and different quantities of matter, heat and electricity recovery and recycling. Results, calculated per unit mass of waste treated and per unit exergy delivered, under both multi-input and multi-output LCA perspectives, point out improved performance for scenarios characterized by increased matter and energy recovery. Although none of the investigated scenarios is capable to provide the best performance in all the analyzed impact categories, the scenario S-4 shows the best LCA results in the human toxicity and freshwater eutrophication categories, i.e. the ones with highest impacts in all waste management processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scale-up and process integration of sugar production by acidolysis of municipal solid waste/corn stover blends in ionic liquids.

PubMed

Li, Chenlin; Liang, Ling; Sun, Ning; Thompson, Vicki S; Xu, Feng; Narani, Akash; He, Qian; Tanjore, Deepti; Pray, Todd R; Simmons, Blake A; Singh, Seema

2017-01-01

Lignocellulosic biorefineries have tonnage and throughput requirements that must be met year round and there is no single feedstock available in any given region that is capable of meeting the price and availability demands of the biorefineries scheduled for deployment. Significant attention has been historically given to agriculturally derived feedstocks; however, a diverse range of wastes, including municipal solid wastes (MSW), also have the potential to serve as feedstocks for the production of advanced biofuels and have not been extensively studied. In addition, ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment with certain ILs is receiving great interest as a potential process that enables fractionation of a wide range of feedstocks. Acid catalysts have been used previously to hydrolyze polysaccharides into fermentable sugars following IL pretreatment, which could potentially provide a means of liberating fermentable sugars from lignocellulose without the use of costly enzymes. However, successful optimization and scale-up of the one-pot acid-assisted IL deconstruction for further commercialization involve challenges such as reactor compatibility, mixing at high solid loading, sugar recovery, and IL recycling, which have not been effectively resolved during the development stages at bench scale. Here, we present the successful scale-up demonstration of the acid-assisted IL deconstruction on feedstock blends of municipal solid wastes and agricultural residues (corn stover) by 30-fold, relative to the bench scale (6 vs 0.2 L), at 10% solid loading. By integrating IL pretreatment and acid hydrolysis with subsequent centrifugation and extraction, the sugar and lignin products can be further recovered efficiently. This scale-up development at Advanced Biofuels/Bioproducts Process Demonstration Unit (ABPDU) will leverage the opportunity and synergistic efforts toward developing a cost-effective IL-based deconstruction technology by drastically eliminating enzyme, reducing water usage, and simplifying the downstream sugar/lignin recovery and IL recycling. Results indicate that MSW blends are viable and valuable resource to consider when assessing biomass availability and affordability for lignocellulosic biorefineries. This scale-up evaluation demonstrates that the acid-assisted IL deconstruction technology can be effectively scaled up to larger operations and the current study established the baseline of scaling parameters for this process.

Understanding Mechanism of Photocatalytic Microbial Decontamination of Environmental Wastewater

PubMed Central

Regmi, Chhabilal; Joshi, Bhupendra; Ray, Schindra K.; Gyawali, Gobinda; Pandey, Ramesh P.

2018-01-01

Several photocatalytic nanoparticles are synthesized and studied for potential application for the degradation of organic and biological wastes. Although these materials degrade organic compounds by advance oxidation process, the exact mechanisms of microbial decontamination remains partially known. Understanding the real mechanisms of these materials for microbial cell death and growth inhibition helps to fabricate more efficient semiconductor photocatalyst for large-scale decontamination of environmental wastewater or industries and hospitals/biomedical labs generating highly pathogenic bacteria and toxic molecules containing liquid waste by designing a reactor. Recent studies on microbial decontamination by photocatalytic nanoparticles and their possible mechanisms of action is highlighted with examples in this mini review. PMID:29541632

Environmental impacts and benefits of state-of-the-art technologies for E-waste management.

PubMed

Ikhlayel, Mahdi

2017-10-01

This study aims to evaluate the environmental impacts and benefits of state-of-the-art technologies for proper e-waste handling using Jordan as a case study. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was employed to evaluate five advanced management systems represent state-of-the-art treatment technologies, including sanitary landfilling; proper recycling of metals, materials, and precious metals (PMs); and incineration of plastic and the hazardous portion of printed circuit boards (PCBs). Six e-waste products that contribute the most to the e-waste in Jordan were included in the assessment of each scenario, which resulted in 30 total cases of e-waste management. The findings indicated that landfills for the entire components of the e-waste stream are the worst option and should be avoided. The most promising e-waste management scenario features integrated e-waste processes based on the concept of Integrated Waste Management (IWM), including recycling materials such as non-PMs and PMs, incinerating plastic and the hazardous content of PCBs using the energy recovered from incineration, and using sanitary landfills of residues. For this scenario, the best environmental performance was obtained for the treatment of mobile phones. Incineration of the portion of hazardous waste using energy recovery is an option that deserves attention. Because scenario implementation depends on more than just the environmental benefits (e.g., economic cost and technical aspects), the study proposes a systematic approach founded on the IWM concept for e-waste management scenario selection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of clean coal and clean soil technologies using advanced agglomeration techniques

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

Ignasiak, B.; Ignasiak, T.; Szymocha, K.

1990-01-01

Three major topics are discussed in this report: (1) Upgrading of Low Rank Coals by the Agflotherm Process. Test data, procedures, equipment, etc., are described for co-upgrading of subbituminous coals and heavy oil; (2) Upgrading of Bituminous Coals by the Agflotherm Process. Experimental procedures and data, bench and pilot scale equipments, etc., for beneficiating bituminous coals are described; (3) Soil Clean-up and Hydrocarbon Waste Treatment Process. Batch and pilot plant tests are described for soil contaminated by tar refuse from manufactured gas plant sites. (VC)

G-189A analytical simulation of the integrated waste management-water system using radioisotopes for thermal energy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coggi, J. V.; Loscutoff, A. V.; Barker, R. S.

1973-01-01

An analytical simulation of the RITE-Integrated Waste Management and Water Recovery System using radioisotopes for thermal energy was prepared for the NASA-Manned Space Flight Center (MSFC). The RITE system is the most advanced concept water-waste management system currently under development and has undergone extended duration testing. It has the capability of disposing of nearly all spacecraft wastes including feces and trash and of recovering water from usual waste water sources: urine, condensate, wash water, etc. All of the process heat normally used in the system is produced from low penalty radioisotope heat sources. The analytical simulation was developed with the G189A computer program. The objective of the simulation was to obtain an analytical simulation which can be used to (1) evaluate the current RITE system steady state and transient performance during normal operating conditions, and also during off normal operating conditions including failure modes; and (2) evaluate the effects of variations in component design parameters and vehicle interface parameters on system performance.

Upcycling: converting waste plastics into paramagnetic, conducting, solid, pure carbon microspheres.

PubMed

Pol, Vilas Ganpat

2010-06-15

The recent tremendous increase in the volume of waste plastics (WP) will have a harmful environmental impact on the health of living beings. Hundreds of years are required to degrade WP in atmospheric conditions. Hence, in coming years, in addition to traditional recycling services, innovative "upcycling" processes are necessary. This article presents an environmentally benign, solvent-free autogenic process that converts various WP [low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), or their mixtures] into carbon microspheres (CMSs), an industrially significant, value-added product. The thermal dissociation of these individual or mixed WP in a closed reactor under autogenic pressure ( approximately 1000 psi) produced dry, pure powder of CMSs. In this paper, the optimization of process parameters such as the effect of mixing of WP with other materials, and the role of reaction temperature and time are reported. Employing advanced analytical techniques, the atomic structure, composition, and morphology of as-obtained CMSs were analyzed. The room-temperature paramagnetism in CMSs prepared from waste LDPE, HDPE, and PS was further studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The conducting and paramagnetic nature of CMSs holds promise for their potential applications in toners, printers, paints, batteries, lubricants, and tires.

Waste biorefineries - integrating anaerobic digestion and microalgae cultivation for bioenergy production.

PubMed

Chen, Yi-di; Ho, Shih-Hsin; Nagarajan, Dillirani; Ren, Nan-Qi; Chang, Jo-Shu

2018-04-01

Commercialization of microalgal cultivation has been well realized in recent decades with the use of effective strains that can yield the target products, but it is still challenged by the high costs arising from mass production, harvesting, and further processing. Recently, more interest has been directed towards the utilization of waste resources, such as sludge digestate, to enhance the economic feasibility and sustainability of microalgae production. Anaerobic digestion for waste disposal and phototrophic microalgal cultivation are well-characterized technologies in both fields. However, integration of anaerobic digestion and microalgal cultivation to achieve substantial economic and environmental benefits is extremely limited, and thus deserves more attention and research effort. In particular, combining these two makes possible an ideal 'waste biorefinery' model, as the C/N/P content in the anaerobic digestate can be used to produce microalgal biomass that serves as feedstock for biofuels, while biogas upgrading can simultaneously be performed by phototrophic CO 2 fixation during microalgal growth. This review is thus aimed at elucidating recent advances as well as challenges and future directions with regard to waste biorefineries associated with the integration of anaerobic waste treatment and microalgal cultivation for bioenergy production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structure modification of natural zeolite for waste removal application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widayatno, W. B.

2018-03-01

Tremendous industrialization in the last century has led to the generation of huge amount of waste. One of the recent hot research topics is utilizing any advance materials and methods for waste removal. Natural zeolite as an inexpensive porous material with a high abundance holds a key for efficient waste removal owing to its high surface area. However, the microporous structure of natural zeolite hinders the adsorption of waste with a bigger molecular size. In addition, the recovery of natural zeolite after waste adsorption into its pores should also be considered for continuous utilization of this material. In this study, the porosity of natural zeolite from Tasikmalaya, Indonesia, was hydrothermally-modified in a Teflon-lined autoclave filled with certain pore directing agent such as distilled water, KOH, and NH4OH to obtain hierarchical pore structure. After proper drying process, the as-treated natural zeolite is impregnated with iron cation and heat-treated at specified temperature to get Fe-embedded zeolite structure. XRD observation is carried out to ensure the formation of magnetic phase within the zeolite pores. The analysis results show the formation of maghemite phase (γ-Fe2O3) within the zeolite pore structure.

Process modeling of an advanced NH₃ abatement and recycling technology in the ammonia-based CO₂ capture process.

PubMed

Li, Kangkang; Yu, Hai; Tade, Moses; Feron, Paul; Yu, Jingwen; Wang, Shujuan

2014-06-17

An advanced NH3 abatement and recycling process that makes great use of the waste heat in flue gas was proposed to solve the problems of ammonia slip, NH3 makeup, and flue gas cooling in the ammonia-based CO2 capture process. The rigorous rate-based model, RateFrac in Aspen Plus, was thermodynamically and kinetically validated by experimental data from open literature and CSIRO pilot trials at Munmorah Power Station, Australia, respectively. After a thorough sensitivity analysis and process improvement, the NH3 recycling efficiency reached as high as 99.87%, and the NH3 exhaust concentration was only 15.4 ppmv. Most importantly, the energy consumption of the NH3 abatement and recycling system was only 59.34 kJ/kg CO2 of electricity. The evaluation of mass balance and temperature steady shows that this NH3 recovery process was technically effective and feasible. This process therefore is a promising prospect toward industrial application.

The Challenges in the Development of a Long Duration Space Mission Food System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perchonok, Michele H.; Swango, Beverly; Toerne, Mary E.; Russo, Dane M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Advanced Food System at Johnson Space Center/NASA will be responsible for supplying food to the crew for long duration exploratory missions. These missions require development of both a Transit Food System and of a Planetary Food System. The Transit Food System will consist of pre-packaged food of extended shelf life. It will be supplemented with salad crops that will be consumed fresh. The challenge is to develop a food system with a shelf life of 3 - 5 years that will use minimal power and create minimal waste from the food packaging. The Planetary Food System will allow for food processing of crops grown on the planetary surface due to the presence of some gravitational force. Crops will be processed to final products to provide a nutritious and acceptable diet for the crew. The food system must be flexible due to crop variation, availability, and shelf life. Crew meals, based on thesc: crops, must be nutritious, high quality, safe, and contain variety. The Advanced Food System becomes a fulcrum creating the right connection from crops to crew meals while dealing with issues of integration within a closed self-regenerative system (e.g., safety, waste production, volumes, water usage, etc.).

Alkaline electrochemical advanced oxidation process for chromium oxidation at graphitized multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Xue, Yudong; Zheng, Shili; Sun, Zhi; Zhang, Yi; Jin, Wei

2017-09-01

Alkaline electrochemical advanced oxidation processes for chromium oxidation and Cr-contaminated waste disposal were reported in this study. The highly graphitized multi-walled carbon nanotubes g-MWCNTs modified electrode was prepared for the in-situ electrochemical generation of HO 2 - . RRDE test results illustrated that g-MWCNTs exhibited much higher two-electron oxygen reduction activity than other nanocarbon materials with peak current density of 1.24 mA cm -2 , %HO 2 - of 77.0% and onset potential of -0.15 V (vs. Hg/HgO). It was originated from the highly graphitized structure and good electrical conductivity as illustrated from the Raman, XRD and EIS characterizations, respectively. Large amount of reactive oxygen species (HO 2 - and ·OH) were in-situ electro-generated from the two-electron oxygen reduction and chromium-induced alkaline electro-Fenton-like reaction. The oxidation of Cr(III) was efficiently achieved within 90 min and the conversion ratio maintained more than 95% of the original value after stability test, offering an efficient and green approach for the utilization of Cr-containing wastes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Title I preliminary engineering for: A. S. E. F. solid waste to methane gas

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

None

1976-01-01

An assignment to provide preliminary engineering of an Advanced System Experimental Facility for production of methane gas from urban solid waste by anaerobic digestion is documented. The experimental facility will be constructed on a now-existing solid waste shredding and landfill facility in Pompano Beach, Florida. Information is included on: general description of the project; justification of basic need; process design; preliminary drawings; outline specifications; preliminary estimate of cost; and time schedules for design and construction of accomplishment of design and construction. The preliminary cost estimate for the design and construction phases of the experimental program is $2,960,000, based on Dec.more » 1975 and Jan. 1976 costs. A time schedule of eight months to complete the Detailed Design, Equipment Procurement and the Award of Subcontracts is given.« less

The characteristics of palm oil plantation solid biomass wastes as raw material for bio oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanti, RN; Hambali, E.; Pari, G.; Suryani, A.

2018-03-01

Indonesia is the largest palm oil plantations estate in the world. It reached 11,30 million hectares in 2015 and increased up to 11,67 million hectares in 2016. The advancement of technology recent, the solid waste of palm oil plantation can be re-produced become bio oil through pyrolysis hydrothermal process and utilized for biofuel. The purpose of this research was to analyze the characteristics of feedstock of bio oil of solid waste of palm oil plantations estate. The feedstock used was derived from solid waste of palm oil plantations in Riau Province. Characteristic analysis of waste oil included chemical compound content (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), ultimate analysis (C, H, N, O, S) to know height heating value (HHV). The result of analysis of chemical content showed that solid waste of palm cellulose 31,33 – 66,36 %, hemicellulose 7,54 – 17,94 %, lignin 21,43 - 43,1. The HHV of hydrothermal pyrolysis feedstock was 15,18 kJ/gram - 19,57 kJ/gram. Generally, the solid waste of palm oil plantations estate containing lignocellulose can be utilized as bio oil through hydrothermal pyrolysis. The CG-MS analysis of bio oil indicated hydrocarbon contents such as pentadecane, octadecane, hexadecane and benzene.

Annual report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The overall goal of the Tuskegee University Center for Food Production, Processing and Waste Management in Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) is to provide tested information and technologies applicable to bioregenerative food production systems for life support on long-term manned space mission. Specifically, the center is developing information, computer simulated models, methodologies and technology for sweetpotato and peanut biomass production and processing, inclusive of waste management and recycling of these crops selected by NASA for CELSS. The Center is organized into interdisciplinary teams of life scientists and engineers that work together on specific objectives and long-term goals. Integral to the goal of the Center is the development of both basic and applied research information and the training of young scientists and engineers, especially underrepresented minorities that will increase the professional pool in these disciplines and contribute to the advancement of space sciences and exploration.

Using explanatory crop models to develop simple tools for Advanced Life Support system studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavazzoni, J.

2004-01-01

System-level analyses for Advanced Life Support require mathematical models for various processes, such as for biomass production and waste management, which would ideally be integrated into overall system models. Explanatory models (also referred to as mechanistic or process models) would provide the basis for a more robust system model, as these would be based on an understanding of specific processes. However, implementing such models at the system level may not always be practicable because of their complexity. For the area of biomass production, explanatory models were used to generate parameters and multivariable polynomial equations for basic models that are suitable for estimating the direction and magnitude of daily changes in canopy gas-exchange, harvest index, and production scheduling for both nominal and off-nominal growing conditions. c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10 CFR 71.97 - Advance notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste. (a)(1) As specified in paragraphs (b... shipment of irradiated reactor fuel or nuclear waste must contain the following information: (1) The name... nuclear waste shipment; (2) A description of the irradiated reactor fuel or nuclear waste contained in the...

10 CFR 71.97 - Advance notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste. (a)(1) As specified in paragraphs (b... shipment of irradiated reactor fuel or nuclear waste must contain the following information: (1) The name... nuclear waste shipment; (2) A description of the irradiated reactor fuel or nuclear waste contained in the...

GreenVMAS: Virtual Organization Based Platform for Heating Greenhouses Using Waste Energy from Power Plants.

PubMed

González-Briones, Alfonso; Chamoso, Pablo; Yoe, Hyun; Corchado, Juan M

2018-03-14

The gradual depletion of energy resources makes it necessary to optimize their use and to reuse them. Although great advances have already been made in optimizing energy generation processes, many of these processes generate energy that inevitably gets wasted. A clear example of this are nuclear, thermal and carbon power plants, which lose a large amount of energy that could otherwise be used for different purposes, such as heating greenhouses. The role of GreenVMAS is to maintain the required temperature level in greenhouses by using the waste energy generated by power plants. It incorporates a case-based reasoning system, virtual organizations and algorithms for data analysis and for efficient interaction with sensors and actuators. The system is context aware and scalable as it incorporates an artificial neural network, this means that it can operate correctly even if the number and characteristics of the greenhouses participating in the case study change. The architecture was evaluated empirically and the results show that the user's energy bill is greatly reduced with the implemented system.

GreenVMAS: Virtual Organization Based Platform for Heating Greenhouses Using Waste Energy from Power Plants

PubMed Central

Yoe, Hyun

2018-01-01

The gradual depletion of energy resources makes it necessary to optimize their use and to reuse them. Although great advances have already been made in optimizing energy generation processes, many of these processes generate energy that inevitably gets wasted. A clear example of this are nuclear, thermal and carbon power plants, which lose a large amount of energy that could otherwise be used for different purposes, such as heating greenhouses. The role of GreenVMAS is to maintain the required temperature level in greenhouses by using the waste energy generated by power plants. It incorporates a case-based reasoning system, virtual organizations and algorithms for data analysis and for efficient interaction with sensors and actuators. The system is context aware and scalable as it incorporates an artificial neural network, this means that it can operate correctly even if the number and characteristics of the greenhouses participating in the case study change. The architecture was evaluated empirically and the results show that the user’s energy bill is greatly reduced with the implemented system. PMID:29538351

Advanced evaporator technology progress report FY 1992

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

Chamberlain, D.; Hutter, J.C.; Leonard, R.A.

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the work that was completed in FY 1992 on the program {open_quotes}Technology Development for Concentrating Process Streams.{close_quotes} The purpose of this program is to evaluate and develop evaporator technology for concentrating radioactive waste and product streams such as those generated by the TRUEX process. Concentrating these streams and minimizing the volume of waste generated can significantly reduce disposal costs; however, equipment to concentrate the streams and recycle the decontaminated condensates must be installed. LICON, Inc., is developing an evaporator that shows a great deal of potential for this application. In this report, concepts that need to bemore » incorporated into the design of an evaporator operated in a radioactive environment are discussed. These concepts include criticality safety, remote operation and maintenance, and materials of construction. Both solubility and vapor-liquid equilibrium data are needed to design an effective process for concentrating process streams. Therefore, literature surveys were completed and are summarized in this report. A model that is being developed to predict vapor phase compositions is described. A laboratory-scale evaporator was purchased and installed to study the evaporation process and to collect additional data. This unit is described in detail. Two new LICON evaporators are being designed for installation at Argonne-East in FY 1993 to process low-level radioactive waste generated throughout the laboratory. They will also provide operating data from a full-sized evaporator processing radioactive solutions. Details on these evaporators are included in this report.« less

Turning nuclear waste into glass

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

Pegg, Ian L.

2015-02-15

Vitrification has emerged as the treatment option of choice for the most dangerous radioactive waste. But dealing with the nuclear waste legacy of the Cold War will require state-of-the-art facilities and advanced glass formulations.

Advanced in-duct sorbent injection for SO{sub 2} control. Final technical report

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

Stouffer, M.R.; Withium, J.A.; Rosenhoover, W.A.

1994-12-01

The objective of this research project was to develop a second generation duct sorbent injection technology as a cost-effective compliance option for the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Research and development work was focused on the Advanced Coolside process, which showed the potential for exceeding the original performance targets of 90% SO{sub 2} removal and 60% sorbent utilization. Process development was conducted in a 1000 acfm pilot plant. The pilot plant testing showed that the Advanced Coolside process can achieve 90% SO{sub 2} removal at sorbent utilizations up to 75%. The testing also showed that the process has the potentialmore » to achieve very high removal efficiency (90 to >99%). By conducting conceptual process design and economic evaluations periodically during the project, development work was focused on process design improvements which substantially lowered process capital and operating costs, A final process economic study projects capital costs less than one half of those for limestone forced oxidation wet FGD. Projected total SO{sub 2} control cost is about 25% lower than wet FGD for a 260 MWe plant burning a 2.5% sulfur coal. A waste management study showed the acceptability of landfill disposal; it also identified a potential avenue for by-product utilization which should be further investigated. Based on the pilot plant performance and on the above economic projections, future work to scale up the Advanced Coolside process is recommended.« less

2015 Groundwater Radiological Monitoring Results Associated with the Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Ponds

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

Lewis, Michael George

This report summarizes radiological monitoring results from groundwater wells associated with the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Ponds Reuse Permit (I-161-02). All radiological monitoring is performed to fulfill Department of Energy requirements under the Atomic Energy Act.

Recycling of Na in advanced life support: strategies based on crop production systems.

PubMed

Guntur, S V; Mackowiak, C; Wheeler, R M

1999-01-01

Sodium is an essential dietary requirement in human nutrition, but seldom holds much importance as a nutritional element for crop plants. In Advanced Life Support (ALS) systems, recycling of gases, nutrients, and water loops is required to improve system closure. If plants are to play a significant role in recycling of human wastes, Na will need to accumulate in edible tissues for return to the crew diet. If crops fail to accumulate the incoming Na into edible tissues, Na could become a threat to the hydroponic food production system by increasing the nutrient solution salinity. Vegetable crops of Chenopodiaceae such as spinach, table beet, and chard may have a high potential to supply Na to the human diet, as Na can substitute for K to a large extent in metabolic processes of these crops. Various strategies are outlined that include both genetic and environmental management aspects to optimize the Na recovery from waste streams and their resupply through the human diet in ALS.

A Primer on Waste Water Treatment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of the Interior, Washington, DC. Federal Water Pollution Control Administration.

This information pamphlet is for teachers, students, or the general public concerned with the types of waste water treatment systems, the need for further treatment, and advanced methods of treating wastes. Present day pollution control methods utilizing primary and secondary waste treatment plants, lagoons, and septic tanks are described,…

Hazardous Waste and You. A Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ontario Waste Management Corp., Toronto.

This teaching guide provides an interactive introduction to hazardous waste, with particular emphasis on personal responsibility and action. Nine lessons engage advanced grade 10 and grade 11-12 science students in group discussions and actions that help them develop awareness of hazardous waste, understanding of the hazardous waste situation in…

Research on Potential of Advanced Technology for Housing. A Building System Based on Filament Winding and New Developments in Water and Waste Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor.

The University of Michigan and Aerojet Corporation report their development of a new building system which will offer the consumer a higher quality product at lower cost. To achieve this goal, the University-Aerojet proposal suggested filament winding (a process derived from the aerospace program for the manufacture of reinforced plastic…

Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The area will transform MSW info included in our Advancing SMM report to better serve our audience’s needs and will also hold data on certain industrial wastes, related job creation, and in the future, hazardous waste.

Application of advanced techniques for the assessment of bio-stability of biowaste-derived residues: A minireview.

PubMed

Lü, Fan; Shao, Li-Ming; Zhang, Hua; Fu, Wen-Ding; Feng, Shi-Jin; Zhan, Liang-Tong; Chen, Yun-Min; He, Pin-Jing

2018-01-01

Bio-stability is a key feature for the utilization and final disposal of biowaste-derived residues, such as aerobic compost or vermicompost of food waste, bio-dried waste, anaerobic digestate or landfilled waste. The present paper reviews conventional methods and advanced techniques used for the assessment of bio-stability. The conventional methods are reclassified into two categories. Advanced techniques, including spectroscopic (fluorescent, ultraviolet-visible, infrared, Raman, nuclear magnetic resonance), thermogravimetric and thermochemolysis analysis, are emphasized for their application in bio-stability assessment in recent years. Their principles, pros and cons are critically discussed. These advanced techniques are found to be convenient in sample preparation and to supply diversified information. However, the viability of these techniques as potential indicators for bio-stability assessment ultimately lies in the establishment of the relationship of advanced ones with the conventional methods, especially with the methods based on biotic response. Furthermore, some misuses in data explanation should be noted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermoelectric Energy Conversion: Future Directions and Technology Development Needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, Jean-Pierre

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the process of thermoelectric energy conversion along with key technology needs and challenges. The topics include: 1) The Case for Thermoelectrics; 2) Advances in Thermoelectrics: Investment Needed; 3) Current U.S. Investment (FY07); 4) Increasing Thermoelectric Materials Conversion Efficiency Key Science Needs and Challenges; 5) Developing Advanced TE Components & Systems Key Technology Needs and Challenges; 6) Thermoelectrics; 7) 200W Class Lightweight Portable Thermoelectric Generator; 8) Hybrid Absorption Cooling/TE Power Cogeneration System; 9) Major Opportunities in Energy Industry; 10) Automobile Waste Heat Recovery; 11) Thermoelectrics at JPL; 12) Recent Advances at JPL in Thermoelectric Converter Component Technologies; 13) Thermoelectrics Background on Power Generation and Cooling Operational Modes; 14) Thermoelectric Power Generation; and 15) Thermoelectric Cooling.

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

Hadi, Pejman; Ning, Chao; Ouyang, Weiyi

Highlights: • Environmental impacts of electronic waste and specifically waste printed circuit boards. • Review of the recycling techniques of waste printed circuit boards. • Advantages of physico-mechanical recycling techniques over chemical methods. • Utilization of nonmetallic fraction of waste printed circuit boards as modifier/filler. • Recent advances in the use of nonmetallic fraction of waste printed circuit boards as precursor. - Abstract: Electronic waste, including printed circuit boards, is growing at an alarming rate due to the accelerated technological progress and the shorter lifespan of the electronic equipment. In the past decades, due to the lack of proper economicmore » and environmentally-benign recycling technologies, a major fraction of e-waste generated was either destined to landfills or incinerated with the sole intention of its disposal disregarding the toxic nature of this waste. Recently, with the increasing public awareness over their environment and health issues and with the enaction of more stringent regulations, environmentally-benign recycling has been driven to be an alternative option partially replacing the traditional eco-unfriendly disposal methods. One of the most favorable green technologies has been the mechanical separation of the metallic and nonmetallic fraction of the waste printed circuit boards. Although metallic fraction, as the most profitable component, is used to generate the revenue of the separation process, the nonmetallic fraction (NMF) has been left isolated. Herein, the recent developments in the application of NMF have been comprehensively reviewed and an eco-friendly emerging usage of NMF as a value-added material for sustainable remediation has been introduced.« 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

Detecting waste-combustion emissions: several advanced methods are useful for sampling air contaminants from hazardous-waste-incinerator stacks

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

Johnson, L.D.

1986-01-01

This paper is an overview of sampling methods being recommended to EPA regulatory programs, to EPA engineering research and development projects, and to interested parties in the industrial community. The methods discussed are generally applicable to both incineration and processes closely related to incineration (e.g., co-firing of waste in industrial boilers, and burning of contaminated heating oil). Although methods for inorganic hazardous compounds are very briefly outlined, the primary emphasis of the paper is on organic compounds that are likely to be chosen as principal organic hazardous constituents (POHCs) for a trial burn. Methods receiving major attention include: the Modifiedmore » Method 5 Train (MM5) which includes an XAD-2 sorbent module, the Source Assessment Sampling System (SASS), the recently developed Volatile Organic Sampling Train (VOST), and assorted containers such as glass bulbs and plastic bags.« less

Hospital waste sterilization: A technical and economic comparison between radiation and microwaves treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tata, A.; Beone, F.

1995-09-01

Hospital waste (HW) disposal is becoming a problem of increasing importance in almost all industrially advanced countries. In Italy the yearly hospital waste production is about 250,000 tons and only 60,000 tons are treated by incineration at present time. As by a recent Italian law a meaningful percentage of HW (50 to 60%), corresponding to food residuals, plastics, paper, various organic materials, etc., could be landfilled as municipal refuses if preliminarily submitted to a suitable sterilization treatment. Under this perspective, sterilization/sanitation techniques represent now a technically and commercially viable alternative to HW thermal destruction that, besides, is more and more socially and politically less accepted. Electron Beam (EB) and Microwave (MW) treatments are two of the most interesting and emerging HW sterilization techniques, and, based on engineering real data, a technical and economic comparison is carried out, focusing vantages and limits of each process.

Robotics Technology Crosscutting Program. Technology summary

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

NONE

The Robotics Technology Development Program (RTDP) is a needs-driven effort. A length series of presentations and discussions at DOE sites considered critical to DOE`s Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) Programs resulted in a clear understanding of needed robotics applications toward resolving definitive problems at the sites. A detailed analysis of the resulting robotics needs assessment revealed several common threads running through the sites: Tank Waste Retrieval (TWR), Contaminant Analysis Automation (CAA), Mixed Waste Operations (MWO), and Decontamination and Dismantlement (D and D). The RTDP Group also realized that some of the technology development in these four areas had commonmore » (Cross Cutting-CC) needs, for example, computer control and sensor interface protocols. Further, the OTD approach to the Research, Development, Demonstration, Testing, and Evaluation (RDDT and E) process urged an additional organizational breakdown between short-term (1--3 years) and long-term (3--5 years) efforts (Advanced Technology-AT). These factors lead to the formation of the fifth application area for Crosscutting and Advanced Technology (CC and AT) development. The RTDP is thus organized around these application areas -- TWR, CAA, MWO, D and D, and CC and AT -- with the first four developing short-term applied robotics. An RTDP Five-Year Plan was developed for organizing the Program to meet the needs in these application areas.« less

Manufacturing with the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, L. M.; Hauser, S. G.; Clyne, R. J.

1992-05-01

Concentrated solar radiation is now a viable alternative energy source for many advanced manufacturing processes. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have demonstrated the feasibility of processes such as solar-induced surface transformation of materials (SISTM), solar-based manufacturing, and solar-pumped lasers. Researchers are also using sunlight to decontaminate water and soils polluted with organic compounds; these techniques could provide manufacturers with innovative alternatives to traditional methods of waste management. The solar technology that is now being integrated into today's manufacturing processes offers even greater potential for tomorrow, especially as applied to the radiation-abundant environment available in space and on the lunar surface.

Manufacturing with the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Lawrence M.; Hauser, Steven G.; Clyne, Richard J.

1991-12-01

Concentrated solar radiation is now a viable alternative source for many advanced manufacturing processes. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have demonstrated the feasibility of processes such as solar induced surface transformation of materials (SISTM), solar based manufacturing, and solar pumped lasers. Researchers are also using sunlight to decontaminate water and soils polluted with organic compounds; these techniques could provide manufacturers with innovative alternatives to traditional methods of waste management. The solar technology that is now being integrated into today's manufacturing processes offer greater potential for tomorrow, especially as applied to the radiation abundant environment available in space and on the lunar surface.

Manufacturing with the Sun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Lawrence M.; Hauser, Steven G.; Clyne, Richard J.

1991-01-01

Concentrated solar radiation is now a viable alternative source for many advanced manufacturing processes. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have demonstrated the feasibility of processes such as solar induced surface transformation of materials (SISTM), solar based manufacturing, and solar pumped lasers. Researchers are also using sunlight to decontaminate water and soils polluted with organic compounds; these techniques could provide manufacturers with innovative alternatives to traditional methods of waste management. The solar technology that is now being integrated into today's manufacturing processes offer greater potential for tomorrow, especially as applied to the radiation abundant environment available in space and on the lunar surface.

An environmentally safe and effective paint removal process for aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozol, Joseph

2001-03-01

To reduce hazardous waste from fleet and depot aircraft paint stripping and to conform to regulations banning toxic chemical paint strippers, the U.S. Naval Air Systems Team (materials division, depots, and head-quarters) teamed with the U.S. Air Force at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center for concept development, characterization, and demonstration of a mature, advanced paint-removal system, the Boeing xenon/flashlamp CO2 (Flashjet®) process. Extensive metallic and composite-materials testing was conducted. This paper describes the development and characterization program leading to authorization of the process for use on fixed-wing navy aircraft.

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 validation activities. The DMS includes general system functions, including task lists, electronic signature, non-conformance reports and message systems, that cut vertically across the remaining subsystems. Oracle's security features were utilized to ensure that only authorized users were allowed to log in, and to restrict access to system functionality according to user role.« less

10 CFR 71.97 - Advance notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Advance notification of shipment of irradiated reactor... notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste. (a) As specified in paragraphs (b), (c... required under this section for shipments of irradiated reactor fuel in quantities less than that subject...

10 CFR 71.97 - Advance notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Advance notification of shipment of irradiated reactor... notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste. (a) As specified in paragraphs (b), (c... required under this section for shipments of irradiated reactor fuel in quantities less than that subject...

77 FR 34194 - Advance Notification to Native American Tribes of Transportation of Certain Types of Nuclear Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-11

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 10 CFR Parts 71 and 73 RIN 3150-AG41 [NRC-1999-0005] Advance Notification to Native American Tribes of Transportation of Certain Types of Nuclear Waste AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending...

Physical/chemical closed-loop water-recycling for long-duration missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herrmann, Cal C.; Wydeven, Ted

1990-01-01

Water needs, water sources, and means for recycling water are examined in terms appropriate to the water quality requirements of a small crew and spacecraft intended for long duration exploration missions. Inorganic, organic, and biological hazards are estimated for waste water sources. Sensitivities to these hazards for human uses are estimated. The water recycling processes considered are humidity condensation, carbon dioxide reduction, waste oxidation, distillation, reverse osmosis, pervaporation, electrodialysis, ion exchange, carbon sorption, and electrochemical oxidation. Limitations and applications of these processes are evaluated in terms of water quality objectives. Computerized simulation of some of these chemical processes is examined. Recommendations are made for development of new water recycling technology and improvement of existing technology for near term application to life support systems for humans in space. The technological developments are equally applicable to water needs on earth, in regions where extensive water ecycling is needed or where advanced water treatment is essential to meet EPA health standards.

Integration of membrane separation and Fenton processes for sanitary landfill leachate treatment.

PubMed

Santos, Amanda Vitória; Andrade, Laura Hamdan de; Amaral, Míriam Cristina Santos; Lange, Liséte Celina

2018-04-06

The appropriate treatment of sanitary landfill leachate is one of the greatest challenges nowadays due to the large volumes of solid waste generated. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of different routes involving the integration of advanced oxidation processes based on Fenton's reagents (AOP-Fenton) and microfiltration (MF) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane processes for the treatment of landfill leachate. MF module configuration (submerged or sidestream) and MF and NF recovery rate were evaluated. The combination of AOP-Fenton, MF and NF proved to be an effective treatment for landfill leachate. High removal efficiencies of chemical oxidation demand (94-96%) and colour (96-99%) were obtained. The configuration named route 3, composed of MF of raw landfill leachate (MF1), POA-Fenton-MF2 of the MF1 concentrate and NF of both MF1 and MF2 permeates, showed a higher global water recovery and was responsible for lower waste generation. It was considered the best one in terms of environmental, technical and economical aspects.

Industrial innovations for tomorrow: Advances in industrial energy-efficiency technologies. Degradable plastic made from potato peels

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

Not Available

Stimulated by public demand and state and federal legislation, industry has begun to develop bio- and photo- degradable plastics. so far, however, none of these degradable plastics meets all of the criteria for success - adequate physical and mechanical properties for the desired use, cost-effectiveness, and 100% degradability. Polylactic acid (PLA) plastic is one degradable plastic that shows promise. It has the desired properties and is 100% degradable. However, PLA plastic made by conventional techniques is not cost effective. Made from lactic acid, which is typically made form petroleum using a very costly synthesis process. Lactic acid can also bemore » made from carbohydrates (starches), found in food processing wastes such as potato wastes, cheese whey, and sorghum. Conversion of starch to simple sugars, and fermentation of these sugars can produce lactic acid.« less

US Department of Energy's Efforts in Intelligent Processing Equipment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peavy, Richard D.; Mcfarland, Janet C.

1992-01-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) uses intelligent processing equipment (IPE) technologies to conduct research and development and manufacturing for energy and nuclear weapons programs. This paper highlights several significant IPE efforts underway in DOE. IPE technologies are essential to the accomplishment of DOE's missions, because of the need for small lot production, precision, and accuracy in manufacturing, hazardous waste management, and protection of the environment and the safety and health of the workforce and public. Applications of IPE technologies include environmental remediation and waste handling, advanced manufacturing, and automation of tasks carried out in hazardous areas. DOE laboratories have several key programs that integrate robotics, sensor, and control technologies. These programs embody a considerable technical capability that also may be used to enhance U.S. industrial competitiveness. DOE encourages closer cooperation with U.S. industrial partners based on mutual benefits. This paper briefly describes technology transfer mechanisms available for industrial involvement.

Edible packaging materials.

PubMed

Janjarasskul, Theeranun; Krochta, John M

2010-01-01

Research groups and the food and pharmaceutical industries recognize edible packaging as a useful alternative or addition to conventional packaging to reduce waste and to create novel applications for improving product stability, quality, safety, variety, and convenience for consumers. Recent studies have explored the ability of biopolymer-based food packaging materials to carry and control-release active compounds. As diverse edible packaging materials derived from various by-products or waste from food industry are being developed, the dry thermoplastic process is advancing rapidly as a feasible commercial edible packaging manufacturing process. The employment of nanocomposite concepts to edible packaging materials promises to improve barrier and mechanical properties and facilitate effective incorporation of bioactive ingredients and other designed functions. In addition to the need for a more fundamental understanding to enable design to desired specifications, edible packaging has to overcome challenges such as regulatory requirements, consumer acceptance, and scaling-up research concepts to commercial applications.

Kinetics of Cold-Cap Reactions for Vitrification of Nuclear Waste Glass Based on Simultaneous Differential Scanning Calorimetry - Thermogravimetry (DSC-TGA) and Evolved Gas Analysis (EGA)

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

Rodriguez, Carmen P.; Pierce, David A.; Schweiger, Michael J.

2013-12-03

For vitrifying nuclear waste glass, the feed, a mixture of waste with glass-forming and modifying additives, is charged onto the cold cap that covers 90-100% of the melt surface. The cold cap consists of a layer of reacting molten glass floating on the surface of the melt in an all-electric, continuous glass melter. As the feed moves through the cold cap, it undergoes chemical reactions and phase transitions through which it is converted to molten glass that moves from the cold cap into the melt pool. The process involves a series of reactions that generate multiple gases and subsequent massmore » loss and foaming significantly influence the mass and heat transfers. The rate of glass melting, which is greatly influenced by mass and heat transfers, affects the vitrification process and the efficiency of the immobilization of nuclear waste. We studied the cold-cap reactions of a representative waste glass feed using both the simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry thermogravimetry (DSC-TGA) and the thermogravimetry coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (TGA-GC-MS) as complementary tools to perform evolved gas analysis (EGA). Analyses from DSC-TGA and EGA on the cold-cap reactions provide a key element for the development of an advanced cold-cap model. It also helps to formulate melter feeds for higher production rate.« less

The inhabited environment, infrastructure development and advanced urbanization in China’s Yangtze River Delta Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiaoqing; Gao, Weijun; Zhou, Nan; Kammen, Daniel M.; Wu, Yiqun; Zhang, Yao; Chen, Wei

2016-12-01

This paper analyzes the relationship among the inhabited environment, infrastructure development and environmental impacts in China’s heavily urbanized Yangtze River Delta region. Using primary human environment data for the period 2006-2014, we examine factors affecting the inhabited environment and infrastructure development: urban population, GDP, built-up area, energy consumption, waste emission, transportation, real estate and urban greenery. Then we empirically investigate the impact of advanced urbanization with consideration of cities’ differences. Results from this study show that the growth rate of the inhabited environment and infrastructure development is strongly influenced by regional development structure, functional orientations, traffic network and urban size and form. The effect of advanced urbanization is more significant in large and mid-size cities than huge and mega cities. Energy consumption, waste emission and real estate in large and mid-size cities developed at an unprecedented rate with the rapid increase of economy. However, urban development of huge and mega cities gradually tended to be saturated. The transition development in these cities improved the inhabited environment and ecological protection instead of the urban construction simply. To maintain a sustainable advanced urbanization process, policy implications included urban sprawl control polices, ecological development mechanisms and reforming the economic structure for huge and mega cities, and construct major cross-regional infrastructure, enhance the carrying capacity and improvement of energy efficiency and structure for large and mid-size cities.

Up-cycling waste glass to minimal water adsorption/absorption lightweight aggregate by rapid low temperature sintering: optimization by dual process-mixture response surface methodology.

PubMed

Velis, Costas A; Franco-Salinas, Claudia; O'Sullivan, Catherine; Najorka, Jens; Boccaccini, Aldo R; Cheeseman, Christopher R

2014-07-01

Mixed color waste glass extracted from municipal solid waste is either not recycled, in which case it is an environmental and financial liability, or it is used in relatively low value applications such as normal weight aggregate. Here, we report on converting it into a novel glass-ceramic lightweight aggregate (LWA), potentially suitable for high added value applications in structural concrete (upcycling). The artificial LWA particles were formed by rapidly sintering (<10 min) waste glass powder with clay mixes using sodium silicate as binder and borate salt as flux. Composition and processing were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) modeling, and specifically (i) a combined process-mixture dual RSM, and (ii) multiobjective optimization functions. The optimization considered raw materials and energy costs. Mineralogical and physical transformations occur during sintering and a cellular vesicular glass-ceramic composite microstructure is formed, with strong correlations existing between bloating/shrinkage during sintering, density and water adsorption/absorption. The diametrical expansion could be effectively modeled via the RSM and controlled to meet a wide range of specifications; here we optimized for LWA structural concrete. The optimally designed LWA is sintered in comparatively low temperatures (825-835 °C), thus potentially saving costs and lowering emissions; it had exceptionally low water adsorption/absorption (6.1-7.2% w/wd; optimization target: 1.5-7.5% w/wd); while remaining substantially lightweight (density: 1.24-1.28 g.cm(-3); target: 0.9-1.3 g.cm(-3)). This is a considerable advancement for designing effective environmentally friendly lightweight concrete constructions, and boosting resource efficiency of waste glass flows.

40 CFR 265.118 - Post-closure plan; amendment of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the wastes, application of advanced technology, or alternative disposal, treatment, or re-use.... 265.118 Section 265.118 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) INTERIM STATUS STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT...

Upcycling : converting waste plastics into paramagnetic, conducting, solid, pure carbon microspheres.

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

Pol, V.

2010-06-15

The recent tremendous increase in the volume of waste plastics (WP) will have a harmful environmental impact on the health of living beings. Hundreds of years are required to degrade WP in atmospheric conditions. Hence, in coming years, in addition to traditional recycling services, innovative 'upcycling' processes are necessary. This article presents an environmentally benign, solvent-free autogenic process that converts various WP [low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), or their mixtures] into carbon microspheres (CMSs), an industrially significant, value-added product. The thermal dissociation of these individual or mixed WP in a closed reactormore » under autogenic pressure (1000 psi) produced dry, pure powder of CMSs. In this paper, the optimization of process parameters such as the effect of mixing of WP with other materials, and the role of reaction temperature and time are reported. Employing advanced analytical techniques, the atomic structure, composition, and morphology of as-obtained CMSs were analyzed. The room-temperature paramagnetism in CMSs prepared from waste LDPE, HDPE, and PS was further studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The conducting and paramagnetic nature of CMSs holds promise for their potential applications in toners, printers, paints, batteries, lubricants, and tires.« less

Planetary Protection Considerations for Life Support and Habitation Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.; Hogan, John A.

2010-01-01

Life support systems for future human missions beyond low Earth orbit may include a combination of existing hardware components and advanced technologies. Discipline areas for technology development include atmosphere revitalization, water recovery, solid waste management, crew accommodations, food production, thermal systems, environmental monitoring, fire protection and radiation protection. Life support systems will be influenced by in situ resource utilization (ISRU), crew mobility and the degree of extravehicular activity. Planetary protection represents an additional set of requirements that technology developers have generally not considered. Planetary protection guidelines will affect the kind of operations, processes, and functions that can take place during future exploration missions, including venting and discharge of liquids and solids, ejection of wastes, use of ISRU, requirements for cabin atmospheric trace contaminant concentrations, cabin leakage and restrictions on what materials, organisms, and technologies that may be brought on missions. Compliance with planetary protection requirements may drive development of new capabilities or processes (e.g. in situ sterilization, waste containment, contaminant measurement) and limit or prohibit certain kinds of operations or processes (e.g. unfiltered venting). Ultimately, there will be an effect on mission costs, including the mission trade space. Planetary protection requirements need to be considered early in technology development programs. It is expected that planetary protection will have a major impact on technology selection for future missions.

Solvent recovery opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Barton, P I

2000-11-01

Opportunities for recovering and recycling waste solvent streams in the pharmaceutical industry are reviewed. A major obstacle to solvent recovery and recycling is the existence of azeotropic compositions, and thus separation barriers, in the mixtures in question. Advances in the understanding of these complex separation problems are discussed. Recent progress on novel designs for small-scale, flexible azeotropic separation processes is reviewed. Also considered is the alternative and complementary approach of integrating solvent use within a batch process so that the formation of hard-to-separate azeotropic compositions is prevented.

6th Annual National Small Business Conference

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-03

Extension Partnership – MIT Lean Advancement Initiative – Customers • Lean Tools – Value Stream Mapping – Kaizen Events Center for Management...Blue denotes kaizen events Most suppliers did not have in-house lean capability therefore the OEM and customer facilitated the events 36 Center for...Management & Economic Research 37 Kaizen Events • Kaizen is the process of: – Identifying & eliminating waste – as quickly as possible – at the

Effects of irradiation intensity and pH on nutrients release and solids destruction of waste activated sludge using the microwave-enhanced advanced oxidation process.

PubMed

Chan, W I; Liao, P H; Lo, K V

2010-11-01

Using the microwave-enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW/H2O2-AOP), the pH and irradiation intensity on waste activated sludge samples were investigated to provide insight to the athermal effects on nutrients release, solids destruction, particle size distribution and dewaterability, and to demonstrate their interrelationships. Carbonaceous matters and nutrients released into solution depended on the irradiation intensity and time. Higher irradiation levels tended to be more effective in the solubilization of nutrients and had more pronounced effects in the dewaterability of sludge. In terms of particle size distribution, detectable particles increased in size for treatments in acidic conditions, while the dewaterability of treated sludge was improved. In treatments under neutral and alkaline conditions, the particle size range increased, with more small particles formed, thereby significantly deteriorating the dewaterability of sludge treated in alkaline conditions. The best results for the solubilization of nutrients were in alkaline conditions with high irradiation power, but dewaterability of the sludge was compromised. Sludge treatment with the MW/H2O2-AOP in acidic conditions with high irradiation power yielded the best dewaterable sludge and significant nutrient solubilization; therefore, it is the recommended treatment condition for activated sludge.

10 CFR 71.97 - Advance notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... notification of shipment of irradiated reactor fuel and nuclear waste. (a) As specified in paragraphs (b), (c... of the shipper, carrier, and receiver of the irradiated reactor fuel or nuclear waste shipment; (2) A description of the irradiated reactor fuel or nuclear waste contained in the shipment, as specified in the...

77 FR 10485 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board, Idaho National Laboratory

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-22

... Status EM/National Nuclear Security Administration Integration Ecological Surveys Ground Water Waste Area... and site management in the areas of environmental restoration, waste management, and related... Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) Workforce Reductions Advanced Mixed Waste Cleanup Project (AMWTP) Workforce...

FY 1994 program summary: Office of Technology Development, Office of Research and Development, Office of Demonstration, Testing, and Evaluation

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

Not Available

1994-10-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management, formerly the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM), was established in November 1989 as the first step toward correcting contamination problems resulting from nearly 50 years of nuclear weapons production and fuel processing activities. EM consolidates several DOE organizations previously responsible for the handling, treatment, and disposition of radioactive and hazardous waste. Within EM, the Office of Technology Development (OTD/EM-50) is responsible for developing technologies to meet DOE`s goal for environmental restoration. OTD manages an aggressive national program of applied research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation (RDDT andmore » E) for environmental cleanup, waste management, and related technologies. The program is designed to resolve major technical issues, to rapidly advanced beyond current technologies for environmental restoration and waste management operations, and to expedite compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations. This report summarizes Fiscal Year 1994 (FY94) programmatic information, accomplishments, and planned activities relevant to the individual activities within OTD`s RDDT and E.« less

System analyses on advanced nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheon, Myeongguk

To evaluate the impacts of accelerator-driven transmutation of waste (ATW) fuel cycle on a geological repository, two mathematical models are developed: a reactor system analysis model and a high-level waste (HLW) conditioning model. With the former, fission products and residual trans-uranium (TRU) contained in HLW generated from a reference ATW plant operations are quantified and the reduction of TRU inventory included in commercial spent-nuclear fuel (CSNF) is evaluated. With the latter, an optimized waste loading and composition in solidification of HLW are determined and the volume reduction of waste packages associated with CSNF is evaluated. WACOM, a reactor system analysis code developed in this study for burnup calculation, is validated by ORIGEN2.1 and MCNP. WACOM is used to perform multicycle analysis for the reference lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) cooled transmuter. By applying the results of this analysis to the reference ATW deployment scenario considered in the ATW roadmap, the HLW generated from the ATW fuel cycle is quantified and the reduction of TRU inventory contained in CSNF is evaluated. A linear programming (LP) model has been developed for determination of an optimized waste loading and composition in solidification of HLW. The model has been applied to a US-defense HLW. The optimum waste loading evaluated by the LP model was compared with that estimated by the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) in the US and a good agreement was observed. The LP model was then applied to the volume reduction of waste packages associated with CSNF. Based on the obtained reduction factors, the expansion of Yucca Mountain Repository (YMR) capacity is evaluated. It is found that with the reference ATW system, the TRU contained in CSNF could be reduced by a factor of ˜170 in terms of inventory and by a factor of ˜40 in terms of toxicity under the assumed scenario. The number of waste packages related to CSNF could be reduced by a factor of ˜8 in terms of volume and by factor of ˜10 on the basis of electricity generation when a sufficient cooling time for discharged spent fuel and zero process chemicals in HLW are assumed. The expansion factor of Yucca Mountain Repository capacity is estimated to be a factor of 2.4, much smaller than the reduction factor of CSNF waste packages, due to the existence of DOE-owned spent fuel and HLW. The YMR, however, could support 10 times greater electricity generation as long as the statutory capacity of DOE-owned SNF and HLW remains unchanged. This study also showed that the reduction of the number of waste packages could strongly be subject to the heat generation rate of HLW and the amount of process chemicals contained in HLW. For a greater reduction of the number of waste packages, a sufficient cooling time for discharged fuel and efforts to minimize the amount of process chemicals contained in HLW are crucial.

Decolorization and degradation of reactive yellow HF aqueous solutions by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes.

PubMed

Bedolla-Guzman, A; Feria-Reyes, R; Gutierrez-Granados, S; Peralta-Hernández, Juan M

2017-05-01

Textile manufacturing is the one responsible for water bodies' contamination through the discharge of colored wastes. This work presents the study of reactive yellow HF (RYHF) dye degradation under two different electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOP), namely anodic oxidation (AO) and electro-Fenton (EF)/boron-doped diamond (BDD) process. For the AO, 100 and 300 mg/L solutions using Pt and BDD as anodes in a 100 mL stirred tank cell were used, with a supporting electrolyte of 0.05 mol/L of Na 2 SO 4 at pH 3 under 30 and 50 mA/cm 2 current density. The EF/BDD process was carried out in a flow reactor at 4 and 7 L/min to degrade 100, 200, and 300 mg/L RYHF solutions under 50 and 80 mA/cm 2 . UV-Vis determinations were used for decolorization evaluation, while high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method provided information on dye degradation rate.

ADVANCES IN ENCAPSULATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF MERCURY-CONTAMINATED HAZARDOUS WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

Although industrial and commercial uses of mercury have been curtailed in recent times, there is a demonstrated need for the development of reliable hazardous waste management techniques because of ongoing hazardous waste generation and historic operations that have led to signif...

Prioritized List of Research Needs to support MRWFD Case Study Flowsheet Advancement

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

Law, Jack Douglas; Soelberg, Nicholas Ray

In FY-13, a case study evaluation was performed of full recycle technologies for both the processing of light-water reactor (LWR) used nuclear fuels as well as fast reactor (FR) fuel in the full recycle option. This effort focused on the identification of the case study processes and the initial preparation of material balance flowsheets for the identified technologies. In identifying the case study flowsheets, it was decided that two cases would be developed: one which identifies the flowsheet as currently developed and another near-term target flowsheet which identifies the flowsheet as envisioned within two years, pending the results of ongoingmore » research. The case study focus is on homogeneous aqueous recycle of the U/TRU resulting from the processing of LWR fuel as feed for metal fuel fabrication. The metal fuel is utilized in a sodium-cooled fast reactor, and the used fast reactor fuel is processed using electrochemical separations. The recovered U/TRU from electrochemical separations is recycled to fuel fabrication and the fast reactor. Waste streams from the aqueous and electrochemical processing are treated and prepared for disposition. Off-gas from the separations and waste processing are also treated. As part of the FY-13 effort, preliminary process unknowns and research needs to advance the near-term target flowsheets were identified. In FY-14, these research needs were updated, expanded and prioritized. This report again updates the prioritized list of research needs based upon results to date in FY-15. The research needs are listed for each of the main portions of the flowsheet: 1) Aqueous headend, 2) Headend tritium pretreatment off-gas, 3) Aqueous U/Pu/Np recovery, 4) Aqueous TRU product solidification, 5) Aqueous actinide/lanthanide separation, 6) Aqueous off-gas treatment, 7) Aqueous HLW management, 8) Treatment of aqueous process wastes, 9) E-chem actinide separations, 10) E-chem off-gas, 11) E-chem HLW management. The identified research needs were prioritized within each of these areas. No effort was made to perform an overall prioritization. This information will be used by the MRWFD Campaign leadership in research planning for FY-16. Additionally, this information will be incorporated into the next version of the Case Study Report scheduled to be issued September 2015.« less

Information basis for developing comprehensive waste management system-US-Japan joint nuclear energy action plan waste management working group phase I report.

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

Nutt, M.; Nuclear Engineering Division

2010-05-25

The activity of Phase I of the Waste Management Working Group under the United States - Japan Joint Nuclear Energy Action Plan started in 2007. The US-Japan JNEAP is a bilateral collaborative framework to support the global implementation of safe, secure, and sustainable, nuclear fuel cycles (referred to in this document as fuel cycles). The Waste Management Working Group was established by strong interest of both parties, which arise from the recognition that development and optimization of waste management and disposal system(s) are central issues of the present and future nuclear fuel cycles. This report summarizes the activity of themore » Waste Management Working Group that focused on consolidation of the existing technical basis between the U.S. and Japan and the joint development of a plan for future collaborative activities. Firstly, the political/regulatory frameworks related to nuclear fuel cycles in both countries were reviewed. The various advanced fuel cycle scenarios that have been considered in both countries were then surveyed and summarized. The working group established the working reference scenario for the future cooperative activity that corresponds to a fuel cycle scenario being considered both in Japan and the U.S. This working scenario involves transitioning from a once-through fuel cycle utilizing light water reactors to a one-pass uranium-plutonium fuel recycle in light water reactors to a combination of light water reactors and fast reactors with plutonium, uranium, and minor actinide recycle, ultimately concluding with multiple recycle passes primarily using fast reactors. Considering the scenario, current and future expected waste streams, treatment and inventory were discussed, and the relevant information was summarized. Second, the waste management/disposal system optimization was discussed. Repository system concepts were reviewed, repository design concepts for the various classifications of nuclear waste were summarized, and the factors to consider in repository design and optimization were then discussed. Japan is considering various alternatives and options for the geologic disposal facility and the framework for future analysis of repository concepts was discussed. Regarding the advanced waste and storage form development, waste form technologies developed in both countries were surveyed and compared. Potential collaboration areas and activities were next identified. Disposal system optimization processes and techniques were reviewed, and factors to consider in future repository design optimization activities were also discussed. Then the potential collaboration areas and activities related to the optimization problem were extracted.« less

Revolutionary advances in medical waste management. The Sanitec system.

PubMed

Edlich, Richard F; Borel, Lise; Jensen, H Gordon; Winters, Kathryne L; Long, William B; Gubler, K Dean; Buschbacher, Ralph M; Becker, Daniel G; Chang, Dillon E; Korngold, Jonathan; Chitwood, W Randolph; Lin, Kant Y; Nichter, Larry S; Berenson, Susan; Britt, L D; Tafel, John A

2006-01-01

It is the purpose of this collective review to provide a detailed outline of a revolutionary medical waste disposal system that should be used in all medical centers in the world to prevent pollution of our planet from medical waste. The Sanitec medical waste disposal system consists of the following seven components: (1) an all-weather steel enclosure of the waste management system, allowing it to be used inside or outside of the hospital center; (2) an automatic mechanical lift-and-load system that protects the workers from devastating back injuries; (3) a sophisticated shredding system designed for medical waste; (4) a series of air filters including the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter; (5) microwave disinfection of the medical waste material; (6) a waste compactor or dumpster; and (7) an onboard microprocessor. It must be emphasized that this waste management system can be used either inside or outside the hospital. From start to finish, the Sanitec Microwave Disinfection system is designed to provide process and engineering controls that assure complete disinfection and destruction, while minimizing the operator's exposure to risk. There are numerous technologic benefits to the Sanitec systems, including environmental, operational, physical, and disinfection efficiency as well as waste residue disinfection. Wastes treated through the Sanitec system are thoroughly disinfected, unrecognizable, and reduced in volume by approximately 80% (saving valuable landfill space and reducing hauling requirements and costs). They are acceptable in any municipal solid waste program. Sanitec's Zero Pollution Advantage is augmented by a complete range of services, including installation, startup, testing, training, maintenance, and repair, over the life of this system. The Sanitec waste management system has essentially been designed to provide the best overall solution to the customer, when that customer actually looks at the total cost of dealing with the medical waste issue. The Sanitec system is the right choice for healthcare and medical waste professionals around the world.

Contract Example: Monrovia, CA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Example Residential and Commercial Solid Waste Franchise Agreement designed to advance zero waste goals between the city of Monrovia and Arakelian Enterprises, Inc. dba Athens Services, a California corporation.

Equilibrium Temperature Profiles within Fission Product Waste Forms

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

Kaminski, Michael D.

2016-10-01

We studied waste form strategies for advanced fuel cycle schemes. Several options were considered for three waste streams with the following fission products: cesium and strontium, transition metals, and lanthanides. These three waste streams may be combined or disposed separately. The decay of several isotopes will generate heat that must be accommodated by the waste form, and this heat will affect the waste loadings. To help make an informed decision on the best option, we present computational data on the equilibrium temperature of glass waste forms containing a combination of these three streams.

Financing electronic waste recycling Californian households' willingness to pay advanced recycling fees.

PubMed

Nixon, Hilary; Saphores, Jean-Daniel M

2007-09-01

The growth of electronic waste (e-waste) is of increasing concern because of its toxic content and low recycling rates. The e-waste recycling infrastructure needs to be developed, yet little is known about people's willingness to fund its expansion. This paper examines this issue based on a 2004 mail survey of California households. Using an ordered logit model, we find that age, income, beliefs about government and business roles, proximity to existing recycling facilities, community density, education, and environmental attitudes are significant factors for explaining people's willingness to pay an advanced recycling fee (ARF) for electronics. Most respondents are willing to support a 1% ARF. Our results suggest that policymakers should target middle-aged and older adults, improve programs in communities with existing recycling centers or in rural communities, and consider public-private partnerships for e-waste recycling programs.

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.

Coupled Multi-physical Simulations for the Assessment of Nuclear Waste Repository Concepts: Modeling, Software Development and Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massmann, J.; Nagel, T.; Bilke, L.; Böttcher, N.; Heusermann, S.; Fischer, T.; Kumar, V.; Schäfers, A.; Shao, H.; Vogel, P.; Wang, W.; Watanabe, N.; Ziefle, G.; Kolditz, O.

2016-12-01

As part of the German site selection process for a high-level nuclear waste repository, different repository concepts in the geological candidate formations rock salt, clay stone and crystalline rock are being discussed. An open assessment of these concepts using numerical simulations requires physical models capturing the individual particularities of each rock type and associated geotechnical barrier concept to a comparable level of sophistication. In a joint work group of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), scientists of the UFZ are developing and implementing multiphysical process models while BGR scientists apply them to large scale analyses. The advances in simulation methods for waste repositories are incorporated into the open-source code OpenGeoSys. Here, recent application-driven progress in this context is highlighted. A robust implementation of visco-plasticity with temperature-dependent properties into a framework for the thermo-mechanical analysis of rock salt will be shown. The model enables the simulation of heat transport along with its consequences on the elastic response as well as on primary and secondary creep or the occurrence of dilatancy in the repository near field. Transverse isotropy, non-isothermal hydraulic processes and their coupling to mechanical stresses are taken into account for the analysis of repositories in clay stone. These processes are also considered in the near field analyses of engineered barrier systems, including the swelling/shrinkage of the bentonite material. The temperature-dependent saturation evolution around the heat-emitting waste container is described by different multiphase flow formulations. For all mentioned applications, we illustrate the workflow from model development and implementation, over verification and validation, to repository-scale application simulations using methods of high performance computing.

Industrial bioconversion of renewable resources as an alternative to conventional chemistry.

PubMed

Willke, Th; Vorlop, K-D

2004-12-01

There are numerous possibilities for replacing chemical techniques with biotechnological methods based on renewable resources. The potential of biotechnology (products, technologies, metabolic pathways) is for the most part well known. Often the costs are still the problem. Biotechnological advances have the best chances for replacing some fine chemicals. While the raw material costs are less of a consideration here, the environmental benefit is huge, as chemical-technical processes often produce a wide range of undesirable/harmful by-products or waste. In the case of bulk chemicals (<1 US dollar/kg) the product price is affected mainly by raw material costs. As long as fossil raw materials are still relatively inexpensive, alternatives based on renewable resources cannot establish themselves. Residues and waste, which are available even at no cost in some cases, are an exception. The introduction of new technologies for the efficient use of such raw materials is currently being promoted. The utilisation of residual wood, plant parts, waste fat, and crude glycerol, for example, provides great potential. For industrial chemicals (2-4 US dollars/kg), process and recovery costs play a greater role. Here, innovative production technologies and product recovery techniques (e.g. on-line product separation) can increase competitiveness.

In-Vessel Composting of Simulated Long-Term Missions Space-Related Solid Wastes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez-Carias, Abner A.; Sager, John; Krumins, Valdis; Strayer, Richard; Hummerick, Mary; Roberts, Michael S.

2002-01-01

Reduction and stabilization of solid wastes generated during space missions is a major concern for the Advanced Life Support - Resource Recovery program at the NASA, Kennedy Space Center. Solid wastes provide substrates for pathogen proliferation, produce strong odor, and increase storage requirements during space missions. A five periods experiment was conducted to evaluate the Space Operation Bioconverter (SOB), an in vessel composting system, as a biological processing technology to reduce and stabilize simulated long-term missions space related solid-wastes (SRSW). For all periods, SRSW were sorted into components with fast (FBD) and slow (SBD) biodegradability. Uneaten food and plastic were used as a major FBD and SBD components, respectively. Compost temperature (C), CO2 production (%), mass reduction (%), and final pH were utilized as criteria to determine compost quality. In period 1, SOB was loaded with a 55% FBD: 45% SBD mixture and was allowed to compost for 7 days. An eleven day second composting period was conducted loading the SOB with 45% pre-composted SRSW and 55% FBD. Period 3 and 4 evaluated the use of styrofoam as a bulking agent and the substitution of regular by degradable plastic on the composting characteristics of SRSW, respectively. The use of ceramic as a bulking agent and the relationship between initial FBD mass and heat production was investigated in period 5. Composting SRSW resulted in an acidic fermentation with a minor increase in compost temperature, low CO2 production, and slightly mass reduction. Addition of styrofoam as a bulking agent and substitution of regular by biodegradable plastic improved the composting characteristics of SRSW, as evidenced by higher pH, CO2 production, compost temperature and mass reduction. Ceramic as a bulking agent and increase the initial FBD mass (4.4 kg) did not improve the composting process. In summary, the SOB is a potential biological technology for reduction and stabilization of mission space-related solid wastes. However, the success of the composting process may depend of the physical characteristics (particle size, porosity, structure, texture) of the SBD components which would require pre-processing of solid wastes before placing them in the SOB.

Microbial trophic interactions and mcrA gene expression in monitoring of anaerobic digesters.

PubMed

Alvarado, Alejandra; Montañez-Hernández, Lilia E; Palacio-Molina, Sandra L; Oropeza-Navarro, Ricardo; Luévanos-Escareño, Miriam P; Balagurusamy, Nagamani

2014-01-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process where different trophic groups of microorganisms break down biodegradable organic materials in the absence of oxygen. A wide range of AD technologies is being used to convert livestock manure, municipal and industrial wastewaters, and solid organic wastes into biogas. AD gains importance not only because of its relevance in waste treatment but also because of the recovery of carbon in the form of methane, which is a renewable energy and is used to generate electricity and heat. Despite the advances on the engineering and design of new bioreactors for AD, the microbiology component always poses challenges. Microbiology of AD processes is complicated as the efficiency of the process depends on the interactions of various trophic groups involved. Due to the complex interdependence of microbial activities for the functionality of the anaerobic bioreactors, the genetic expression of mcrA, which encodes a key enzyme in methane formation, is proposed as a parameter to monitor the process performance in real time. This review evaluates the current knowledge on microbial groups, their interactions, and their relationship to the performance of anaerobic biodigesters with a focus on using mcrA gene expression as a tool to monitor the process.

Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine(s)

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

Pike, Edward

The objective of the Cummins ARES program, in partnership with the US Department of Energy (DOE), is to develop advanced natural gas engine technologies that increase engine system efficiency at lower emissions levels while attaining lower cost of ownership. The goals of the project are to demonstrate engine system achieving 50% Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) in three phases, 44%, 47% and 50% (starting baseline efficiency at 36% BTE) and 0.1 g/bhp-hr NOx system out emissions (starting baseline NOx emissions at 2 – 4 g/bhp-hr NOx). Primary path towards above goals include high Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP), improved closed cyclemore » efficiency, increased air handling efficiency and optimized engine subsystems. Cummins has successfully demonstrated each of the phases of this program. All targets have been achieved through application of a combined set of advanced base engine technologies and Waste Heat Recovery from Charge Air and Exhaust streams, optimized and validated on the demonstration engine and other large engines. The following architectures were selected for each Phase: Phase 1: Lean Burn Spark Ignited (SI) Key Technologies: High Efficiency Turbocharging, Higher Efficiency Combustion System. In production on the 60/91L engines. Over 500MW of ARES Phase 1 technology has been sold. Phase 2: Lean Burn Technology with Exhaust Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) System Key Technologies: Advanced Ignition System, Combustion Improvement, Integrated Waste Heat Recovery System. Base engine technologies intended for production within 2 to 3 years Phase 3: Lean Burn Technology with Exhaust and Charge Air Waste Heat Recovery System Key Technologies: Lower Friction, New Cylinder Head Designs, Improved Integrated Waste Heat Recovery System. Intended for production within 5 to 6 years Cummins is committed to the launch of next generation of large advanced NG engines based on ARES technology to be commercialized worldwide.« less

Appendix to HDC 2118 design criteria 100-X reactor water plant, general description - section II

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

Not Available

1952-03-29

The factors responsible for the advances of 100-X compared with the older areas are: Simplification of the process, such as elimination of separate process water clearwells, by having the filtered water reservoirs perform that function. Combination of separate buildings into one building, such as combining filter pump house and process pump house. Use of electric standby. Use of higher capacity pumps and filter basins, and so fewer number of units. Centralization of control and operation. More compact arrangement of plant components. Use of waste heat for space heating, recovered from reactor effluent, backed up by steam plant.

Modular life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management.

PubMed

Haupt, M; Kägi, T; Hellweg, S

2018-05-31

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is commonly applied to examine the environmental performance of waste management systems. The system boundaries are, however, often limited to either one tonne of material or to specific waste treatments and are, therefore, lacking a systems perspective. Here, a framework is proposed to assess complete waste management systems based on actual waste flows, assessed with a detailed material flow analysis (MFA) in a modular MFA/LCA approach. The transformation of the MFA into a product-process-matrix facilitates a direct link between MFA and LCA, therefore allowing for the assessment of variations in flows. To allow for an up-to-date and geographically specific assessment, 190 LCA modules were set up based on primary industrial data and the ecoinvent database. The LCA modules show where there have been improvements in different recycling processes over the past years (e.g. for paper recycling) and highlight that, from an environmental perspective, closed-loop recycling is not always preferable to open-loop recycling. In a case study, the Swiss municipal solid waste management system, of which there is already a detailed MFA, was modeled using the new LCA modules and applying the modular MFA/LCA approach. Five different mass flow distribution scenarios for the Swiss municipal solid waste management system were assessed to show the environmental impact of political measures and to test the sensitivity of the results to key parameters. The results of the case study highlight the importance of the dominant fractions in the overall environmental impacts assessment; while the metal fraction has the highest impact on a per kilogram basis, paper, cardboard, glass and mixed municipal solid waste were found to dominate the environmental impacts of the Swiss waste management system due to their mass. The scenarios also highlight the importance of the energy efficiency of municipal solid waste incineration plants and the credits from material substitution as key variables. In countries with advanced waste management systems such as Switzerland, there is limited improvement potential with further increases in recycling rates. In these cases, the focus of political measures should be laid on (i) the utilization of secondary materials in applications where they replace high-impact primary production, and (ii) an increased recovery of energy in waste-to-energy plants. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Advanced Waste Treatment, Wastewater Technology: A Two-Year Post High School Instructional Program. An Instructor's Guide for Use of Instructional Material in Wastewater Technology Training Programs. Volume VI.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gearheart, Robert A.; And Others

This document is one in a series which outlines performance objectives and instructional modules for a course of study which explains the relationship and functions of the process units in a wastewater treatment plant. The modules are arranged in order appropriate for teaching students with no experience. The modules can also be rearranged and…

Breakthrough: Using Microbes to Make Advanced Biofuels

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

Keasling, Jay

Jay Keasling, Berkeley Lab's Associate Director for Bioscience and the CEO of DOE's Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), explains how special strains of microbes can convert the biomass of non-food crops and agricultural waste into fuels for cars, trucks and jet planes. Keasling's research team at JBEI has developed E.coli that can digest switchgrass and convert the plant sugars into gasoline, diesel or jet fuel, not unlike the process by which beer is brewed.

Breakthrough: Using Microbes to Make Advanced Biofuels

ScienceCinema

Keasling, Jay

2018-02-14

Jay Keasling, Berkeley Lab's Associate Director for Bioscience and the CEO of DOE's Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), explains how special strains of microbes can convert the biomass of non-food crops and agricultural waste into fuels for cars, trucks and jet planes. Keasling's research team at JBEI has developed E.coli that can digest switchgrass and convert the plant sugars into gasoline, diesel or jet fuel, not unlike the process by which beer is brewed.

Polymer-based composites for aerospace: An overview of IMAST results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milella, Eva; Cammarano, Aniello

2016-05-01

This paper gives an overview of technological results, achieved by IMAST, the Technological Cluster on Engineering of Polymeric Composite Materials and Structures, in the completed Research Projects in the aerospace field. In this sector, the Cluster developed different solutions: lightweight multifunctional fiber-reinforced polymer composites for aeronautic structures, advanced manufacturing processes (for the optimization of energy consumption and waste reduction) and multifunctional components (e.g., thermal, electrical, acoustic and fire resistance).

Recycle of Zirconium from Used Nuclear Fuel Cladding: A Major Element of Waste Reduction

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

Collins, Emory D; DelCul, Guillermo D; Terekhov, Dmitri

2011-01-01

Feasibility tests were initiated to determine if the zirconium in commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) cladding can be recovered in sufficient purity to permit re-use, and if the recovery process can be operated economically. Initial tests are being performed with unirradiated, non-radioactive samples of various types of Zircaloy materials that are used in UNF cladding to develop the recovery process and determine the degree of purification that can be obtained. Early results indicate that quantitative recovery can be accomplished and product contamination with alloy constituents can be controlled sufficiently to meet purification requirements. Future tests with actual radioactive UNF claddingmore » are planned. The objective of current research is to determine the feasibility of recovery and recycle of zirconium from used fuel cladding wastes. Zircaloy cladding, which contains 98+% of hafnium-free zirconium, is the second largest mass, on average {approx}25 wt %, of the components in used U.S. light-water-reactor fuel assemblies. Therefore, recovery and recycle of the zirconium would enable a large reduction in geologic waste disposal for advanced fuel cycles. Current practice is to compact or grout the cladding waste and store it for subsequent disposal in a geologic repository. This paper describes results of initial tests being performed with unirradiated, non-radioactive samples of various types of Zircaloy materials that are used in UNF cladding to develop the recovery process and determine the degree of purification that can be obtained. Future tests with actual radioactive UNF cladding are planned.« less

Cost-effective treatment of swine wastes through recovery of energy and nutrients.

PubMed

Amini, Adib; Aponte-Morales, Veronica; Wang, Meng; Dilbeck, Merrill; Lahav, Ori; Zhang, Qiong; Cunningham, Jeffrey A; Ergas, Sarina J

2017-11-01

Wastes from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are challenging to treat because they are high in organic matter and nutrients. Conventional swine waste treatment options in the U.S., such as uncovered anaerobic lagoons, result in poor effluent quality and greenhouse gas emissions, and implementation of advanced treatment introduces high costs. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the performance and life cycle costs of an alternative system for treating swine CAFO waste, which recovers valuable energy (as biogas) and nutrients (N, P, K + ) as saleable fertilizers. The system uses in-vessel anaerobic digestion (AD) for methane production and solids stabilization, followed by struvite precipitation and ion exchange (IX) onto natural zeolites (chabazite or clinoptilolite) for nutrient recovery. An alternative approach that integrated struvite recovery and IX into a single reactor, termed STRIEX, was also investigated. Pilot- and bench-scale reactor experiments were used to evaluate the performance of each stage in the treatment train. Data from these studies were integrated into a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) to assess the cost-effectiveness of various process alternatives. Significant improvement in water quality, high methane production, and high nutrient recovery (generally over 90%) were observed with both the AD-struvite-IX process and the AD-STRIEX process. The LCCA showed that the STRIEX system can provide considerable financial savings compared to conventional systems. AD, however, incurs high capital costs compared to conventional anaerobic lagoons and may require larger scales to become financially attractive. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustainable recycling technologies for Solar PV off-grid system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uppal, Bhavesh; Tamboli, Adish; Wubhayavedantapuram, Nandan

2017-11-01

Policy makers throughout the world have accepted climate change as a repercussion of fossil fuel exploitation. This has led the governments to integrate renewable energy streams in their national energy mix. PV off-grid Systems have been at the forefront of this transition because of their permanently increasing efficiency and cost effectiveness. These systems are expected to produce large amount of different waste streams at the end of their lifetime. It is important that these waste streams should be recycled because of the lack of available resources. Our study found that separate researches have been carried out to increase the efficiencies of recycling of individual PV system components but there is a lack of a comprehensive methodical research which details efficient and sustainable recycling processes for the entire PV off-grid system. This paper reviews the current and future recycling technologies for PV off-grid systems and presents a scheme of the most sustainable recycling technologies which have the potential for adoption. Full Recovery End-of-Life Photovoltaic (FRELP) recycling technology can offer opportunities to sustainably recycle crystalline silicon PV modules. Electro-hydrometallurgical process & Vacuum technologies can be used for recovering lead from lead acid batteries with a high recovery rate. The metals in the WEEE can be recycled by using a combination of biometallurgical technology, vacuum metallurgical technology and other advanced metallurgical technologies (utrasonical, mechano-chemical technology) while the plastic components can be effectively recycled without separation by using compatibilizers. All these advanced technologies when used in combination with each other provide sustainable recycling options for growing PV off-grid systems waste. These promising technologies still need further improvement and require proper integration techniques before implementation.

Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis – 2017 Edition

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

Dixon, B. W.; Ganda, F.; Williams, K. A.

This report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), provides a comprehensive set of cost data supporting a cost analysis for the relative economic comparison of options for use in the DOE Nuclear Technology Research and Development (NTRD) Program (previously the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI)). The report describes the NTRD cost basis development process, reference information on NTRD cost modules, a procedure for estimating fuel cycle costs, economic evaluation guidelines, and a discussion on the integration of cost data into economic computer models. This reportmore » contains reference cost data for numerous fuel cycle cost modules (modules A-O) as well as cost modules for a number of reactor types (R modules). The fuel cycle cost modules were developed in the areas of natural uranium mining and milling, thorium mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, depleted uranium disposition, fuel fabrication, interim spent fuel storage, reprocessing, waste conditioning, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packaging, long-term monitored retrievable storage, managed decay storage, recycled product storage, near surface disposal of low-level waste (LLW), geologic repository and other disposal concepts, and transportation processes for nuclear fuel, LLW, SNF, transuranic, and high-level waste. Since its inception, this report has been periodically updated. The last such internal document was published in August 2015 while the last external edition was published in December of 2009 as INL/EXT-07-12107 and is available on the Web at URL: www.inl.gov/technicalpublications/Documents/4536700.pdf. This current report (Sept 2017) is planned to be reviewed for external release, at which time it will replace the 2009 report as an external publication. This information is used in the ongoing evaluation of nuclear fuel cycles by the NE NTRD program.« less

Advanced reactors and associated fuel cycle facilities: safety and environmental impacts.

PubMed

Hill, R N; Nutt, W M; Laidler, J J

2011-01-01

The safety and environmental impacts of new technology and fuel cycle approaches being considered in current U.S. nuclear research programs are contrasted to conventional technology options in this paper. Two advanced reactor technologies, the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) and the very high temperature gas-cooled reactor (VHTR), are being developed. In general, the new reactor technologies exploit inherent features for enhanced safety performance. A key distinction of advanced fuel cycles is spent fuel recycle facilities and new waste forms. In this paper, the performance of existing fuel cycle facilities and applicable regulatory limits are reviewed. Technology options to improve recycle efficiency, restrict emissions, and/or improve safety are identified. For a closed fuel cycle, potential benefits in waste management are significant, and key waste form technology alternatives are described. Copyright © 2010 Health Physics Society

Environmental Sciences Division annual progress report for period ending September 30, 1981

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

Auerbach, S.I.; Reichle, D.E.

1982-04-01

Research programs from the following sections and programs are summarized: aquatic ecology, environmental resources, earth sciences, terrestrial ecology, advanced fossil energy program, toxic substances program, environmental impacts program, biomass, low-level waste research and development program, US DOE low-level waste management program, and waste isolation program.

Synthesis of Silicon Nitride and Silicon Carbide Nanocomposites through High Energy Milling of Waste Silica Fume for Structural Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suri, Jyothi

Nanocomposites have been widely used in a multitude of applications in electronics and structural components because of their improved mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties. Silicon nitride/Silicon carbide (Si 3N4/SiC) nanocomposites have been studied intensively for low and high temperature structural applications, such as turbine and automobile engine components, ball bearings, turbochargers, as well as energy applications due to their superior wear resistance, high temperature strength, high oxidation resistance and good creep resistance. Silica fume is the waste material produced during the manufacture of silicon and ferro-silicon alloys, and contains 94 to 97 wt.% SiO2. In the present dissertation, the feasibility of using waste silica fume as the raw material was investigated to synthesize (I) advanced nanocomposites of Si3N4/SiC, and (2) porous silicon carbide (SiC) for membrane applications. The processing approach used to convert the waste material to advanced ceramic materials was based on a novel process called, integrated mechanical and thermal activation process (IMTA) process. In the first part of the dissertation, the effect of parameters such as carbothermic nitridation and reduction temperature and the graphite concentration in the starting silica fume plus graphite mixture, were explored to synthesize nanocomposite powders with tailored amounts of Si3N4 and SiC phases. An effective way to synthesize carbon-free Si3N 4/SiC composite powders was studied to provide a clear pathway and fundamental understanding of the reaction mechanisms. Si3N4/SiC nanocomposite powders were then sintered using two different approaches, based on liquid phase sintering and spark plasma sintering processes, with Al 2O3 and Y2O3 as the sintering aids. The nanocomposites were investigated for their densification behavior, microstructure, and mechanical properties. Si3N4/SiC nanocomposites thus obtained were found to possess superior mechanical properties at much lower costs. The second part of the work has comprised of the successful fabrication of bilayered SiC membranes with a graded porosity, consisting of porous nano-SiC layer on the surface of a porous coarse-grained SiC support layer. The effect of different particle sizes of SiC in the support layers was systematically studied. Also, the effects of sintering temperature were investigated to control the pore size, particle size and overall density of the bi-layered SiC membrane.

VOCs elimination and health risk reduction in e-waste dismantling workshop using integrated techniques of electrostatic precipitation with advanced oxidation technologies.

PubMed

Chen, Jiangyao; Huang, Yong; Li, Guiying; An, Taicheng; Hu, Yunkun; Li, Yunlu

2016-01-25

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during the electronic waste dismantling process (EWDP) were treated at a pilot scale, using integrated electrostatic precipitation (EP)-advanced oxidation technologies (AOTs, subsequent photocatalysis (PC) and ozonation). Although no obvious alteration was seen in VOC concentration and composition, EP technology removed 47.2% of total suspended particles, greatly reducing the negative effect of particles on subsequent AOTs. After the AOT treatment, average removal efficiencies of 95.7%, 95.4%, 87.4%, and 97.5% were achieved for aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, as well as nitrogen- and oxygen-containing compounds, respectively, over 60-day treatment period. Furthermore, high elimination capacities were also seen using hybrid technique of PC with ozonation; this was due to the PC unit's high loading rates and excellent pre-treatment abilities, and the ozonation unit's high elimination capacity. In addition, the non-cancer and cancer risks, as well as the occupational exposure cancer risk, for workers exposed to emitted VOCs in workshop were reduced dramatically after the integrated technique treatment. Results demonstrated that the integrated technique led to highly efficient and stable VOC removal from EWDP emissions at a pilot scale. This study points to an efficient approach for atmospheric purification and improving human health in e-waste recycling regions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

System Design Techniques for Reducing the Power Requirements of Advanced life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finn, Cory; Levri, Julie; Pawlowski, Chris; Crawford, Sekou; Luna, Bernadette (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The high power requirement associated with overall operation of regenerative life support systems is a critical Z:p technological challenge. Optimization of individual processors alone will not be sufficient to produce an optimized system. System studies must be used in order to improve the overall efficiency of life support systems. Current research efforts at NASA Ames Research Center are aimed at developing approaches for reducing system power and energy usage in advanced life support systems. System energy integration and energy reuse techniques are being applied to advanced life support, in addition to advanced control methods for efficient distribution of power and thermal resources. An overview of current results of this work will be presented. The development of integrated system designs that reuse waste heat from sources such as crop lighting and solid waste processing systems will reduce overall power and cooling requirements. Using an energy integration technique known as Pinch analysis, system heat exchange designs are being developed that match hot and cold streams according to specific design principles. For various designs, the potential savings for power, heating and cooling are being identified and quantified. The use of state-of-the-art control methods for distribution of resources, such as system cooling water or electrical power, will also reduce overall power and cooling requirements. Control algorithms are being developed which dynamically adjust the use of system resources by the various subsystems and components in order to achieve an overall goal, such as smoothing of power usage and/or heat rejection profiles, while maintaining adequate reserves of food, water, oxygen, and other consumables, and preventing excessive build-up of waste materials. Reductions in the peak loading of the power and thermal systems will lead to lower overall requirements. Computer simulation models are being used to test various control system designs.

[Thermovalorization: new technologies, impacts and mitigation strategies].

PubMed

Buffoli, M; Capolongo, S; Loconte, V L; Signorelli, C

2012-01-01

In recent decades the quantity (in weight and volume) of solid waste is grown so rapidly to become a real problem especially in densely urbanized areas. The disposal of Municipal Solid Waste by incineration with energy recovery (WtE) is recognized as the most suitable system to process non-recyclable waste. However in several countries there are still concerns from experts and local communities about the environmental impact of incinerators. Epidemiological studies, developed since the 80s, are still the subject of controversial discussion because the results of research often refer to old incinerators--built a few decades ago--and therefore more impactful. In fact inadequate levels of gas cleaning and combustion process control in these facilities tended to risk the health of plant workers and local environment. This situation furthermore contributes to increase public risk perception and the spread of the NIMBY (not in my backyard) syndrome while siting this unwanted but necessary facilities. Actually, new strategies as advances in emission control designs and very stringent new governmental regulations, have resulted in large reductions in the amount of emissions. So the first aim of this work has been to understand if these high perception of risk have a reason to exist also in modern and new municipal waste incinerators. The second aim is to discover if the law, the new technologies and the mitigation strategies can really set a limit on the negative impacts on human health and on environment and if is it possible to improve or increase these strategies. Work has been divided into two parts. The first part focuses on analysis of waste environmental impact regulations, of plant operation systems and of epidemiological studies results. The second part involves the examination of the actual use of regulatory instruments, the most advanced technologies and the strategies for mitigation in the most effective new concept incinerators plants. For this verification has been analyzed in detail some different incineration plants recently created or rehabilitated in the last decade. The case-studies showed that the preliminary evaluation tools and the constant control of the waste incinerator are very effective. Moreover the comparison between the maximum emission limits, the BAT and the analysis of the actual emission of the cases study has shown the effectiveness of the depuration systems currently used. The emissions are in fact much lower than these limits. By the comparison we also identified the most efficient strategies and the best policies to inform and to involve people. Success in siting an unwanted but needed facility requires that authorities fully involve the public with openness and integrity in all aspects of the planning process. Starting from these result and in order to exploit what is already effective, some proposals where outlined and aim to be the basis for further approaches to design waste disposal plants.

Modern technology for landfill waste placement

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

Hansen, D.L.

1995-12-31

The City of Albany, New York, together with the principals of Landfill Service Corporation, proposed in November 1991 to demonstrate the successful practice of biostabilized solid waste placement in the newly constructed, double composite lined Interim Landfill located at Rapp Road in the City of Albany. This is a small facility, only 12 acres in area, which is immediately adjacent to residential neighbors. Significant advancements have been made for the control of environmental factors (odors, vectors, litter) while successfully achieving waste stabilization and air space conservations goals. Also, the procedure consumes a significant quantity of landfill leachate. The benefits ofmore » this practice include a dramatic improvement in the orderlines of waste placement with significant reduction of windblown dust and litter. The biostabilization process also reduces the presence of typical landfill vectors such as flies, crows, seagulls and rodents. All of these factors can pose serious problems for nearby residents to the City of Albany`s Interim landfill site. The physically and biologically uniform character of the stabilized waste mass can result in more uniform future landfill settlement and gas production properties. This can allow for more accurate prediction of postclosure conditions and reduction or elimination of remedial costs attendant to post closure gross differential settlement. Recent research in Europe indicates that aerobic pretreatment of waste also reduces contaminant loading of leachate.« less

Advanced worker protection system. Topical report, Phase I

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

Myers, J.

1995-07-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) is in the process of defining the magnitude and diversity of Decontamination and Decommissioning (D&D) obligations at its numerous sites. The DOE believes that existing technologies are inadequate to solve many challenging problems such as how to decontaminate structures and equipment cost effectively, what to do with materials and wastes generated, and how to adequately protect workers and the environment. Preliminary estimates show a tremendous need for effective use of resources over a relatively long period (over 30 years). Several technologies are being investigated which can potentially reduce D&D costs while providing appropriate protection tomore » DOE workers. The DOE recognizes that traditional methods used by the EPA in hazardous waste site clean up activities are insufficient to provide the needed protection and worker productivity demanded by DOE D&D programs. As a consequence, new clothing and equipment which can adequately protect workers while providing increases in worker productivity are being sought for implementation at DOE sites. This project will result in the development of an Advanced Worker Protection System (AWPS). The AWPS will be built around a life support backpack that uses liquid air to provide cooling as well as breathing gas to the worker. The backpack will be combined with advanced protective garments, advanced liquid cooling garment, respirator, communications, and support equipment to provide improved worker protection, simplified system, maintenance, and dramatically improve worker productivity through longer duration work cycles.« less

Compaction of Space Mission Wastes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, John; Pisharody, Suresh; Wignarajah, K.

2004-01-01

The current solid waste management system employed on the International Space Station (ISS) consists of compaction, storage, and disposal. Wastes such plastic food packaging and trash are compacted manually and wrapped in duct tape footballs by the astronauts. Much of the waste is simply loaded either into the empty Russian Progress vehicle for destruction on reentry or into Shuttle for return to Earth. This manual method is wasteful of crew time and does not transition well to far term missions. Different wastes onboard spacecraft vary considerably in their characteristics and in the appropriate method of management. In advanced life support systems for far term missions, recovery of resources such as water from the wastes becomes important. However waste such as plastic food packaging, which constitutes a large fraction of solid waste (roughly 21% on ISS, more on long duration missions), contains minimal recoverable resource. The appropriate management of plastic waste is waste stabilization and volume minimization rather than resource recovery. This paper describes work that has begun at Ames Research Center on development of a heat melt compactor that can be used on near term and future missions, that can minimize crew interaction, and that can handle wastes with a significant plastic composition. The heat melt compactor takes advantage of the low melting point of plastics to compact plastic materials using a combination of heat and pressure. The US Navy has demonstrated successful development of a similar unit for shipboard application. Ames is building upon the basic approach demonstrated by the Navy to develop an advanced heat melt type compactor for space mission type wastes.

High-temperature photochemical destruction of toxic organic wastes using concentrated solar radiation

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

Dellinger, B.; Graham, J.L.; Berman, J.M.

1994-05-01

Application of concentrated solar energy has been proposed to be a viable waste disposal option. Specifically, this concept of solar induced high-temperature photochemistry is based on the synergistic contribution of concentrated infrared (IR) radiation, which acts as an intense heating source, and near ultraviolet and visible (UV-VIS) radiation, which can induce destructive photochemical processes. Some significant advances have been made in the theoretical framework of high-temperature photochemical processes (Section 2) and development of experimental techniques for their study (Section 3). Basic thermal/photolytic studies have addressed the effect of temperature on the photochemical destruction of pure compounds (Section 4). Detailed studiesmore » of the destruction of reaction by-products have been conducted on selected waste molecules (Section 5). Some very limited results are available on the destruction of mixtures (Section 6). Fundamental spectroscopic studies have been recently initiated (Section 7). The results to date have been used to conduct some relatively simple scale-up studies of the solar detoxification process. More recent work has focused on destruction of compounds that do not directly absorb solar radiation. Research efforts have focused on homogeneous as well as heterogeneous methods of initiating destructive reaction pathways (Section 9). Although many conclusions at this point must be considered tentative due to lack of basic research, a clearer picture of the overall process is emerging (Section 10). However, much research remains to be performed and most follow several veins, including photochemical, spectroscopic, combustion kinetic, and engineering scale-up (Section 11).« less

Occurrence and Removal of Organic Micropollutants in Landfill Leachates Treated by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes.

PubMed

Oturan, Nihal; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Zhang, Hui; Mazeas, Laurent; Budzinski, Hélène; Le Menach, Karyn; Oturan, Mehmet A

2015-10-20

In recent years, electrochemical advanced oxidation processes have been shown to be an effective alternative for the removal of refractory organic compounds from water. This study is focused on the effective removal of recalcitrant organic matter (micropollutants, humic substances, etc.) present in municipal solid waste landfill leachates. A mixture of eight landfill leachates has been studied by the electro-Fenton process using a Pt or boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode and a carbon felt cathode or by the anodic oxidation process with a BDD anode. These processes exhibit great oxidation ability due to the in situ production of hydroxyl radicals ((•)OH), a highly powerful oxidizing species. Both electrochemical processes were shown to be efficient in the removal of dissolved total organic carbon (TOC) from landfill leachates. Regarding the electro-Fenton process, the replacement of the classical anode Pt by the anode BDD allows better performance in terms of dissolved TOC removal. The occurrence and removal yield of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 15 volatile organic compounds, 7 alkylphenols, 7 polychlorobiphenyls, 5 organochlorine pesticides, and 2 polybrominated diphenyl ethers in landfill leachate were also investigated. Both electrochemical processes allow one to reach a quasicomplete removal (about 98%) of these organic micropollutants.

Self-Healing Capacity of Asphalt Mixtures Including By-Products Both as Aggregates and Heating Inductors.

PubMed

Vila-Cortavitarte, Marta; Jato-Espino, Daniel; Castro-Fresno, Daniel; Calzada-Pérez, Miguel Á

2018-05-15

Major advances have been achieved in the field of self-healing by magnetic induction in which the addition of metallic particles into asphalt mixtures enables repairing their own cracks. This technology has already been proven to increase the life expectancy of roads. Nevertheless, its higher costs in comparison with conventional maintenance caused by the price of virgin metallic particles still makes it unattractive for investment. This research aimed at making this process economically accessible as well as environmentally efficient. To this end, an intense search for suitable industrial by-products to substitute both the virgin metal particles and the natural aggregates forming asphalt mixtures was conducted. The set of by-products used included sand blasting wastes, stainless shot wastes, and polished wastes as metallic particles and other inert by-products as aggregates. The results demonstrated that the by-products were adequately heated, which leads to satisfactory healing ratios in comparison with the reference mixture.

Safety assessment guidance in the International Atomic Energy Agency RADWASS Program

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

Vovk, I.F.; Seitz, R.R.

1995-12-31

The IAEA RADWASS programme is aimed at establishing a coherent and comprehensive set of principles and standards for the safe management of waste and formulating the guidelines necessary for their application. A large portion of this programme has been devoted to safety assessments for various waste management activities. Five Safety Guides are planned to be developed to provide general guidance to enable operators and regulators to develop necessary framework for safety assessment process in accordance with international recommendations. They cover predisposal, near surface disposal, geological disposal, uranium/thorium mining and milling waste, and decommissioning and environmental restoration. The Guide on safetymore » assessment for near surface disposal is at the most advanced stage of preparation. This draft Safety Guide contains guidance on description of the disposal system, development of a conceptual model, identification and description of relevant scenarios and pathways, consequence analysis, presentation of results and confidence building. The set of RADWASS publications is currently undergoing in-depth review to ensure a harmonized approach throughout the Safety Series.« less

Synthesis of carbon nanomaterials from different pyrolysis techniques: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umer Zahid, Muhammad; Pervaiz, Erum; Hussain, Arshad; Shahzad, Muhammad Imran; Niazi, Muhammad Bilal Khan

2018-05-01

In the current age, the significance of carbon-based nanomaterials for many applications has made the efforts for the facile synthesis methods from abundantly available wastes in a cost-effective way. Pyrolysis in a broad spectrum is commonly employed for the synthesis of carbon nanostructures by thermally treating the organic waste. The mechanism of growth of the nanoparticles determines the functional distribution of nanoparticles based on the growing size, medium, and physio-chemical properties. Carbon nanomaterial’s growth is a complicated process which is profoundly influenced by temperature, catalyst, and type of precursor. Nowadays, significant progress has been made in improving nanomaterial’s growth techniques, opening new paths for commercial production of carbon-based nanomaterials. The most promising are the methods involving hydrocarbon-rich organic waste as the feed source. In this review, synthesis of carbon-based nanomaterials, specifically carbon nanotubes (CNTs), Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and Graphene (G) are discussed by different pyrolysis techniques. Furthermore, the review explores recent advancements made in the context of pyrolysis.

Self-Healing Capacity of Asphalt Mixtures Including By-Products Both as Aggregates and Heating Inductors

PubMed Central

Castro-Fresno, Daniel; Calzada-Pérez, Miguel Á.

2018-01-01

Major advances have been achieved in the field of self-healing by magnetic induction in which the addition of metallic particles into asphalt mixtures enables repairing their own cracks. This technology has already been proven to increase the life expectancy of roads. Nevertheless, its higher costs in comparison with conventional maintenance caused by the price of virgin metallic particles still makes it unattractive for investment. This research aimed at making this process economically accessible as well as environmentally efficient. To this end, an intense search for suitable industrial by-products to substitute both the virgin metal particles and the natural aggregates forming asphalt mixtures was conducted. The set of by-products used included sand blasting wastes, stainless shot wastes, and polished wastes as metallic particles and other inert by-products as aggregates. The results demonstrated that the by-products were adequately heated, which leads to satisfactory healing ratios in comparison with the reference mixture. PMID:29762533

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

Leigh, Christi D.; Hansen, Francis D.

This report summarizes the state of salt repository science, reviews many of the technical issues pertaining to disposal of heat-generating nuclear waste in salt, and proposes several avenues for future science-based activities to further the technical basis for disposal in salt. There are extensive salt formations in the forty-eight contiguous states, and many of them may be worthy of consideration for nuclear waste disposal. The United States has extensive experience in salt repository sciences, including an operating facility for disposal of transuranic wastes. The scientific background for salt disposal including laboratory and field tests at ambient and elevated temperature, principlesmore » of salt behavior, potential for fracture damage and its mitigation, seal systems, chemical conditions, advanced modeling capabilities and near-future developments, performance assessment processes, and international collaboration are all discussed. The discussion of salt disposal issues is brought current, including a summary of recent international workshops dedicated to high-level waste disposal in salt. Lessons learned from Sandia National Laboratories' experience on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and the Yucca Mountain Project as well as related salt experience with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve are applied in this assessment. Disposal of heat-generating nuclear waste in a suitable salt formation is attractive because the material is essentially impermeable, self-sealing, and thermally conductive. Conditions are chemically beneficial, and a significant experience base exists in understanding this environment. Within the period of institutional control, overburden pressure will seal fractures and provide a repository setting that limits radionuclide movement. A salt repository could potentially achieve total containment, with no releases to the environment in undisturbed scenarios for as long as the region is geologically stable. Much of the experience gained from United States repository development, such as seal system design, coupled process simulation, and application of performance assessment methodology, helps define a clear strategy for a heat-generating nuclear waste repository in salt.« less

Testing of an advanced thermochemical conversion reactor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1990-01-01

This report presents the results of work conducted by MTCI to verify and confirm experimentally the ability of the MTCI gasification process to effectively generate a high-quality, medium-Btu gas from a wider variety of feedstock and waste than that attainable in air-blown, direct gasification systems. The system's overall simplicity, due to the compact nature of the pulse combustor, and the high heat transfer rates attainable within the pulsating flow resonance tubes, provide a decided and near-term potential economic advantage for the MTCI indirect gasification system. The primary objective was the design, construction, and testing of a Process Design Verification System for an indirectly heated, thermochemical fluid-bed reactor and a pulse combustor an an integrated system that can process alternative renewable sources of energy such as biomass, black liquor, municipal solid waste and waste hydrocarbons, including heavy oils into a useful product gas. The test objectives for the biomass portion of this program were to establish definitive performance data on biomass feedstocks covering a wide range of feedstock qualities and characteristics. The test objectives for the black liquor portion of this program were to verify the operation of the indirect gasifier on commercial black liquor containing 65 percent solids at several temperature levels and to characterize the bed carbon content, bed solids particle size and sulfur distribution as a function of gasification conditions.

A novel conditioning process for enhancing dewaterability of waste activated sludge by combination of zero-valent iron and persulfate.

PubMed

Zhou, Xu; Wang, Qilin; Jiang, Guangming; Liu, Peng; Yuan, Zhiguo

2015-06-01

Improvement of sludge dewaterability is crucial for reducing the costs of sludge disposal in wastewater treatment plants. This study presents a novel conditioning method for improving waste activated sludge dewaterability by combination of persulfate and zero-valent iron. The combination of zero-valent iron (0-30g/L) and persulfate (0-6g/L) under neutral pH substantially enhanced the sludge dewaterability due to the advanced oxidization reactions. The highest enhancement of sludge dewaterability was achieved at 4g persulfate/L and 15g zero-valent iron/L, with which the capillary suction time was reduced by over 50%. The release of soluble chemical oxygen demand during the conditioning process implied the decomposition of sludge structure and microorganisms, which facilitated the improvement of dewaterability due to the release of bound water that was included in sludge structure and microorganism. Economic analysis showed that the proposed conditioning process with persulfate and ZVI is more economically favorable for improving WAS dewaterability than classical Fenton reagent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scale-up and process integration of sugar production by acidolysis of municipal solid waste/corn stover blends in ionic liquids

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

Li, Chenlin; Liang, Ling; Sun, Ning

The study presents the successful scale-up demonstration of the acid-assisted IL deconstruction on feedstock blends of municipal solid wastes and agricultural residues (corn stover) by 30-fold, relative to the bench scale (6L vs 0.2L), at 10% solid loading. By integrating IL pretreatment and acid hydrolysis with subsequent centrifugation and extraction, the sugar and lignin products can be further recovered efficiently. This scale-up development at Advanced Biofuels/Bioproducts Process Demonstration Unit (ABPDU) will leverage the opportunity and synergistic efforts towards developing a cost-effective IL based deconstruction technology by drastically eliminating enzyme, reducing water usage, and simplifying the downstream sugar/lignin recovery and ILmore » recycling. Results indicate that MSW blends are viable and valuable resource to consider when assessing biomass availability and affordability for lignocellulosic biorefineries. This scale-up evaluation demonstrates that the acid-assisted IL deconstruction technology can be effectively scaled up to larger operations and the current study established the baseline of scaling parameters for this process.« less

Scale-up and process integration of sugar production by acidolysis of municipal solid waste/corn stover blends in ionic liquids

DOE PAGES

Li, Chenlin; Liang, Ling; Sun, Ning; ...

2017-01-05

The study presents the successful scale-up demonstration of the acid-assisted IL deconstruction on feedstock blends of municipal solid wastes and agricultural residues (corn stover) by 30-fold, relative to the bench scale (6L vs 0.2L), at 10% solid loading. By integrating IL pretreatment and acid hydrolysis with subsequent centrifugation and extraction, the sugar and lignin products can be further recovered efficiently. This scale-up development at Advanced Biofuels/Bioproducts Process Demonstration Unit (ABPDU) will leverage the opportunity and synergistic efforts towards developing a cost-effective IL based deconstruction technology by drastically eliminating enzyme, reducing water usage, and simplifying the downstream sugar/lignin recovery and ILmore » recycling. Results indicate that MSW blends are viable and valuable resource to consider when assessing biomass availability and affordability for lignocellulosic biorefineries. This scale-up evaluation demonstrates that the acid-assisted IL deconstruction technology can be effectively scaled up to larger operations and the current study established the baseline of scaling parameters for this process.« less

Rapid Response Research and Development (R&D) for the Aerospace Systems Directorate. Delivery Order 0021: Engineering Research and Technical Analyses of Advanced Airbreathing Propulsion Fuels, Subtask: Fit-for-Purpose (FFP) and Dynamic Seal Testing of Alternative Aviation Fuels

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

of alcohols with LanzaTech’s unique gas fermentation process for converting waste gas streams to ethanol. The alcohol conversion process begins with...grain/wood being converted to sugar followed by fermentation into a mixture of C2-C5 alcohols. These are then converted to a mixture of C4-C20...produce farnesene by fermentation of sugar feedstocks. Farnesene is then converted to farnesane through a combination of hydroprocessing and

Assessment of the greenhouse effect impact of technologies used for energy recovery from municipal waste: a case for England.

PubMed

Papageorgiou, A; Barton, J R; Karagiannidis, A

2009-07-01

Waste management activities contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions approximately by 4%. In particular the disposal of waste in landfills generates methane that has high global warming potential. Effective mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions is important and could provide environmental benefits and sustainable development, as well as reduce adverse impacts on public health. The European and UK waste policy force sustainable waste management and especially diversion from landfill, through reduction, reuse, recycling and composting, and recovery of value from waste. Energy from waste is a waste management option that could provide diversion from landfill and at the same time save a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions, since it recovers energy from waste which usually replaces an equivalent amount of energy generated from fossil fuels. Energy from waste is a wide definition and includes technologies such as incineration of waste with energy recovery, or combustion of waste-derived fuels for energy production or advanced thermal treatment of waste with technologies such as gasification and pyrolysis, with energy recovery. The present study assessed the greenhouse gas emission impacts of three technologies that could be used for the treatment of Municipal Solid Waste in order to recover energy from it. These technologies are Mass Burn Incineration with energy recovery, Mechanical Biological Treatment via bio-drying and Mechanical Heat Treatment, which is a relatively new and uninvestigated method, compared to the other two. Mechanical Biological Treatment and Mechanical Heat Treatment can turn Municipal Solid Waste into Solid Recovered Fuel that could be combusted for energy production or replace other fuels in various industrial processes. The analysis showed that performance of these two technologies depends strongly on the final use of the produced fuel and they could produce GHG emissions savings only when there is end market for the fuel. On the other hand Mass Burn Incineration generates greenhouse gas emission savings when it recovers electricity and heat. Moreover the study found that the expected increase on the amount of Municipal Solid Waste treated for energy recovery in England by 2020 could save greenhouse gas emission, if certain Energy from Waste technologies would be applied, under certain conditions.

2015 Annual Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Ponds

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

Lewis, Michael George

This report describes conditions and information, as required by the state of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality Reuse Permit I-161-02, for the Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Ponds located at Idaho National Laboratory from November 1, 2014–October 31, 2015. The effective date of Reuse Permit I-161-02 is November 20, 2014 with an expiration date of November 19, 2019.

Complications Associated with Long-Term Disposition of Newly-Generated Transuranic Waste: A National Laboratory Perspective

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

B.J. Orchard; L.A. Harvego; T.L. Carlson

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is a multipurpose national laboratory delivering specialized science and engineering solutions for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Sponsorship of INL was formally transferred to the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (NE) by Secretary Spencer Abraham in July 2002. The move to NE, and designation as the DOE lead nuclear energy laboratory for reactor technology, supports the nation’s expanding nuclear energy initiatives, placing INL at the center of work to develop advanced Generation IV nuclear energy systems; nuclear energy/hydrogen coproduction technology; advanced nuclear energy fuel cycle technologies; and providing national security answersmore » to national infrastructure needs. As a result of the Laboratory’s NE mission, INL generates both contact-handled and remote-handled transuranic (TRU) waste from ongoing operations. Generation rates are relatively small and fluctuate based on specific programs and project activities being conducted; however, the Laboratory will continue to generate TRU waste well into the future in association with the NE mission. Currently, plans and capabilities are being established to transfer INL’s contact-handled TRU waste to the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Plant (AMWTP) for certification and disposal to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Remote-handled TRU waste is currently placed in storage at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC). In an effort to minimize future liabilities associated with the INL NE mission, INL is evaluating and assessing options for the management and disposition of all its TRU waste on a real-time basis at time of generation. This paper summarizes near-term activities to minimize future re handling of INL’s TRU waste, as well as, potential complications associated with the long-term disposition of newly-generated TRU waste. Potential complications impacting the disposition of INL newly-generated TRU waste include, but are not limited to: 1) required remote-handled TRU packaging configuration(s) vs. current facility capabilities, 2) long-term NE mission activities, 3) WIPP certification requirements, and 4) budget considerations.« less

Consolidation process for producing ceramic waste forms

DOEpatents

Hash, Harry C.; Hash, Mark C.

2000-01-01

A process for the consolidation and containment of solid or semisolid hazardous waste, which process comprises closing an end of a circular hollow cylinder, filling the cylinder with the hazardous waste, and then cold working the cylinder to reduce its diameter while simultaneously compacting the waste. The open end of the cylinder can be sealed prior to or after the cold working process. The preferred method of cold working is to draw the sealed cylinder containing the hazardous waste through a plurality of dies to simultaneously reduce the diameter of the tube while compacting the waste. This process provides a quick continuous process for consolidating hazardous waste, including radioactive waste.

Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) Program annual progress report, FY 1997

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

NONE

1998-05-01

The Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) Program is a part of the Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy (DOE). The mission of AIM is to support development and commercialization of new or improved materials to improve energy efficiency, productivity, product quality, and reduced waste in the major process industries. OIT has embarked on a fundamentally new way of working with industries--the Industries of the Future (IOF) strategy--concentrating on the major process industries that consume about 90% of the energy and generate about 90% of the waste in the industrial sector. These are themore » aluminum, chemical, forest products, glass, metalcasting, and steel industries. OIT has encouraged and assisted these industries in developing visions of what they will be like 20 or 30 years into the future, defining the drivers, technology needs, and barriers to realization of their visions. These visions provide a framework for development of technology roadmaps and implementation plans, some of which have been completed. The AIM Program supports IOF by conducting research and development on materials to solve problems identified in the roadmaps. This is done by National Laboratory/industry/university teams with the facilities and expertise needed to develop new and improved materials. Each project in the AIM Program has active industrial participation and support.« less

Development of an Advanced Recycle Filter Tank Assembly for the ISS Urine Processor Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Link, Dwight E., Jr.; Carter, Donald Layne; Higbie, Scott

2010-01-01

Recovering water from urine is a process that is critical to supporting larger crews for extended missions aboard the International Space Station. Urine is collected, preserved, and stored for processing into water and a concentrated brine solution that is highly toxic and must be contained to avoid exposure to the crew. The brine solution is collected in an accumulator tank, called a Recycle Filter Tank Assembly (RFTA) that must be replaced monthly and disposed in order to continue urine processing operations. In order to reduce resupply requirements, a new accumulator tank is being developed that can be emptied on orbit into existing ISS waste tanks. The new tank, called the Advanced Recycle Filter Tank Assembly (ARFTA) is a metal bellows tank that is designed to collect concentrated brine solution and empty by applying pressure to the bellows. This paper discusses the requirements and design of the ARFTA as well as integration into the urine processor assembly.

The removal of precious metals by conductive polymer filtration

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

Cournoyer, M.E.

The growing demand for platinum-group metals (PGM) within the DOE complex and in industry, the need for modern and clean processes, and the increasing volume of low-grade material for secondary PGM recovery has a direct impact on the industrial practice of recovering and refining precious metals. There is a tremendous need for advanced metal ion recovery and waste minimization techniques, since the currently used method of precipitation-dissolution is inadequate. Los Alamos has an integrated program in ligand-design and separations chemistry which has developed and evaluated a series of water- soluble metal-binding polymers for recovering actinides and toxic metals from varietymore » of process streams. A natural extension of this work is to fabricate these metal-selective polymers into membrane based separation unites, i.e., hollow-fiber membranes. In the present investigation, the material for a novel hollow-fiber membrane is characterized and its selectivity for PGM reported. Energy and waste savings and economic competitiveness are also described.« less

Recent developments in microbial fuel cell technologies for sustainable bioenergy.

PubMed

Watanabe, Kazuya

2008-12-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that exploit microbial catabolic activities to generate electricity from a variety of materials, including complex organic waste and renewable biomass. These sources provide MFCs with a great advantage over chemical fuel cells that can utilize only purified reactive fuels (e.g., hydrogen). A developing primary application of MFCs is its use in the production of sustainable bioenergy, e.g., organic waste treatment coupled with electricity generation, although further technical developments are necessary for its practical use. In this article, recent advances in MFC technologies that can become fundamentals for future practical MFC developments are summarized. Results of recent studies suggest that MFCs will be of practical use in the near future and will become a preferred option among sustainable bioenergy processes.

Heat Melt Compaction as an Effective Treatment for Eliminating Microorganisms from Solid Waste

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hummerick, Mary P.; Strayer, Richard F.; McCoy, Lashelle E.; Richards, Jeffrey T.; Ruby, Anna Maria; Wheeler, Ray; Fisher, John

2013-01-01

One of the technologies being tested at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) for the Advance Exploration Systems program and as part of the logistics and repurposing project is heat melt compaction (HMC) of solid waste. Reduces volume, removes water and renders a biologically stable and safe product. The HMC compacts and reduces the trash volume as much as 90o/o greater than the current manual compaction used by the crew.The project has three primary goals or tasks. 1. Microbiological analysis of HMC hardware surfaces before and after operation. 2. Microbiological and physical characterizations of heat melt tiles made from trash at different processing times and temperatures. 3. Long term storage and stability of HMC trash tiles or "Do the bugs grow back?"

Fine grain separation for the production of biomass fuel from mixed municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Giani, H; Borchers, B; Kaufeld, S; Feil, A; Pretz, T

2016-01-01

The main goal of the project MARSS (Material Advanced Sustainable Systems) is to build a demonstration plant in order to recover a renewable biomass fuel suitable for the use in biomass power plants out of mixed municipal solid waste (MMSW). The demonstration plant was constructed in Mertesdorf (Germany), working alongside an existing mechanical-biological treatment plant, where the MMSW is biological dried under aerobe conditions in rotting boxes. The focus of the presented sorting campaign was set on the processing of fine grain particles minor than 11.5mm which have the highest mass content and biogenic energy potential of the utilized grain size fractions. The objective was to produce a biomass fuel with a high calorific value and a low content of fossil (plastic, synthetic) materials while maximizing the mass recovery. Therefore, the biogenic components of the dried MMSW are separated from inert and fossil components through various classification and sifting processes. In three experimental process setups of different processing depths, the grain size fraction 4-11.5mm was sifted by the use of air sifters and air tables. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Batching alternatives for Phase I retrieval wastes to be processed in WRAP Module 1

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

Mayancsik, B.A.

1994-10-13

During the next two decades, the transuranic (TRU) waste now stored in the 200 Area burial trenches and storage buildings is to be retrieved, processed in the Waste Receiving and Processing (WRAP) Module 1 facility, and shipped to a final disposal facility. The purpose of this document is to identify the criteria that can be used to batch suspect TRU waste, currently in retrievable storage, for processing through the WRAP Module 1 facility. These criteria are then used to generate a batch plan for Phase 1 Retrieval operations, which will retrieve the waste located in Trench 4C-04 of the 200more » West Area burial ground. The reasons for batching wastes for processing in WRAP Module 1 include reducing the exposure of workers and the environment to hazardous material and ionizing radiation; maximizing the efficiency of the retrieval, processing, and disposal processes by reducing costs, time, and space throughout the process; reducing analytical sampling and analysis; and reducing the amount of cleanup and decontamination between process runs. The criteria selected for batching the drums of retrieved waste entering WRAP Module 1 are based on the available records for the wastes sent to storage as well as knowledge of the processes that generated these wastes. The batching criteria identified in this document include the following: waste generator; type of process used to generate or package the waste; physical waste form; content of hazardous/dangerous chemicals in the waste; radiochemical type and quantity of waste; drum weight; and special waste types. These criteria were applied to the waste drums currently stored in Trench 4C-04. At least one batching scheme is shown for each of the criteria listed above.« less

Fossil energy waste management. Technology status report

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

Bossart, S.J.; Newman, D.A.

1995-02-01

This report describes the current status and recent accomplishments of the Fossil Energy Waste Management (FE WM) projects sponsored by the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The primary goal of the Waste Management Program is to identify and develop optimal strategies to manage solid by-products from advanced coal technologies for the purpose of ensuring the competitiveness of advanced coal technologies as a future energy source. The projects in the Fossil Energy Waste Management Program are divided into three types of activities: Waste Characterization, Disposal Technologies, and Utilization Technologies. This technology status report includesmore » a discussion on barriers to increased use of coal by-products. Also, the major technical and nontechnical challenges currently being addressed by the FE WM program are discussed. A bibliography of 96 citations and a list of project contacts is included if the reader is interested in obtaining additional information about the FE WM program.« less

Solution-Processed Cu2Se Nanocrystal Films with Bulk-Like Thermoelectric Performance.

PubMed

Forster, Jason D; Lynch, Jared J; Coates, Nelson E; Liu, Jun; Jang, Hyejin; Zaia, Edmond; Gordon, Madeleine P; Szybowski, Maxime; Sahu, Ayaskanta; Cahill, David G; Urban, Jeffrey J

2017-06-05

Thermoelectric power generation can play a key role in a sustainable energy future by converting waste heat from power plants and other industrial processes into usable electrical power. Current thermoelectric devices, however, require energy intensive manufacturing processes such as alloying and spark plasma sintering. Here, we describe the fabrication of a p-type thermoelectric material, copper selenide (Cu 2 Se), utilizing solution-processing and thermal annealing to produce a thin film that achieves a figure of merit, ZT, which is as high as its traditionally processed counterpart, a value of 0.14 at room temperature. This is the first report of a fully solution-processed nanomaterial achieving performance equivalent to its bulk form and represents a general strategy to reduce the energy required to manufacture advanced energy conversion and harvesting materials.

Visualising reacting single atoms under controlled conditions: Advances in atomic resolution in situ Environmental (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscopy (E(S)TEM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyes, Edward D.; Gai, Pratibha L.

2014-02-01

Advances in atomic resolution Environmental (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscopy (E(S)TEM) for probing gas-solid catalyst reactions in situ at the atomic level under controlled reaction conditions of gas environment and temperature are described. The recent development of the ESTEM extends the capability of the ETEM by providing the direct visualisation of single atoms and the atomic structure of selected solid state heterogeneous catalysts in their working states in real-time. Atomic resolution E(S)TEM provides a deeper understanding of the dynamic atomic processes at the surface of solids and their mechanisms of operation. The benefits of atomic resolution-E(S)TEM to science and technology include new knowledge leading to improved technological processes with substantial economic benefits, improved healthcare, reductions in energy needs and the management of environmental waste generation. xml:lang="fr"

Current and potential uses of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste.

PubMed

Suleria, Hafiz Ansar Rasul; Masci, Paul; Gobe, Glenda; Osborne, Simone

2016-03-15

Food industries produce huge amounts of processing waste that are often disposed of incurring expenses and impacting upon the environment. For these and other reasons, food processing waste streams, in particular marine processing waste streams, are gaining popularity amongst pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical industries as sources of bioactive molecules. In the last 30 years, there has been a gradual increase in processed marine products with a concomitant increase in waste streams that include viscera, heads, skins, fins, bones, trimmings and shellfish waste. In 2010, these waste streams equated to approximately 24 million tonnes of mostly unused resources. Marine processing waste streams not only represent an abundant resource, they are also enriched with structurally diverse molecules that possess a broad panel of bioactivities including anti-oxidant, anti-coagulant, anti-thrombotic, anti-cancer and immune-stimulatory activities. Retrieval and characterisation of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste also contributes valuable information to the vast field of marine natural product discovery. This review summarises the current use of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste in different products and industries. Moreover, this review summarises new research into processing waste streams and the potential for adoption by industries in the creation of new products containing marine processing waste bioactives. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Prototype Development of Remote Operated Hot Uniaxial Press (ROHUP) to Fabricate Advanced Tc-99 Bearing Ceramic Waste Forms - 13381

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

Alaniz, Ariana J.; Delgado, Luc R.; Werbick, Brett M.

The objective of this senior student project is to design and build a prototype construction of a machine that simultaneously provides the proper pressure and temperature parameters to sinter ceramic powders in-situ to create pellets of rather high densities of above 90% (theoretical). This ROHUP (Remote Operated Hot Uniaxial Press) device is designed specifically to fabricate advanced ceramic Tc-99 bearing waste forms and therefore radiological barriers have been included in the system. The HUP features electronic control and feedback systems to set and monitor pressure, load, and temperature parameters. This device operates wirelessly via portable computer using Bluetooth{sup R} technology.more » The HUP device is designed to fit in a standard atmosphere controlled glove box to further allow sintering under inert conditions (e.g. under Ar, He, N{sub 2}). This will further allow utilizing this HUP for other potential applications, including radioactive samples, novel ceramic waste forms, advanced oxide fuels, air-sensitive samples, metallic systems, advanced powder metallurgy, diffusion experiments and more. (authors)« less

Advances in Geologic Disposal System Modeling and Application to Crystalline Rock

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

Mariner, Paul E.; Stein, Emily R.; Frederick, Jennifer M.

The Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Fuel Cycle Technology (OFCT) is conducting research and development (R&D) on geologic disposal of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level nuclear waste (HLW). Two of the high priorities for UFDC disposal R&D are design concept development and disposal system modeling (DOE 2011). These priorities are directly addressed in the UFDC Generic Disposal Systems Analysis (GDSA) work package, which is charged with developing a disposal system modeling and analysis capability for evaluating disposal system performance for nuclear waste in geologic mediamore » (e.g., salt, granite, clay, and deep borehole disposal). This report describes specific GDSA activities in fiscal year 2016 (FY 2016) toward the development of the enhanced disposal system modeling and analysis capability for geologic disposal of nuclear waste. The GDSA framework employs the PFLOTRAN thermal-hydrologic-chemical multi-physics code and the Dakota uncertainty sampling and propagation code. Each code is designed for massively-parallel processing in a high-performance computing (HPC) environment. Multi-physics representations in PFLOTRAN are used to simulate various coupled processes including heat flow, fluid flow, waste dissolution, radionuclide release, radionuclide decay and ingrowth, precipitation and dissolution of secondary phases, and radionuclide transport through engineered barriers and natural geologic barriers to the biosphere. Dakota is used to generate sets of representative realizations and to analyze parameter sensitivity.« less

The Use of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Ash in Various Building Materials: A Belgian Point of View

PubMed Central

Joseph, Aneeta Mary; Snellings, Ruben; Van den Heede, Philip; Matthys, Stijn

2018-01-01

Huge amounts of waste are being generated, and even though the incineration process reduces the mass and volume of waste to a large extent, massive amounts of residues still remain. On average, out of 1.3 billion tons of municipal solid wastes generated per year, around 130 and 2.1 million tons are incinerated in the world and in Belgium, respectively. Around 400 kT of bottom ash residues are generated in Flanders, out of which only 102 kT are utilized here, and the rest is exported or landfilled due to non-conformity to environmental regulations. Landfilling makes the valuable resources in the residues unavailable and results in more primary raw materials being used, increasing mining and related hazards. Identifying and employing the right pre-treatment technique for the highest value application is the key to attaining a circular economy. We reviewed the present pre-treatment and utilization scenarios in Belgium, and the advancements in research around the world for realization of maximum utilization are reported in this paper. Uses of the material in the cement industry as a binder and cement raw meal replacement are identified as possible effective utilization options for large quantities of bottom ash. Pre-treatment techniques that could facilitate this use are also discussed. With all the research evidence available, there is now a need for combined efforts from incineration and the cement industry for technical and economic optimization of the process flow. PMID:29337887

40 CFR 268.34 - Waste specific prohibitions-toxicity characteristic metal wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing; radioactive wastes mixed with EPA Hazardous wastes... identified characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing, radioactive waste mixed with D004-D011...

40 CFR 268.34 - Waste specific prohibitions-toxicity characteristic metal wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing; radioactive wastes mixed with EPA Hazardous wastes... identified characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing, radioactive waste mixed with D004-D011...

Knowledge management in a waste based biorefinery in the QbD paradigm.

PubMed

Rathore, Anurag S; Chopda, Viki R; Gomes, James

2016-09-01

Shifting resource base from fossil feedstock to renewable raw materials for production of chemical products has opened up an area of novel applications of industrial biotechnology-based process tools. This review aims to provide a concise and focused discussion on recent advances in knowledge management to facilitate efficient and optimal operation of a biorefinery. Application of quality by design (QbD) and process analytical technology (PAT) as tools for knowledge creation and management at different levels has been highlighted. Role of process integration, government policies, knowledge exchange through collaboration, and use of databases and computational tools have also been touched upon. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementing an advanced waste separation step in an MBT plant: assessment of technical, economic and environmental impacts.

PubMed

Meirhofer, Martina; Piringer, Gerhard; Rixrath, Doris; Sommer, Manuel; Ragossnig, Arne Michael

2013-10-01

Heavy fractions resulting from mechanical treatment stages of mechanical-biological waste treatment plants are posing very specific demands with regard to further treatment (large portions of inert and high-caloric components). Based on the current Austrian legal situation such a waste stream cannot be landfilled and must be thermally treated. The aim of this research was to evaluate if an inert fraction generated from this waste stream with advanced separation technologies, two sensor-based [near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), X-ray transmission (XRT)] and two mechanical systems (wet and dry) is able to be disposed of. The performance of the treatment options for separation was evaluated by characterizing the resulting product streams with respect to purity and yield. Complementing the technical evaluation of the processing options, an assessment of the economic and global warming effects of the change in waste stream routing was conducted. The separated inert fraction was evaluated with regard to landfilling. The remaining high-caloric product stream was evaluated with regard to thermal utilization. The results show that, in principal, the selected treatment technologies can be used to separate high-caloric from inert components. Limitations were identified with regard to the product qualities achieved, as well as to the economic expedience of the treatment options. One of the sensor-based sorting systems (X-ray) was able to produce the highest amount of disposeable heavy fraction (44.1%), while having the lowest content of organic (2.0% C biogenic per kg waste input) components. None of the high-caloric product streams complied with the requirements for solid recovered fuels as defined in the Austrian Ordinance on Waste Incineration. The economic evaluation illustrates the highest specific treatment costs for the XRT (€ 23.15 per t), followed by the NIR-based sorting system (€ 15.67 per t), and the lowest costs for the air separation system (€ 10.79 per t). Within the ecological evaluation it can be shown that the results depend strongly on the higher heating value of the high caloric light fraction and on the content of C biogenic of the heavy fraction. Therefore, the XRT system had the best results for the overall GWP [-14 kg carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2 eq) per t of input waste] and the NIR-based the worst (193 kg CO2 eq per t of input waste). It is concluded that three of the treatment options would be suitable under the specific conditions considered here. Of these, sensor-based sorting is preferable owing to its flexibility.

Tool for Sizing Analysis of the Advanced Life Support System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeh, Hue-Hsie Jannivine; Brown, Cheryl B.; Jeng, Frank J.

2005-01-01

Advanced Life Support Sizing Analysis Tool (ALSSAT) is a computer model for sizing and analyzing designs of environmental-control and life support systems (ECLSS) for spacecraft and surface habitats involved in the exploration of Mars and Moon. It performs conceptual designs of advanced life support (ALS) subsystems that utilize physicochemical and biological processes to recycle air and water, and process wastes in order to reduce the need of resource resupply. By assuming steady-state operations, ALSSAT is a means of investigating combinations of such subsystems technologies and thereby assisting in determining the most cost-effective technology combination available. In fact, ALSSAT can perform sizing analysis of the ALS subsystems that are operated dynamically or steady in nature. Using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software with Visual Basic programming language, ALSSAT has been developed to perform multiple-case trade studies based on the calculated ECLSS mass, volume, power, and Equivalent System Mass, as well as parametric studies by varying the input parameters. ALSSAT s modular format is specifically designed for the ease of future maintenance and upgrades.

Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) : FY10 development and integration.

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

Criscenti, Louise Jacqueline; Sassani, David Carl; Arguello, Jose Guadalupe, Jr.

2011-02-01

This report describes the progress in fiscal year 2010 in developing the Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Campaign. The goal of the Waste IPSC is to develop an integrated suite of computational modeling and simulation capabilities to quantitatively assess the long-term performance of waste forms in the engineered and geologic environments of a radioactive waste storage or disposal system. The Waste IPSC will provide this simulation capability (1) for a range of disposal concepts, waste form types, engineered repository designs,more » and geologic settings, (2) for a range of time scales and distances, (3) with appropriate consideration of the inherent uncertainties, and (4) in accordance with robust verification, validation, and software quality requirements. Waste IPSC activities in fiscal year 2010 focused on specifying a challenge problem to demonstrate proof of concept, developing a verification and validation plan, and performing an initial gap analyses to identify candidate codes and tools to support the development and integration of the Waste IPSC. The current Waste IPSC strategy is to acquire and integrate the necessary Waste IPSC capabilities wherever feasible, and develop only those capabilities that cannot be acquired or suitably integrated, verified, or validated. This year-end progress report documents the FY10 status of acquisition, development, and integration of thermal-hydrologic-chemical-mechanical (THCM) code capabilities, frameworks, and enabling tools and infrastructure.« less

New concepts in anaerobic digestion processes: recent advances and biological aspects.

PubMed

Castellano-Hinojosa, Antonio; Armato, Caterina; Pozo, Clementina; González-Martínez, Alejandro; González-López, Jesús

2018-06-01

Waste treatment and the simultaneous production of energy have gained great interest in the world. In the last decades, scientific efforts have focused largely on improving and developing sustainable bioprocess solutions for energy recovery from challenging waste. Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been developed as a low-cost organic waste treatment technology with a simple setup and relatively limited investment and operating costs. Different technologies such as one-stage and two-stage AD have been developed. The viability and performance of these technologies have been extensively reported, showing the supremacy of two-stage AD in terms of overall energy recovery from biomass under different substrates, temperatures, and pH conditions. However, a comprehensive review of the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies is still lacking. Since microbial ecology is critical to developing successful AD, many studies have shown the structure and dynamics of archaeal and bacterial communities in this type of system. However, the role of Eukarya groups remains largely unknown to date. In this review, we provide a comprehensive review of the role, abundance, dynamics, and structure of archaeal, bacterial, and eukaryal communities during the AD process. The information provided could help researchers to select the adequate operational parameters to obtain the best performance and biogas production results.

Consolidated conversion of protein waste into biofuels and ammonia using Bacillus subtilis.

PubMed

Choi, Kwon-Young; Wernick, David G; Tat, Christine A; Liao, James C

2014-05-01

The non-recyclable use of nitrogen fertilizers in microbial production of fuels and chemicals remains environmentally detrimental. Conversion of protein wastes into biofuels and ammonia by engineering nitrogen flux in Escherichia coli has been demonstrated as a method to reclaim reduced-nitrogen and curb its environmental deposition. However, protein biomass requires a proteolysis process before it can be taken up and converted by any microbe. Here, we metabolically engineered Bacillus subtilis to hydrolyze polypeptides through its secreted proteases and to convert amino acids into advanced biofuels and ammonia fertilizer. Redirection of B. subtilis metabolism for amino-acid conversion required inactivation of the branched-chain amino-acid (BCAA) global regulator CodY. Additionally, the lipoamide acyltransferase (bkdB) was deleted to prevent conversion of branched-chain 2-keto acids into their acyl-CoA derivatives. With these deletions and heterologous expression of a keto-acid decarboxylase and an alcohol dehydrogenase, the final strain produced biofuels and ammonia from an amino-acid media with 18.9% and 46.6% of the maximum theoretical yield. The process was also demonstrated on several waste proteins. The results demonstrate the feasibility of direct microbial conversion of polypeptides into sustainable products. Copyright © 2014 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biogeochemical Investigations to Evaluate the Performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillow, J. B.

2009-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a U.S. Department of Energy facility located in southeastern New Mexico, approximately 655 m (2150 ft.) below ground surface in a bedded salt, Permian evaporite formation. This mined geologic repository has been receiving transuranic (TRU) waste from defense-related and environmental-management activities since March 1999. TRU waste contains alpha-emitting transuranic nuclides with half-lives greater than twenty years at concentrations greater than 100 nCi/gram. These actinide-contaminated wastes were generated from nuclear-weapons production and related processing activities. They include various organics, adsorbed liquids, sludges, cellulosics, plastics, rubber, and a variety of metals and cemented materials. An extensive set of investigations were performed to establish the basis for TRU waste disposal at WIPP and to support initial certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A significant element of the conceptual geochemical model for WIPP is the microbiologically-driven reactions leading to biodegradation of organic constituents in TRU wastes, as well as interactions with actinides present in the waste. This presentation will discuss the biogeochemical investigations that were performed to evaluate microbiological activity at WIPP, including studies of gas generation due to biodegradation of cellulose, plastic, and rubber materials and actinide-microbe interactions leading to changes in actinide chemical speciation. Highlights of this work are discussed here. Cellulose biodegradation in salt-brine systems results in the generation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, and aqueous fermentation products (low molecular weight organic acids). Hypersaline brine can limit the range of microbial metabolic pathways, due to the energetic stresses of maintaining osmotic balance compatible with metabolic processes. Methanogenesis yields the lowest free energy per mole of carbon and as such is often not detected in microorganisms that thrive in salt-brine environments (halophilic bacteria). However, laboratory tests performed over a period of 10 years demonstrated the production of methane gas from cellulose metabolism. Studies of actinide-microbe interactions revealed the bioaccumulation of uranium in phosphate-rich intracellular granules. These studies advanced the understanding of the metabolism of bacteria in salt-brine systems and the influence of halophilic microbiological activity on WIPP geochemistry.

Hazardous-waste analysis plan for LLNL operations

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

Roberts, R.S.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is involved in many facets of research ranging from nuclear weapons research to advanced Biomedical studies. Approximately 80% of all programs at LLNL generate hazardous waste in one form or another. Aside from producing waste from industrial type operations (oils, solvents, bottom sludges, etc.) many unique and toxic wastes are generated such as phosgene, dioxin (TCDD), radioactive wastes and high explosives. One key to any successful waste management program must address the following: proper identification of the waste, safe handling procedures and proper storage containers and areas. This section of the Waste Management Plan willmore » address methodologies used for the Analysis of Hazardous Waste. In addition to the wastes defined in 40 CFR 261, LLNL and Site 300 also generate radioactive waste not specifically covered by RCRA. However, for completeness, the Waste Analysis Plan will address all hazardous waste.« less

Durability and degradation of HT9 based alloy waste forms with variable Ni and Cr content

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

Olson, L.

2016-12-31

Short-term electrochemical and long-term hybrid electrochemical corrosion tests were performed on alloy waste forms in reference aqueous solutions that bound postulated repository conditions. The alloy waste forms investigated represent candidate formulations that can be produced with advanced electrochemical treatment of used nuclear fuel. The studies helped to better understand the alloy waste form durability with differing concentrations of nickel and chromium, species that can be added to alloy waste forms to potentially increase their durability and decrease radionuclide release into the environment.

Meat, Fish, and Poultry Processing Wastes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litchfield, J. H.

1978-01-01

Presents a literature review of industrial wastes, covering publications of 1976-77. This review includes studies on: (1) meat industry wastes; (2) fish-processing waste treatment; and (3) poultry-processing waste treatment. A list of 76 references is also presented. (HM)

Summary of the 2012 Wide Area Recovery and Resiliency Program (WARRP) Waste Management Workshop

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Workshop advanced the planning of federal, state and local officials in the area of waste management following a chemical, biological or radiological wide-area incident in the Denver, Colorado urban area.

Thermodynamic and Microstructural Mechanisms in the Corrosion of Advanced Ceramic Tc-bearing Waste Forms and Thermophysical Properties

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

Hartmann, Thomas

Technetium-99 (Tc, t 1/2 = 2.13x10 5 years) is a challenge from a nuclear waste perspective and is one of the most abundant, long-lived radioisotopes found in used nuclear fuel (UNF). Within the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, technetium volatilizes at typical glass melting temperature, is captured in the off-gas treatment system and recycled back into the feed to eventually increase Tc-loadings of the glass. The aim of this NEUP project was to provide an alternative strategy to immobilize fission technetium as durable ceramic waste form and also to avoid the accumulation of volatile technetium within the offmore » gas melter system in the course of vitrifying radioactive effluents in a ceramic melter. During this project our major attention was turned to the fabrication of chemical durable mineral phases where technetium is structurally bond entirely as tetravalent cation. These mineral phases will act as the primary waste form with optimal waste loading and superior resistance against leaching and corrosion. We have been very successful in fabricating phase-pure micro-gram amounts of lanthanide-technetium pyrochlores by dry-chemical synthesis. However, upscaling to a gram-size synthesis route using either dry- or wet-chemical processing was not always successful, but progress can be reported on a variety of aspects. During the course of this 5-year NEUP project (including a 2-year no-cost extension) we have significantly enhanced the existing knowledge on the fabrication and properties of ceramic technetium waste forms.« less

Microbial trophic interactions and mcrA gene expression in monitoring of anaerobic digesters

PubMed Central

Alvarado, Alejandra; Montañez-Hernández, Lilia E.; Palacio-Molina, Sandra L.; Oropeza-Navarro, Ricardo; Luévanos-Escareño, Miriam P.; Balagurusamy, Nagamani

2014-01-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process where different trophic groups of microorganisms break down biodegradable organic materials in the absence of oxygen. A wide range of AD technologies is being used to convert livestock manure, municipal and industrial wastewaters, and solid organic wastes into biogas. AD gains importance not only because of its relevance in waste treatment but also because of the recovery of carbon in the form of methane, which is a renewable energy and is used to generate electricity and heat. Despite the advances on the engineering and design of new bioreactors for AD, the microbiology component always poses challenges. Microbiology of AD processes is complicated as the efficiency of the process depends on the interactions of various trophic groups involved. Due to the complex interdependence of microbial activities for the functionality of the anaerobic bioreactors, the genetic expression of mcrA, which encodes a key enzyme in methane formation, is proposed as a parameter to monitor the process performance in real time. This review evaluates the current knowledge on microbial groups, their interactions, and their relationship to the performance of anaerobic biodigesters with a focus on using mcrA gene expression as a tool to monitor the process. PMID:25429286

ADVANCED NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE EFFECTS ON THE TREATMENT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE LONG-TERM ASSESSMENT OF GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL SYSTEMS - EBS INPUT

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

Sutton, M; Blink, J A; Greenberg, H R

2012-04-25

The Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Campaign within the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Fuel Cycle Technology (FCT) program has been tasked with investigating the disposal of the nation's spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level nuclear waste (HLW) for a range of potential waste forms and geologic environments. The planning, construction, and operation of a nuclear disposal facility is a long-term process that involves engineered barriers that are tailored to both the geologic environment and the waste forms being emplaced. The UFD Campaign is considering a range of fuel cycles that in turn produce a range of wastemore » forms. The UFD Campaign is also considering a range of geologic media. These ranges could be thought of as adding uncertainty to what the disposal facility design will ultimately be; however, it may be preferable to thinking about the ranges as adding flexibility to design of a disposal facility. For example, as the overall DOE-NE program and industrial actions result in the fuel cycles that will produce waste to be disposed, and the characteristics of those wastes become clear, the disposal program retains flexibility in both the choice of geologic environment and the specific repository design. Of course, other factors also play a major role, including local and State-level acceptance of the specific site that provides the geologic environment. In contrast, the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) repository license application (LA) is based on waste forms from an open fuel cycle (PWR and BWR assemblies from an open fuel cycle). These waste forms were about 90% of the total waste, and they were the determining waste form in developing the engineered barrier system (EBS) design for the Yucca Mountain Repository design. About 10% of the repository capacity was reserved for waste from a full recycle fuel cycle in which some actinides were extracted for weapons use, and the remaining fission products and some minor actinides were encapsulated in borosilicate glass. Because the heat load of the glass was much less than the PWR and BWR assemblies, the glass waste form was able to be co-disposed with the open cycle waste, by interspersing glass waste packages among the spent fuel assembly waste packages. In addition, the Yucca Mountain repository was designed to include some research reactor spent fuel and naval reactor spent fuel, within the envelope that was set using the commercial reactor assemblies as the design basis waste form. This milestone report supports Sandia National Laboratory milestone M2FT-12SN0814052, and is intended to be a chapter in that milestone report. The independent technical review of this LLNL milestone was performed at LLNL and is documented in the electronic Information Management (IM) system at LLNL. The objective of this work is to investigate what aspects of quantifying, characterizing, and representing the uncertainty associated with the engineered barrier are affected by implementing different advanced nuclear fuel cycles (e.g., partitioning and transmutation scenarios) together with corresponding designs and thermal constraints.« less

Advanced fuels campaign 2013 accomplishments

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

Braase, Lori; Hamelin, Doug

The mission of the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) is to perform Research, Development, and Demonstration (RD&D) activities for advanced fuel forms (including cladding) to enhance the performance and safety of the nation’s current and future reactors; enhance proliferation resistance of nuclear fuel; effectively utilize nuclear energy resources; and address the longer-term waste management challenges. This includes development of a state-of-the art Research and Development (R&D) infrastructure to support the use of “goal-oriented science-based approach.” In support of the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) program, AFC is responsible for developing advanced fuels technologies to support the various fuel cycle optionsmore » defined in the Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap, Report to Congress, April 2010. Accomplishments made during fiscal year (FY) 2013 are highlighted in this report, which focuses on completed work and results. The process details leading up to the results are not included; however, the technical contact is provided for each section.« less

Ceramics in nuclear waste management

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

Chikalla, T D; Mendel, J E

1979-05-01

Seventy-three papers are included, arranged under the following section headings: national programs for the disposal of radioactive wastes, waste from stability and characterization, glass processing, ceramic processing, ceramic and glass processing, leaching of waste materials, properties of nuclear waste forms, and immobilization of special radioactive wastes. Separate abstracts were prepared for all the papers. (DLC)

Some recent developments in spacecraft environmental control/life support subsystems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillen, R. J.; Olcott, T. M.

1974-01-01

The subsystems considered include a flash evaporator for heat rejection, a regenerable carbon dioxide and humidity control subsystem, an iodinating subsystem for potable water, a cabin contaminant control subsystem, and a wet oxidation subsystem for processing spacecraft wastes. The flash evaporator discussed is a simple unit which efficiently controls life support system temperatures over a wide range of heat loads. For certain advanced spacecraft applications the control of cabin carbon dioxide and humidity can be successfully achieved by a regenerable solid amine subsystem.

The Space Exploration Initiative: a challenge to advanced life support technologies: keynote presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendell, W. W.

1991-01-01

President Bush has enunciated an unparalleled, open-ended commitment to human exploration of space called the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). At the heart of the SEI is permanent human presence beyond Earth orbit, which implies a new emphasis on life science research and life support system technology. Proposed bioregenerative systems for planetary surface bases will require carefully designed waste processing elements whose development will lead to streamlined and efficient and efficient systems for applications on Earth.

Characterization of spacecraft humidity condensate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muckle, Susan; Schultz, John R.; Sauer, Richard L.

1994-01-01

When construction of Space Station Freedom reaches the Permanent Manned Capability (PMC) stage, the Water Recovery and Management Subsystem will be fully operational such that (distilled) urine, spent hygiene water, and humidity condensate will be reclaimed to provide water of potable quality. The reclamation technologies currently baselined to process these waste waters include adsorption, ion exchange, catalytic oxidation, and disinfection. To ensure that the baseline technologies will be able to effectively remove those compounds presenting a health risk to the crew, the National Research Council has recommended that additional information be gathered on specific contaminants in waste waters representative of those to be encountered on the Space Station. With the application of new analytical methods and the analysis of waste water samples more representative of the Space Station environment, advances in the identification of the specific contaminants continue to be made. Efforts by the Water and Food Analytical Laboratory at JSC were successful in enlarging the database of contaminants in humidity condensate. These efforts have not only included the chemical characterization of condensate generated during ground-based studies, but most significantly the characterization of cabin and Spacelab condensate generated during Shuttle missions. The analytical results presented in this paper will be used to show how the composition of condensate varies amongst enclosed environments and thus the importance of collecting condensate from an environment close to that of the proposed Space Station. Although advances were made in the characterization of space condensate, complete characterization, particularly of the organics, requires further development of analytical methods.

2014 Annual Industrial Wastewater Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Pond

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

Lewis, Mike

This report describes conditions, as required by the state of Idaho Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit (LA 000161 01, Modification B), for the wastewater land application site at the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Pond from November 1, 2013–October 31, 2014. The report contains the following information; Facility and system description; Permit required effluent monitoring data and loading rates; Permit required groundwater monitoring data; Status of compliance activities; Noncompliance issues; and Discussion of the facility’s environmental impacts. During the 2014 permit year, approximately 238 million gallons of wastewater were discharged to the Cold Waste Pond. Thismore » is well below the maximum annual permit limit of 375 million gallons. As shown by the groundwater sampling data, sulfate and total dissolved solids concentrations are highest near the Cold Waste Pond and decrease rapidly as the distance from the Cold Waste Pond increases. Although concentrations of sulfate and total dissolved solids are elevated near the Cold Waste Pond, both parameters are below the Ground Water Quality Rule Secondary Constituent Standards in the downgradient monitoring wells.« less

2013 Annual Industrial Wastewater Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Pond

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

Mike Lewis

2014-02-01

This report describes conditions, as required by the state of Idaho Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit (#LA 000161 01, Modification B), for the wastewater land application site at the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Pond from November 1, 2012–October 31, 2013. The report contains the following information: • Facility and system description • Permit required effluent monitoring data and loading rates • Groundwater monitoring data • Status of compliance activities • Noncompliance issues • Discussion of the facility’s environmental impacts. During the 2013 permit year, approximately 238 million gallons of wastewater was discharged to the Coldmore » Waste Pond. This is well below the maximum annual permit limit of 375 million gallons. As shown by the groundwater sampling data, sulfate and total dissolved solids concentrations are highest near the Cold Waste Pond and decrease rapidly as the distance from the Cold Waste Pond increases. Although concentrations of sulfate and total dissolved solids are elevated near the Cold Waste Pond, both parameters are below the Ground Water Quality Rule Secondary Constituent Standards in the down gradient monitoring wells.« less

2012 Annual Industrial Wastewater Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site's Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Pond

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

Mike Lewis

2013-02-01

This report describes conditions, as required by the state of Idaho Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit (#LA 000161 01, Modification B), for the wastewater land application site at the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Pond from November 1, 2011 through October 31, 2012. The report contains the following information: Facility and system description Permit required effluent monitoring data and loading rates Groundwater monitoring data Status of compliance activities Noncompliance issues Discussion of the facility’s environmental impacts During the 2012 permit year, approximately 183 million gallons of wastewater were discharged to the Cold Waste Pond. This ismore » well below the maximum annual permit limit of 375 million gallons. As shown by the groundwater sampling data, sulfate and total dissolved solids concentrations are highest near the Cold Waste Pond and decrease rapidly as the distance from the Cold Waste Pond increases. Although concentrations of sulfate and total dissolved solids are elevated near the Cold Waste Pond, both parameters were below the Ground Water Quality Rule Secondary Constituent Standards in the down gradient monitoring wells.« less

Recent developments in photocatalytic water treatment technology: a review.

PubMed

Chong, Meng Nan; Jin, Bo; Chow, Christopher W K; Saint, Chris

2010-05-01

In recent years, semiconductor photocatalytic process has shown a great potential as a low-cost, environmental friendly and sustainable treatment technology to align with the "zero" waste scheme in the water/wastewater industry. The ability of this advanced oxidation technology has been widely demonstrated to remove persistent organic compounds and microorganisms in water. At present, the main technical barriers that impede its commercialisation remained on the post-recovery of the catalyst particles after water treatment. This paper reviews the recent R&D progresses of engineered-photocatalysts, photoreactor systems, and the process optimizations and modellings of the photooxidation processes for water treatment. A number of potential and commercial photocatalytic reactor configurations are discussed, in particular the photocatalytic membrane reactors. The effects of key photoreactor operation parameters and water quality on the photo-process performances in terms of the mineralization and disinfection are assessed. For the first time, we describe how to utilize a multi-variables optimization approach to determine the optimum operation parameters so as to enhance process performance and photooxidation efficiency. Both photomineralization and photo-disinfection kinetics and their modellings associated with the photocatalytic water treatment process are detailed. A brief discussion on the life cycle assessment for retrofitting the photocatalytic technology as an alternative waste treatment process is presented. This paper will deliver a scientific and technical overview and useful information to scientists and engineers who work in this field.

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

Moghissi, A.A.; Blauvelt, R.K.; Benda, G.A.

This volume contains the peer-reviewed and edited versions of papers submitted for presentation a the Second International Mixed Waste Symposium. Following the tradition of the First International Mixed Waste Symposium, these proceedings were prepared in advance of the meeting for distribution to participants. The symposium was organized by the Mixed Waste Committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The topics discussed at the symposium include: stabilization technologies, alternative treatment technologies, regulatory issues, vitrification technologies, characterization of wastes, thermal technologies, laboratory and analytical issues, waste storage and disposal, organic treatment technologies, waste minimization, packaging and transportation, treatment of mercury contaminatedmore » wastes and bioprocessing, and environmental restoration. Individual abstracts are catalogued separately for the data base.« less

Biocompatibility of Advanced Manufactured Titanium Implants-A Review.

PubMed

Sidambe, Alfred T

2014-12-19

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys may be processed via advanced powder manufacturing routes such as additive layer manufacturing (or 3D printing) or metal injection moulding. This field is receiving increased attention from various manufacturing sectors including the medical devices sector. It is possible that advanced manufacturing techniques could replace the machining or casting of metal alloys in the manufacture of devices because of associated advantages that include design flexibility, reduced processing costs, reduced waste, and the opportunity to more easily manufacture complex or custom-shaped implants. The emerging advanced manufacturing approaches of metal injection moulding and additive layer manufacturing are receiving particular attention from the implant fabrication industry because they could overcome some of the difficulties associated with traditional implant fabrication techniques such as titanium casting. Using advanced manufacturing, it is also possible to produce more complex porous structures with improved mechanical performance, potentially matching the modulus of elasticity of local bone. While the economic and engineering potential of advanced manufacturing for the manufacture of musculo-skeletal implants is therefore clear, the impact on the biocompatibility of the materials has been less investigated. In this review, the capabilities of advanced powder manufacturing routes in producing components that are suitable for biomedical implant applications are assessed with emphasis placed on surface finishes and porous structures. Given that biocompatibility and host bone response are critical determinants of clinical performance, published studies of in vitro and in vivo research have been considered carefully. The review concludes with a future outlook on advanced Ti production for biomedical implants using powder metallurgy.

Biocompatibility of Advanced Manufactured Titanium Implants—A Review

PubMed Central

Sidambe, Alfred T.

2014-01-01

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys may be processed via advanced powder manufacturing routes such as additive layer manufacturing (or 3D printing) or metal injection moulding. This field is receiving increased attention from various manufacturing sectors including the medical devices sector. It is possible that advanced manufacturing techniques could replace the machining or casting of metal alloys in the manufacture of devices because of associated advantages that include design flexibility, reduced processing costs, reduced waste, and the opportunity to more easily manufacture complex or custom-shaped implants. The emerging advanced manufacturing approaches of metal injection moulding and additive layer manufacturing are receiving particular attention from the implant fabrication industry because they could overcome some of the difficulties associated with traditional implant fabrication techniques such as titanium casting. Using advanced manufacturing, it is also possible to produce more complex porous structures with improved mechanical performance, potentially matching the modulus of elasticity of local bone. While the economic and engineering potential of advanced manufacturing for the manufacture of musculo-skeletal implants is therefore clear, the impact on the biocompatibility of the materials has been less investigated. In this review, the capabilities of advanced powder manufacturing routes in producing components that are suitable for biomedical implant applications are assessed with emphasis placed on surface finishes and porous structures. Given that biocompatibility and host bone response are critical determinants of clinical performance, published studies of in vitro and in vivo research have been considered carefully. The review concludes with a future outlook on advanced Ti production for biomedical implants using powder metallurgy. PMID:28788296

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

Eun, H.C.; Cho, Y.Z.; Choi, J.H.

A regeneration process of LiCl-KCl eutectic waste salt generated from the pyrochemical process of spent nuclear fuel has been studied. This regeneration process is composed of a chemical conversion process and a vacuum distillation process. Through the regeneration process, a high efficiency of renewable salt recovery can be obtained from the waste salt and rare earth nuclides in the waste salt can be separated as oxide or phosphate forms. Thus, the regeneration process can contribute greatly to a reduction of the waste volume and a creation of durable final waste forms. (authors)

Enhanced Passive Cooling for Waterless-Power Production Technologies

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

Rodriguez, Salvador B.

2016-06-14

Recent advances in the literature and at SNL indicate the strong potential for passive, specialized surfaces to significantly enhance power production output. Our exploratory computational and experimental research indicates that fractal and swirl surfaces can help enable waterless-power production by increasing the amount of heat transfer and turbulence, when compared with conventional surfaces. Small modular reactors, advanced reactors, and non-nuclear plants (e.g., solar and coal) are ideally suited for sCO2 coolant loops. The sCO2 loop converts the thermal heat into electricity, while the specialized surfaces passively and securely reject the waste process heat in an environmentally benign manner. The resultant,more » integrated energy systems are highly suitable for small grids, rural areas, and arid regions.« less

Anatomy of landslides along the Dead Sea Transform Fault System in NW Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dill, H. G.; Hahne, K.; Shaqour, F.

2012-03-01

In the mountainous region north of Amman, Jordan, Cenomanian calcareous rocks are being monitored constantly for their mass wasting processes which occasionally cause severe damage to the Amman-Irbid Highway. Satellite remote sensing data (Landsat TM, ASTER, and SRTM) and ground measurements are applied to investigate the anatomy of landslides along the Dead Sea Transform Fault System (DSTFS), a prominent strike-slip fault. The joints and faults pertinent to the DSTFS match the architectural elements identified in landslides of different size. This similarity attests to a close genetic relation between the tectonic setting of one of the most prominent fault zones on the earth and modern geomorphologic processes. Six indicators stand out in particular: 1) The fractures developing in N-S and splay faults represent the N-S lateral movement of the DSTFS. They governed the position of the landslides. 2) Cracks and faults aligned in NE-SW to NNW-SSW were caused by compressional strength. They were subsequently reactivated during extensional processes and used in some cases as slip planes during mass wasting. 3) Minor landslides with NE-SW straight scarps were derived from compressional features which were turned into slip planes during the incipient stages of mass wasting. They occur mainly along the slopes in small wadis or where a wide wadi narrows upstream. 4) Major landslides with curved instead of straight scarps and rotational slides are representative of a more advanced level of mass wasting. These areas have to be marked in the maps and during land management projects as high-risk area mainly and may be encountered in large wadis with steep slopes or longitudinal slopes undercut by road construction works. 5) The spatial relation between minor faults and slope angle is crucial as to the vulnerability of the areas in terms of mass wasting. 6) Springs lined up along faults cause serious problems to engineering geology in that they step up the behavior of marly interbeds to accelerate sliding during mass wasting. The most vulnerable areas prone to slope instabilities are those with compressional tectonics followed by extensional movements, with fault bound springs and smectite-bearing marly layers interbedded with pure massive limestones. The semi-arid to arid climate with periodic rainfalls combined with subsurface water circulation along the joints and faults can trigger mass wasting.

Modular Chemical Process Intensification: A Review.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Ha; Park, Lydia K; Yiacoumi, Sotira; Tsouris, Costas

2017-06-07

Modular chemical process intensification can dramatically improve energy and process efficiencies of chemical processes through enhanced mass and heat transfer, application of external force fields, enhanced driving forces, and combinations of different unit operations, such as reaction and separation, in single-process equipment. These dramatic improvements lead to several benefits such as compactness or small footprint, energy and cost savings, enhanced safety, less waste production, and higher product quality. Because of these benefits, process intensification can play a major role in industrial and manufacturing sectors, including chemical, pulp and paper, energy, critical materials, and water treatment, among others. This article provides an overview of process intensification, including definitions, principles, tools, and possible applications, with the objective to contribute to the future development and potential applications of modular chemical process intensification in industrial and manufacturing sectors. Drivers and barriers contributing to the advancement of process intensification technologies are discussed.

Modular Chemical Process Intensification: A Review

DOE PAGES

Kim, Yong-ha; Park, Lydia K.; Yiacoumi, Sotira; ...

2016-06-24

Modular chemical process intensification can dramatically improve energy and process efficiencies of chemical processes through enhanced mass and heat transfer, application of external force fields, enhanced driving forces, and combinations of different unit operations, such as reaction and separation, in single-process equipment. Dramatic improvements such as these lead to several benefits such as compactness or small footprint, energy and cost savings, enhanced safety, less waste production, and higher product quality. Because of these benefits, process intensification can play a major role in industrial and manufacturing sectors, including chemical, pulp and paper, energy, critical materials, and water treatment, among others. Thismore » article provides an overview of process intensification, including definitions, principles, tools, and possible applications, with the objective to contribute to the future development and potential applications of modular chemical process intensification in industrial and manufacturing sectors. Drivers and barriers contributing to the advancement of process intensification technologies are discussed.« less

Landfill mining: Development of a cost simulation model.

PubMed

Wolfsberger, Tanja; Pinkel, Michael; Polansek, Stephanie; Sarc, Renato; Hermann, Robert; Pomberger, Roland

2016-04-01

Landfill mining permits recovering secondary raw materials from landfills. Whether this purpose is economically feasible, however, is a matter of various aspects. One is the amount of recoverable secondary raw material (like metals) that can be exploited with a profit. Other influences are the costs for excavation, for processing the waste at the landfill site and for paying charges on the secondary disposal of waste. Depending on the objectives of a landfill mining project (like the recovery of a ferrous and/or a calorific fraction) these expenses and revenues are difficult to assess in advance. This situation complicates any previous assessment of the economic feasibility and is the reason why many landfills that might be suitable for landfill mining are continuingly operated as active landfills, generating aftercare costs and leaving potential hazards to later generations. This article presents a newly developed simulation model for landfill mining projects. It permits identifying the quantities and qualities of output flows that can be recovered by mining and by mobile on-site processing of the waste based on treatment equipment selected by the landfill operator. Thus, charges for disposal and expected revenues from secondary raw materials can be assessed. Furthermore, investment, personnel, operation, servicing and insurance costs are assessed and displayed, based on the selected mobile processing procedure and its throughput, among other things. For clarity, the simulation model is described in this article using the example of a real Austrian sanitary landfill. © The Author(s) 2016.

Volatilisation and oxidation of aluminium scraps fed into incineration furnaces

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

Biganzoli, Laura, E-mail: laura.biganzoli@mail.polimi.it; Gorla, Leopoldo; Nessi, Simone

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aluminium packaging partitioning in MSW incineration residues is evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The amount of aluminium packaging recoverable from the bottom ashes is evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aluminium packaging oxidation rate in the residues of MSW incineration is evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 80% of aluminium cans, 51% of trays and 27% of foils can be recovered from bottom ashes. - Abstract: Ferrous and non-ferrous metal scraps are increasingly recovered from municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash and used in the production of secondary steel and aluminium. However, during the incineration process, metal scraps contained in the waste undergo volatilisation and oxidation processes, which determinemore » a loss of their recoverable mass. The present paper evaluates the behaviour of different types of aluminium packaging materials in a full-scale waste to energy plant during standard operation. Their partitioning and oxidation level in the residues of the incineration process are evaluated, together with the amount of potentially recoverable aluminium. About 80% of post-consumer cans, 51% of trays and 27% of foils can be recovered through an advanced treatment of bottom ash combined with a melting process in the saline furnace for the production of secondary aluminium. The residual amount of aluminium concentrates in the fly ash or in the fine fraction of the bottom ash and its recovery is virtually impossible using the current eddy current separation technology. The average oxidation levels of the aluminium in the residues of the incineration process is equal to 9.2% for cans, 17.4% for trays and 58.8% for foils. The differences between the tested packaging materials are related to their thickness, mechanical strength and to the alloy.« less

Central waste processing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kester, F. L.

1973-01-01

A new concept for processing spacecraft type wastes has been evaluated. The feasibility of reacting various waste materials with steam at temperatures of 538 - 760 C in both a continuous and batch reactor with residence times from 3 to 60 seconds has been established. Essentially complete gasification is achieved. Product gases are primarily hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, and carbon monoxide. Water soluble synthetic wastes are readily processed in a continuous tubular reactor at concentrations up to 20 weight percent. The batch reactor is able to process wet and dry wastes at steam to waste weight ratios from 2 to 20. Feces, urine, and synthetic wastes have been successfully processed in the batch reactor.

Integrated systems analysis of persistent polar pollutants in the water cycle.

PubMed

van der Voet, E; Nikolic, I; Huppes, G; Kleijn, R

2004-01-01

Persistent polar pollutants (P3) are difficult to degrade in standard waste water treatment plants. As a result, they end up in the effluent and are emitted to the surface water. In some areas, this problem is aggravated through "closed loop recycling", causing concentrations of P3 in surface water to build up over time. This could cause violation of (future) EU regulations. In the P-THREE project, various alternative waste water treatment techniques are investigated regarding their effectiveness in eliminating these substances, especially membrane bioreactor treatment and advanced oxidation processes, MBR and AOP. The integrated systems analysis which is the subject of this paper assesses these techniques in a broader systems context: (1) the life-cycle of the P3, (2) the life cycle of the WWTPs, and (3) the WWTP life cycle costs.

Disinfection of biological agents in the field using a mobile ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report The Army’s Net Zero Initiative is an energy-conservation program that focuses on energy as well as water and waste usage procedures. All Net Zero projects are geared toward helping the military installation or community become more sustainable and resilient, with an emphasis on taking a systems approach. Net Zero projects must advance the state of the science and are focused on three general topic areas: water, energy, and waste, and the nexuses among them. This project examined the inactivation and/or removal of biological contaminants in dirty wash water using a portable ozone-UV AOP process. The strain of E. coli used in these experiments is not a biological warfare agent, but acts as a surrogate for certain of the vegetative biological agents such as the enterohemorrhagic strain designated E. coli 0157:H7.

Solution-Processed Cu 2Se Nanocrystal Films with Bulk-Like Thermoelectric Performance

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

Forster, Jason D.; Lynch, Jared J.; Coates, Nelson E.

Thermoelectric power generation can play a key role in a sustainable energy future by converting waste heat from power plants and other industrial processes into usable electrical power. Current thermoelectric devices, however, require energy intensive manufacturing processes such as alloying and spark plasma sintering. Here, we describe the fabrication of a p-type thermoelectric material, copper selenide (Cu 2 Se), utilizing solution-processing and thermal annealing to produce a thin film that achieves a figure of merit, ZT, which is as high as its traditionally processed counterpart, a value of 0.14 at room temperature. This is the first report of amore » fully solution-processed nanomaterial achieving performance equivalent to its bulk form and represents a general strategy to reduce the energy required to manufacture advanced energy conversion and harvesting materials.« less

Solution-Processed Cu 2Se Nanocrystal Films with Bulk-Like Thermoelectric Performance

DOE PAGES

Forster, Jason D.; Lynch, Jared J.; Coates, Nelson E.; ...

2017-06-05

Thermoelectric power generation can play a key role in a sustainable energy future by converting waste heat from power plants and other industrial processes into usable electrical power. Current thermoelectric devices, however, require energy intensive manufacturing processes such as alloying and spark plasma sintering. Here, we describe the fabrication of a p-type thermoelectric material, copper selenide (Cu 2 Se), utilizing solution-processing and thermal annealing to produce a thin film that achieves a figure of merit, ZT, which is as high as its traditionally processed counterpart, a value of 0.14 at room temperature. This is the first report of amore » fully solution-processed nanomaterial achieving performance equivalent to its bulk form and represents a general strategy to reduce the energy required to manufacture advanced energy conversion and harvesting materials.« less

Production of oxygen from lunar ilmenite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, Y.; Shadman, F.

1990-01-01

The following subjects are addressed: (1) the mechanism and kinetics of carbothermal reduction of simulated lunar ilmenite using carbon and, particularly, CO as reducing agents; (2) the determination of the rate-limiting steps; (3) the investigation of the effect of impurities, particularly magnesium; (4) the search for catalysts suitable for enhancement of the rate-limiting step; (5) the comparison of the kinetics of carbothermal reduction with those of hydrogen reduction; (6) the study of the combined use of CO and hydrogen as products of gasification of carbonaceous solids; (7) the development of reduction methods based on the use of waste carbonaceous compounds for the process; (8) the development of a carbothermal reaction path that utilizes gasification of carbonaceous solids to reducing gaseous species (hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide) to facilitate the reduction reaction kinetics and make the process more flexible in using various forms of carbonaceous feeds; (9) the development of advanced gas separation techniques, including the use of high-temperature ceramic membranes; (10) the development of an optimum process flow sheet for carbothermal reduction, and comparison of this process with the hydrogen reduction scheme, as well as a general comparison with other leading oxygen production schemes; and (11) the use of new and advanced material processing and separation techniques.

Designing and examining e-waste recycling process: methodology and case studies.

PubMed

Li, Jinhui; He, Xin; Zeng, Xianlai

2017-03-01

Increasing concerns on resource depletion and environmental pollution have largely obliged electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) should be tackled in an environmentally sound manner. Recycling process development is regarded as the most effective and fundamental to solve the e-waste problem. Based on global achievements related to e-waste recycling in the past 15 years, we first propose a theory to design an e-waste recycling process, including measuring e-waste recyclability and selection of recycling process. And we summarize the indicators and tools in terms of resource dimension, environmental dimension, and economic dimension, to examine the e-waste recycling process. Using the sophisticated experience and adequate information of e-waste management, spent lithium-ion batteries and waste printed circuit boards are chosen as case studies to implement and verify the proposed method. All the potential theory and obtained results in this work can contribute to future e-waste management toward best available techniques and best environmental practices.

Imaging-based optical caliper for objects in hot manufacturing processes

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

Huang, Howard

OG Technologies, Inc. (OGT), in conjunction with its industrial and academic partners, proposes to develop an Imaging-Based Optical Caliper (hereafter referred to as OC) for Objects in Hot Manufacturing Processes. The goal is to develop and demonstrate the OC with the synergy of OGT's current technological pool and other innovations to provide a light weight, robust, safe and accurate portable dimensional measurement device for hot objects with integrated wireless communication capacity to enable real time process control. The technical areas of interest in this project are the combination of advanced imaging, Sensor Fusion, and process control. OGT believes that themore » synergistic interactions between its current set of technologies and other innovations could deliver products that are viable and have high impact in the hot manufacture processes, such as steel making, steel rolling, open die forging, and glass industries, resulting in a new energy efficient control paradigm in the operations through improved yield, prolonged tool life and improved quality. In-line dimension measurement and control is of interest to the steel makers, yet current industry focus is on the final product dimension only instead of whole process due to the limit of man power, system cost and operator safety concerns. As sensor technologies advances, the industry started to see the need to enforce better dimensional control throughout the process, but lack the proper tools to do so. OGT along with its industrial partners represent the indigenous effort of technological development to serve the US steel industry. The immediate market that can use and get benefited from the proposed OC is the Steel Industry. The deployment of the OC has the potential to provide benefits in reduction of energy waste, CO2 emission, waste water amount, toxic waste, and so forth. The potential market after further expended function includes Hot Forging and Freight Industries. The OC prototypes were fabricated, and were progressively tested on-site in several steel mill and hot forging facilities for evaluation. Software refinements and new calibration procedures were also carried out to overcome the discovered glitches. Progress was presented to the hot manufacture facilities worldwide. Evidence showed a great interest and practical need for this product. OGT is in the pilot commercialization mode for this new development. The R&D team also successfully developed a 3D measurement function with no additional investment of hardware or equipment to measure low or room temperature object dimensions. Several tests were conducted in the reality environment to evaluate the measurement results. This new application will require additional development in product design.« less

USEPA SITE PROGRAM APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND REGULATORY ACCEPTANCE

EPA Science Inventory

The SITE Program was created to meet the increased demand for innovative technologies for hazardous waste treatment. To accomplish this mission, the program seeks to advance the development, implementation and commercialization of innovative technologies for hazardous waste chara...

The Advancement of Public Awareness, Concerning TRU Waste Characterization, Using a Virtual Document

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

West, T. B.; Burns, T. P.; Estill, W. G.

2002-02-28

Building public trust and confidence through openness is a goal of the DOE Carlsbad Field Office for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The objective of the virtual document described in this paper is to give the public an overview of the waste characterization steps, an understanding of how waste characterization instrumentation works, and the type and amount of data generated from a batch of drums. The document is intended to be published on a web page and/or distributed at public meetings on CDs. Users may gain as much information as they desire regarding the transuranic (TRU) waste characterization program,more » starting at the highest level requirements (drivers) and progressing to more and more detail regarding how the requirements are met. Included are links to: drivers (which include laws, permits and DOE Orders); various characterization steps required for transportation and disposal under WIPP's Hazardous Waste Facility Permit; physical/chemical basis for each characterization method; types of data produced; and quality assurance process that accompanies each measurement. Examples of each type of characterization method in use across the DOE complex are included. The original skeleton of the document was constructed in a PowerPoint presentation and included descriptions of each section of the waste characterization program. This original document had a brief overview of Acceptable Knowledge, Non-Destructive Examination, Non-Destructive Assay, Small Quantity sites, and the National Certification Team. A student intern was assigned the project of converting the document to a virtual format and to discuss each subject in depth. The resulting product is a fully functional virtual document that works in a web browser and functions like a web page. All documents that were referenced, linked to, or associated, are included on the virtual document's CD. WIPP has been engaged in a variety of Hazardous Waste Facility Permit modification activities. During the public meetings, discussion centered on proposed changes to the characterization program. The philosophy behind the virtual document is to show the characterization process as a whole, rather than as isolated parts. In addition to public meetings, other uses for the information might be as a training tool for new employees at the WIPP facility to show them where their activities fit into the overall scheme, as well as an employee review to help prepare for waste certification audits.« less

Casting the net broader to confirm our imaginations: the long road to treating wasting disorders

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract Wasting embraces muscle and tissue wasting in sarcopenia and cachexia. This article describes recent advances in the field published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle concerning diagnostic tools, biomarker development, pathophysiology, and treatment. Studies discussed herein embrace those on sarcopenia and cachexia in heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer including also animal models. PMID:29168628

Use of solar advanced oxidation processes for wastewater treatment: Follow-up on degradation products, acute toxicity, genotoxicity and estrogenicity.

PubMed

Brienza, M; Mahdi Ahmed, M; Escande, A; Plantard, G; Scrano, L; Chiron, S; Bufo, S A; Goetz, V

2016-04-01

Wastewater tertiary treatment by advanced oxidation processes is thought to produce a treated effluent with lower toxicity than the initial influent. Here we performed tertiary treatment of a secondary effluent collected from a Waste Water Treatment Plant via homogeneous (solar/HSO5(-)/Fe(2+)) and heterogeneous (solar/TiO2) solar advanced oxidation aiming at the assessment of their effectiveness in terms of contaminants' and toxicity abatement in a plain solar reactor. A total of 53 organic contaminants were qualitatively identified by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry after solid phase extraction. Solar advanced oxidation totally or partially removed the major part of contaminants detected within 4.5 h. Standard toxicity tests were performed using Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Brachionus calyciflorus organisms to evaluate acute and chronic toxicity in the secondary or tertiary effluents, and the EC50% was calculated. Estrogenic and genotoxic tests were carried out in an attempt to obtain an even sharper evaluation of potential hazardous effects due to micropollutants or their degradation by-products in wastewater. Genotoxic effects were not detected in effluent before or after treatment. However, we observed relevant estrogenic activity due to the high sensitivity of the HELN ERα cell line. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy System for Monitoring Pineapple Waste Saccharification.

PubMed

Conesa, Claudia; Ibáñez Civera, Javier; Seguí, Lucía; Fito, Pedro; Laguarda-Miró, Nicolás

2016-02-04

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has been used for monitoring the enzymatic pineapple waste hydrolysis process. The system employed consists of a device called Advanced Voltammetry, Impedance Spectroscopy & Potentiometry Analyzer (AVISPA) equipped with a specific software application and a stainless steel double needle electrode. EIS measurements were conducted at different saccharification time intervals: 0, 0.75, 1.5, 6, 12 and 24 h. Partial least squares (PLS) were used to model the relationship between the EIS measurements and the sugar determination by HPAEC-PAD. On the other hand, artificial neural networks: (multilayer feed forward architecture with quick propagation training algorithm and logistic-type transfer functions) gave the best results as predictive models for glucose, fructose, sucrose and total sugars. Coefficients of determination (R²) and root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) were determined as R² > 0.944 and RMSEP < 1.782 for PLS and R² > 0.973 and RMSEP < 0.486 for artificial neural networks (ANNs), respectively. Therefore, a combination of both an EIS-based technique and ANN models is suggested as a promising alternative to the traditional laboratory techniques for monitoring the pineapple waste saccharification step.

Advanced Food Technology Workshop Report. Volumes 1 and 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perchonok, Michele

2003-01-01

The Advanced Human Support Technology (AHST) Program conducts research and technology development to provide new technologies and next-generation system that will enable humans to live and work safely and effectively in space. One program element within the AHST Program is Advanced Life Support (ALS). The goal of the ALS program element is to develop regenerative life support systems directed at supporting National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) future long-duration missions. Such missions could last from months to years and make resupply impractical, thereby necessitating self-sufficiency. Thus, subsystems must be developed to fully recycle air and water, recover resources from solid wastes grow plants, process raw plant products into nutritious and palatable foods, control the thermal environment, while reducing the overall system mass. ALS systems will be a combination of physico-chemical and biological components depending on the specific mission requirements. In the transit vehicle, the food system will primarily be a prepackaged food system with the possible addition of salad crops that can be picked and eaten with limited preparation. On the lunar or planetary evolved base, the food system will be a combination of the prepackaged menu item and ingredients that are processed from the grown crops. Food processing and food preparation will be part of this food system.

Solid waste treatment processes for space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marrero, T. R.

1983-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the state-of-the-art of solid waste(s) treatment processes applicable to a Space Station. From the review of available information a source term model for solid wastes was determined. An overall system is proposed to treat solid wastes under constraints of zero-gravity and zero-leakage. This study contains discussion of more promising potential treatment processes, including supercritical water oxidation, wet air (oxygen) oxidation, and chemical oxidation. A low pressure, batch-type treament process is recommended. Processes needed for pretreatment and post-treatment are hardware already developed for space operations. The overall solid waste management system should minimize transfer of wastes from their collection point to treatment vessel.

Advanced oxidation technology for H2S odor gas using non-thermal plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, ZHU; Ruonan, WANG; Wenjing, BIAN; Yang, CHEN; Weidong, JING

2018-05-01

Non-thermal plasma technology is a new type of odor treatment processing. We deal with H2S from waste gas emission using non-thermal plasma generated by dielectric barrier discharge. On the basis of two criteria, removal efficiency and absolute removal amount, we deeply investigate the changes in electrical parameters and process parameters, and the reaction process of the influence of ozone on H2S gas removal. The experimental results show that H2S removal efficiency is proportional to the voltage, frequency, power, residence time and energy efficiency, while it is inversely proportional to the initial concentration of H2S gas, and ozone concentration. This study lays the foundations of non-thermal plasma technology for further commercial application.

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.

Composting in advanced life support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, C. F.; Sager, J. C.; Alazraki, M.; Loader, C.

1998-01-01

Space missions of extended duration are currently hampered by the prohibitive costs of external resupply. To reduce the need for resupply, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently testing methods to recycle solid wastes, water, and air. Composting can be an integral part of a biologically based waste treatment/recycling system. Results indicate that leachate from composted plant wastes is not inhibitory to seed germination and contains sufficient inorganic minerals to support plant growth. Other solid wastes, for example kitchen (food) wastes and human solid wastes, can be composted with inedible plant residues to safely reduce the volume of the wastes and levels of microorganisms potentially pathogenic to humans. Finished compost could serve as a medium for plant growth or mushroom production.

Composting in advanced life support systems.

PubMed

Atkinson, C F; Sager, J C; Alazraki, M; Loader, C

1998-01-01

Space missions of extended duration are currently hampered by the prohibitive costs of external resupply. To reduce the need for resupply, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently testing methods to recycle solid wastes, water, and air. Composting can be an integral part of a biologically based waste treatment/recycling system. Results indicate that leachate from composted plant wastes is not inhibitory to seed germination and contains sufficient inorganic minerals to support plant growth. Other solid wastes, for example kitchen (food) wastes and human solid wastes, can be composted with inedible plant residues to safely reduce the volume of the wastes and levels of microorganisms potentially pathogenic to humans. Finished compost could serve as a medium for plant growth or mushroom production.

WASTE TREATMENT BUILDING SYSTEM DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

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

F. Habashi

2000-06-22

The Waste Treatment Building System provides the space, layout, structures, and embedded subsystems that support the processing of low-level liquid and solid radioactive waste generated within the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR). The activities conducted in the Waste Treatment Building include sorting, volume reduction, and packaging of dry waste, and collecting, processing, solidification, and packaging of liquid waste. The Waste Treatment Building System is located on the surface within the protected area of the MGR. The Waste Treatment Building System helps maintain a suitable environment for the waste processing and protects the systems within the Waste Treatment Building (WTB) from mostmore » of the natural and induced environments. The WTB also confines contaminants and provides radiological protection to personnel. In addition to the waste processing operations, the Waste Treatment Building System provides space and layout for staging of packaged waste for shipment, industrial and radiological safety systems, control and monitoring of operations, safeguards and security systems, and fire protection, ventilation and utilities systems. The Waste Treatment Building System also provides the required space and layout for maintenance activities, tool storage, and administrative facilities. The Waste Treatment Building System integrates waste processing systems within its protective structure to support the throughput rates established for the MGR. The Waste Treatment Building System also provides shielding, layout, and other design features to help limit personnel radiation exposures to levels which are as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA). The Waste Treatment Building System interfaces with the Site Generated Radiological Waste Handling System, and with other MGR systems that support the waste processing operations. The Waste Treatment Building System interfaces with the General Site Transportation System, Site Communications System, Site Water System, MGR Site Layout, Safeguards and Security System, Site Radiological Monitoring System, Site Electrical Power System, Site Compressed Air System, and Waste Treatment Building Ventilation System.« less

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.

Developing a common framework for integrated solid waste management advances in Managua, Nicaragua.

PubMed

Olley, Jane E; IJgosse, Jeroen; Rudin, Victoria; Alabaster, Graham

2014-09-01

This article describes the municipal solid waste management system in Managua, Nicaragua. It updates an initial profile developed by the authors for the 2010 UN-HABITAT publication Solid Waste Management in the World's Cities and applies the methodology developed in that publication. In recent years, the municipality of Managua has been the beneficiary of a range of international cooperation projects aimed at improving municipal solid waste management in the city. The article describes how these technical assistance and infrastructure investments have changed the municipal solid waste management panorama in the city and analyses the sustainability of these changes. The article concludes that by working closely with the municipal government, the UN-HABITAT project Strengthening Capacities for Solid Waste Management in Managua was able to unite these separate efforts and situate them within a strategic framework to guide the evolution of the municipal solid waste management system in the forthcoming years. The creation of this multi-stakeholder platform allowed for the implementation of joint activities and ensured coherence in the products generated by the different projects. This approach could be replicated in other cities and in other sectors with similar effect. Developing a long term vision was essential for the advancement of municipal solid waste management in the city. Nevertheless, plan implementation may still be undermined by the pressures of the short term municipal administrative government, which emphasize operational over strategic investment. © The Author(s) 2014.

Process Waste Assessment for the Diana Laser Laboratory

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

Phillips, N.M.

1993-12-01

This Process Waste Assessment was conducted to evaluate the Diana Laser Laboratory, located in the Combustion Research Facility. It documents the hazardous chemical waste streams generated by the laser process and establishes a baseline for future waste minimization efforts. This Process Waste Assessment will be reevaluated in approximately 18 to 24 months, after enough time has passed to implement recommendations and to compare results with the baseline established in this assessment.

Development of a system for treatment of coconut industry wastewater using electrochemical processes followed by Fenton reaction.

PubMed

Gomes, Lúcio de Moura; Duarte, José Leandro da Silva; Pereira, Nathalia Marcelino; Martínez-Huitle, Carlos A; Tonholo, Josealdo; Zanta, Carmen Lúcia de Paiva E Silva

2014-01-01

The coconut processing industry generates a significant amount of liquid waste. New technologies targeting the treatment of industrial effluents have emerged, including advanced oxidation processes, the Fenton reaction, and electrochemical processes, which produce strong oxidizing species to remove organic matter. In this study we combined the Fenton reaction and electrochemical process to treat wastewater generated by the coconut industry. We prepared a synthetic wastewater consisting of a mixture of coconut milk and water and assessed how the Fenton reagents' concentration, the cathode material, the current density, and the implementation of associated technologies affect its treatment. Electrochemical treatment followed by the Fenton reaction diminished turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 85 and 95%, respectively. The Fenton reaction followed by the electrochemical process reduced turbidity and COD by 93 and 85%, respectively. Therefore, a combination of the Fenton and electrochemical technologies can effectively treat the effluent from the coconut processing industry.

Vermiremediation and nutrient recovery of non-recyclable paper waste employing Eisenia fetida.

PubMed

Gupta, Renuka; Garg, V K

2009-02-15

With the industrial growth, changing life style and consumeristic attitude paper consumption has increased significantly in yesteryears. The authors have observed that waste paper obtained from consumable items and used paper products are disposed in open by the consumers as these are not accepted by the salvaging industry. In the present study, an attempt has been made to vermicompost non-recyclable post-consumer paper waste (PW) amended with cow dung (CD) employing Eisenia fetida earthworm in order to transform it into a value added product, i.e., vermicompost. Vermicomposting of paper waste resulted in net reduction in ash content and total organic carbon (42.5-56.8%) but increment in total Kjeldhal nitrogen (2.0-2.4-fold), total potassium (2.0-fold), and total phosphorous (1.4-1.8-fold) was achieved after 91 days of worms' activity. The C:N ratio decreased with time in all the worm-worked vermireactors in the range of 71.9-82.0%, depicting advanced degree of organic matter stabilization. The FT-IR spectroscopy of the vermicomposts showed reduction in aliphatic compounds during the vermicomposting process. The results also demonstrated the worm growth and reproduction are not significantly affected if PW content is upto 30% in the vermireactor.

Determination of the Porosity Surfaces of the Disposal Room Containing Various Waste Inventories for WIPP PA

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

Park, Byoung Yoon; Hansen, Francis D.

2005-07-01

This report develops a series of porosity surfaces for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The concept of a porosity surface was developed for performance assessment and comprises calculation of room closure as salt creep processes are mitigated by gas generation and back stress created by the waste packages within the rooms. The physical and mechanical characteristics of the waste packaging that has already been disposed--such as the pipe overpack--and new waste packaging--such as the advanced mixed waste compaction--are appreciably different than the waste form upon which the original compliance was based and approved. This report provides structural analyses of roommore » closure with various waste inventories. All of the underlying assumptions pertaining to the original compliance certification including the same finite element code are implemented; only the material parameters describing the more robust waste packages are changed from the certified baseline. As modeled, the more rigid waste tends to hold open the rooms and create relatively more void space in the underground than identical calculations run on the standard waste packages, which underpin the compliance certification. The several porosity surfaces quantified within this report provide possible ranges of pressure and porosity for performance assessment analyses.3 Intentionally blank4 AcknowledgementsThis research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. The authors would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions to this work provided by others. Dr. Joshua S. Stein helped explain the hand off between these finite element porosity surfaces and implementation in the performance calculations. Dr. Leo L. Van Sambeek of RESPEC Inc. helped us understand the concepts of room closure under the circumstances created by a rigid waste inventory. Dr. T. William Thompson and Tom W. Pfeifle provided technical review and Mario J. Chavez provided a Quality Assurance review. The paper has been improved by these individuals.Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC04-94Al850005 Intentionally Blank6« less

Robotics crosscutting program: Technology summary

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

NONE

The Office of Environmental Management (EM) is responsible for cleaning up the legacy of radioactive and chemically hazardous waste at contaminated sites and facilities throughout the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons complex, preventing further environmental contamination, and instituting responsible environmental management. Initial efforts to achieve this mission resulted in the establishment of environmental restoration and waste management programs. However, as EM began to execute its responsibilities, decision makers became aware that the complexity and magnitude of this mission could not be achieved efficiently, affordably, safely, or reasonably with existing technology. Once the need for advanced cleanup technologies becamemore » evident, EM established an aggressive, innovative program of applied research and technology development. The Office of Technology Development (OTD) was established in November 1989 to advance new and improved environmental restoration and waste management technologies that would reduce risks to workers, the public, and the environment; reduce cleanup costs; and devise methods to correct cleanup problems that currently have no solutions. In 1996, OTD added two new responsibilities - management of a Congressionally mandated environmental science program and development of risk policy, requirements, and guidance. OTD was renamed the Office of Science and Technology (OST). This documents presents information concerning robotics tank waste retrieval overview, robotic chemical analysis automation, robotics decontamination and dismantlement, and robotics crosscutting and advanced technology.« less

Modelling of Two-Stage Methane Digestion With Pretreatment of Biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dychko, A.; Remez, N.; Opolinskyi, I.; Kraychuk, S.; Ostapchuk, N.; Yevtieieva, L.

2018-04-01

Systems of anaerobic digestion should be used for processing of organic waste. Managing the process of anaerobic recycling of organic waste requires reliable predicting of biogas production. Development of mathematical model of process of organic waste digestion allows determining the rate of biogas output at the two-stage process of anaerobic digestion considering the first stage. Verification of Konto's model, based on the studied anaerobic processing of organic waste, is implemented. The dependencies of biogas output and its rate from time are set and may be used to predict the process of anaerobic processing of organic waste.

Recycling of mixed wastes using Quantum-CEP{trademark}

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

Sameski, B.

1997-02-01

The author describes the process that M4 Environmental Management, Inc., is commercializing for the treatment of mixed wastes. He summarizes the types of wastes which the process can be applied to, the products which come out of the process, and examples of various waste streams which have been processed. The process is presently licensed to treat mixed wastes and the company has in place contracts for such services. The process uses a molten metal bath to catalyze reactions which break the incoming products down to an atomic level, and allow different process steams to be tapped at the output end.

Selection and Evaluation of Chemical Indicators for Waste Stream Identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeVita, W. M.; Hall, J.

2015-12-01

Human and animal wastes pose a threat to the quality of groundwater, surface water and drinking water. This is especially of concern for private and public water supplies in agricultural areas of Wisconsin where land spreading of livestock waste occurs on thin soils overlaying fractured bedrock. Current microbial source tracking (MST) methods for source identification requires the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. Due to cost, these tests are often not an option for homeowners, municipalities or state agencies with limited resources. The Water and Environmental Analysis Laboratory sought to develop chemical methods to provide lower cost processes to determine sources of fecal waste using fecal sterols, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary) and human care/use products in ground and surface waters using solid phase extraction combined with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The two separate techniques allow for the detection of fecal sterol and other chemical markers in the sub part per billion-range. Fecal sterol ratios from published sources were used to evaluate drinking water samples and wastewater from onsite waste treatment systems and municipal wastewater treatment plants. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products indicative of human waste included: acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, cotinine, paraxanthine, sulfamethoxazole, and the artificial sweeteners; acesulfame, saccharin, and sucralose. The bovine antibiotic sulfamethazine was also targeted. Well water samples with suspected fecal contamination were analyzed for fecal sterols and PPCPs. Results were compared to traditional MST results from the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. Chemical indicators were found in 6 of 11 drinking water samples, and 5 of 11 were in support of MST results. Lack of detection of chemical indicators in samples contaminated with fecal waste supports the need for confirmatory methods and advancement of chemical indicator detection technologies.

Recycling process for recovery of gallium from GaN an e-waste of LED industry through ball milling, annealing and leaching

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

Swain, Basudev, E-mail: swain@iae.re.kr; Mishra, Chinmayee; Kang, Leeseung

Waste dust generated during manufacturing of LED contains significant amounts of gallium and indium, needs suitable treatment and can be an important resource for recovery. The LED industry waste dust contains primarily gallium as GaN. Leaching followed by purification technology is the green and clean technology. To develop treatment and recycling technology of these GaN bearing e-waste, leaching is the primary stage. In our current investigation possible process for treatment and quantitative leaching of gallium and indium from the GaN bearing e-waste or waste of LED industry dust has been developed. To recycle the waste and quantitative leaching of gallium,more » two different process flow sheets have been proposed. In one, process first the GaN of the waste the LED industry dust was leached at the optimum condition. Subsequently, the leach residue was mixed with Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, ball milled followed by annealing, again leached to recover gallium. In the second process, the waste LED industry dust was mixed with Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, after ball milling and annealing, followed acidic leaching. Without pretreatment, the gallium leaching was only 4.91 w/w % using 4 M HCl, 100 °C and pulp density of 20 g/L. After mechano-chemical processing, both these processes achieved 73.68 w/w % of gallium leaching at their optimum condition. The developed process can treat and recycle any e-waste containing GaN through ball milling, annealing and leaching. - Highlights: • Simplest process for treatment of GaN an LED industry waste developed. • The process developed recovers gallium from waste LED waste dust. • Thermal analysis and phase properties of GaN to Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} and GaN to NaGaO{sub 2} revealed. • Solid-state chemistry involved in this process reported. • Quantitative leaching of the GaN was achieved.« less

Operating boundaries of full-scale advanced water reuse treatment plants: many lessons learned from pilot plant experience.

PubMed

Bele, C; Kumar, Y; Walker, T; Poussade, Y; Zavlanos, V

2010-01-01

Three Advanced Water Treatment Plants (AWTP) have recently been built in South East Queensland as part of the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project (WCRWP) producing Purified Recycled Water from secondary treated waste water for the purpose of indirect potable reuse. At Luggage Point, a demonstration plant was primarily operated by the design team for design verification. The investigation program was then extended so that the operating team could investigate possible process optimisation, and operation flexibility. Extending the demonstration plant investigation program enabled monitoring of the long term performance of the microfiltration and reverse osmosis membranes, which did not appear to foul even after more than a year of operation. The investigation primarily identified several ways to optimise the process. It highlighted areas of risk for treated water quality, such as total nitrogen. Ample and rapid swings of salinity from 850 to 3,000 mg/l-TDS were predicted to affect the RO process day-to-day operation and monitoring. Most of the setpoints used for monitoring under HACCP were determined during the pilot plant trials.

Optimizing edible fungal growth and biodegradation of inedible crop residues using various cropping methods.

PubMed

Nyochembeng, Leopold M; Beyl, Caula A; Pacumbaba, R P

2008-09-01

Long-term manned space flights to Mars require the development of an advanced life support (ALS) ecosystem including efficient food crop production, processing and recycling waste products thereof. Using edible white rot fungi (EWRF) to achieve effective biomass transformation in ALS requires optimal and rapid biodegradative activity on lignocellulosic wastes. We investigated the mycelial growth of Lentinula edodes and Pleurotus ostreatus on processed residues of various crops under various cropping patterns. In single cropping, mycelial growth and fruiting in all strains were significantly repressed on sweet potato and basil. However, growth of the strains was improved when sweet potato and basil residues were paired with rice or wheat straw. Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus) strains were better than shiitake (L. edodes) strains under single, paired, and mixed cropping patterns. Mixed cropping further eliminated the inherent inhibitory effect of sweet potato, basil, or lettuce on fungal growth. Co-cropping fungal species had a synergistic effect on rate of fungal growth, substrate colonization, and fruiting. Use of efficient cropping methods may enhance fungal growth, fruiting, biodegradation of crop residues, and efficiency of biomass recycling.

Hybrid biological, electron beam and zero-valent nano iron treatment of recalcitrant metalworking fluids.

PubMed

Thill, Patrick G; Ager, Duane K; Vojnovic, Borivoj; Tesh, Sarah J; Scott, Thomas B; Thompson, Ian P

2016-04-15

Hybrid approaches for the remediation and detoxification of toxic recalcitrant industrial wastewater were investigated. The focus was waste metalworking fluid, which was selected as a representative model of other waste streams that are toxic, recalcitrant and that require more sustainable routes of safe disposal. The hybrid approaches included biodegradation, electron beam irradiation and zero-valent nano iron advanced oxidation processes that were employed individually and in sequence employing a factorial design. To compare process performance operationally exhausted and pristine metalworking fluid were compared. Sequential hybrid electron beam irradiation, biological, nanoscale zero-valent iron and biological treatment lead to synergistic detoxification and degradation of both recalcitrant streams, as determined by complementary surrogates and lead to overall improved COD removal of 92.8 ± 1.4% up from 85.9 ± 3.4% for the pristine metalworking fluid. Electron beam pre-treatment enabled more effective biotreatment, achieving 69.5 ± 8% (p = 0.005) and 24.6 ± 4.8% (p = 0.044) COD reductions. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Off-Gas Treatment: Evaluation of Nano-structured Sorbents for Selective Removal of Contaminants

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

Utgikar, Vivek; Aston, D. Eric; Sabharwall, Piyush

Nuclear energy has practically unlimited potential to satisfy world’s energy needs for the foreseeable future. However, a comprehensive and reliable solution must be devised to address the key issues related to nuclear waste management in order to develop nuclear energy in a safe and responsible manner. Capture and immobilization of volatile radionuclides from nuclear operations is an essential component of an integrated nuclear waste management system. The majority of emissions occur during the treatment of the used nuclear fuel (UNF) as it is chopped and dissolved in the boiling nitric acid for subsequent extraction steps. The radionuclides contained in themore » off-gas include 129I, 85Kr, tritium (3H) and 14C. Several alternative technologies have been investigated, with effective adsorption based processes holding the most potential for controlling these emissions, which is highly desirable for the development of the advanced fuel cycle. Proposed project is aimed at developing using a nanosorbent-based process for the capture and immobilization of the radionuclides of interest.« less

A Primer on Wastewater Treatment, July 1976 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Public Affairs.

This general information pamphlet is concerned with the types of wastewater treatment systems, the need for further treatment, and advanced methods of treating waste. Current methods are described, illustrated and evaluated. Pollution problems from oxygen-demanding wastes, disease-causing agents, plant nutrients, synthetic chemicals, inorganic…

48 CFR 904.7102 - Waiver by the Secretary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... restoration, remediation or waste management contracts at a DOE facility if the Secretary determines that a waiver will advance the environmental restoration, remediation or waste management objectives of DOE... description of the control by a foreign government; (2) Description of the procurement and performance...

ADVANCES IN ENCAPSULATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF MERCURY CONTAMINATED HAZARDOUS WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

Although industrial and commercial uses of mercury have been curtailed in recent times, there is a demonstrated need for the development of reliable hazardous waste management techniques because of historic operations that have led to significant contamination and ongoing hazardo...

Advanced Technologies to Improve Closure of Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.

2016-01-01

As NASA looks beyond the International Space Station toward long-duration, deep space missions away from Earth, the current practice of supplying consumables and spares will not be practical nor affordable. New approaches are sought for life support and habitation systems that will reduce dependency on Earth and increase mission sustainability. To reduce launch mass, further closure of Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) beyond the current capability of the ISS will be required. Areas of particular interest include achieving higher degrees of recycling within Atmosphere Revitalization, Water Recovery and Waste Management Systems. NASA is currently investigating advanced carbon dioxide reduction processes that surpass the level of oxygen recovery available from the Sabatier Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) on the ISS. Candidate technologies will potentially improve the recovery of oxygen from about 50% (for the CRA) to as much as 100% for technologies who's end product is solid carbon. Improving the efficiency of water recycling and recovery can be achieved by the addition of advanced technologies to recover water from brines and solid wastes. Bioregenerative technologies may be utilized for water reclaimation and also for the production of food. Use of higher plants will simultaneously benefit atmosphere revitalization and water recovery through photosynthesis and transpiration. The level at which bioregenerative technologies are utilized will depend on their comparative requirements for spacecraft resources including mass, power, volume, heat rejection, crew time and reliability. Planetary protection requirements will need to be considered for missions to other solar system bodies.

The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Environmental Management Cooperation Program with the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency (ROSATOM)

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

Gerdes, K.D.; Holtzscheiter, E.W.

2006-07-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) has collaborated with the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency - Rosatom (formerly Minatom) for 14 years on waste management challenges of mutual concern. Currently, EM is cooperating with Rosatom to explore issues related to high-level waste and investigate Russian experience and technologies that could support EM site cleanup needs. EM and Rosatom are currently implementing six collaborative projects on high-level waste issues: 1) Advanced Melter Technology Application to the U.S. DOE Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) - Cold Crucible Induction Heated Melter (CCIM); 2) - Design Improvements to themore » Cold Crucible Induction Heated Melter; 3) Long-term Performance of Hanford Low-Activity Glasses in Burial Environments; 4) Low-Activity-Waste (LAW) Glass Sulfur Tolerance; 5) Improved Retention of Key Contaminants of Concern in Low Temperature Immobilized Waste Forms; and, 6) Documentation of Mixing and Retrieval Experience at Zheleznogorsk. Preliminary results and the path forward for these projects will be discussed. An overview of two new projects 7) Entombment technology performance and methodology for the Future 8) Radiation Migration Studies at Key Russian Nuclear Disposal Sites is also provided. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of EM's objectives for participating in cooperative activities with the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency, present programmatic and technical information on these activities, and outline specific technical collaborations currently underway and planned to support DOE's cleanup and closure mission. (authors)« less

Advanced Multi-Effect Distillation System for Desalination Using Waste Heat fromGas Brayton Cycles

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

Haihua Zhao; Per F. Peterson

2012-10-01

Generation IV high temperature reactor systems use closed gas Brayton Cycles to realize high thermal efficiency in the range of 40% to 60%. The waste heat is removed through coolers by water at substantially greater average temperature than in conventional Rankine steam cycles. This paper introduces an innovative Advanced Multi-Effect Distillation (AMED) design that can enable the production of substantial quantities of low-cost desalinated water using waste heat from closed gas Brayton cycles. A reference AMED design configuration, optimization models, and simplified economics analysis are presented. By using an AMED distillation system the waste heat from closed gas Brayton cyclesmore » can be fully utilized to desalinate brackish water and seawater without affecting the cycle thermal efficiency. Analysis shows that cogeneration of electricity and desalinated water can increase net revenues for several Brayton cycles while generating large quantities of potable water. The AMED combining with closed gas Brayton cycles could significantly improve the sustainability and economics of Generation IV high temperature reactors.« less

Multi-discipline Waste Acceptance Process at the Nevada National Security Site - 13573

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

Carilli, Jhon T.; Krenzien, Susan K.

2013-07-01

The Nevada National Security Site low-level radioactive waste disposal facility acceptance process requires multiple disciplines to ensure the protection of workers, the public, and the environment. These disciplines, which include waste acceptance, nuclear criticality, safety, permitting, operations, and performance assessment, combine into the overall waste acceptance process to assess low-level radioactive waste streams for disposal at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site. Four waste streams recently highlighted the integration of these disciplines: the Oak Ridge Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators and Consolidated Edison Uranium Solidification Project material, West Valley Melter, and classified waste. (authors)

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

Characterization and Thermodynamics Studies of Feldspar and Feldspathoid Minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudow, M.; Lilova, K.

2015-12-01

The application of thermal analysis and calorimetry for the studies of minerals has a history as long as the existence of the thermal methods themselves. New advanced calorimetric techniques have been developed for more accurate characterization of both bulk and nano materials thus impacting their design, processing, and applications. TG-DTA and TG-DSC are used to characterize the composition of complex minerals (e.g. [KxNa1-x(AlSi3)O8]) based on the weight changes and phase transformations observed with temperature increase. Additionally, those techniques allow to determine the quantity of the different types of water contained in natural feldspars and feldspathoids (absorbed, interlayer, structural). The results for several clays will be discussed. The geochemical properties and thermal stability of another class of minerals - aluminosilicate frameworks (alkali sodalities, natrolites, etc.) as related to high-level nuclear waste treatment facilities, radioactive waste storage and management were studied. The natural sodalite Na8[Al6Si6O24]Cl2 and similar frameworks with different anions are part of sodium-aluminosilicate (NAS) low activity radioactive waste produced during steam reforming process treatment. The enthalpies and entropies of formation and the hydration enthalpies of the above-mentioned feltspathoids are obtained and the effect of the different cations and anions on the thermodynamic stability was studied. The results will allow to predict the long term behavior of the compounds in the environment under different conditions.

Marine pollution. Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean.

PubMed

Jambeck, Jenna R; Geyer, Roland; Wilcox, Chris; Siegler, Theodore R; Perryman, Miriam; Andrady, Anthony; Narayan, Ramani; Law, Kara Lavender

2015-02-13

Plastic debris in the marine environment is widely documented, but the quantity of plastic entering the ocean from waste generated on land is unknown. By linking worldwide data on solid waste, population density, and economic status, we estimated the mass of land-based plastic waste entering the ocean. We calculate that 275 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste was generated in 192 coastal countries in 2010, with 4.8 to 12.7 million MT entering the ocean. Population size and the quality of waste management systems largely determine which countries contribute the greatest mass of uncaptured waste available to become plastic marine debris. Without waste management infrastructure improvements, the cumulative quantity of plastic waste available to enter the ocean from land is predicted to increase by an order of magnitude by 2025. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Food waste and food processing waste for biohydrogen production: a review.

PubMed

Yasin, Nazlina Haiza Mohd; Mumtaz, Tabassum; Hassan, Mohd Ali; Abd Rahman, Nor'Aini

2013-11-30

Food waste and food processing wastes which are abundant in nature and rich in carbon content can be attractive renewable substrates for sustainable biohydrogen production due to wide economic prospects in industries. Many studies utilizing common food wastes such as dining hall or restaurant waste and wastes generated from food processing industries have shown good percentages of hydrogen in gas composition, production yield and rate. The carbon composition in food waste also plays a crucial role in determining high biohydrogen yield. Physicochemical factors such as pre-treatment to seed culture, pH, temperature (mesophilic/thermophilic) and etc. are also important to ensure the dominance of hydrogen-producing bacteria in dark fermentation. This review demonstrates the potential of food waste and food processing waste for biohydrogen production and provides a brief overview of several physicochemical factors that affect biohydrogen production in dark fermentation. The economic viability of biohydrogen production from food waste is also discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hazardous Waste Minimization Assessment: Fort Campbell, Kentucky

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

Used Oii - Better Operating Practices . Selective Segregation 97 Used Oil - Process Change - Fast Lube Oil Change System (FLOCS) 98 Caustic Wastes...Product Substitution 98 Caustic Wastes - Process Change - Hot Tank (Equipment) Modifications 98 Aqueous or Caustic Wastes - Process Change - Dry Ovens...Aqueous or Caustic Wastes - Equipment Leasiag 102 Dirty Rags/Uniforms • Onsite/Offsite Recycling - Laundry Service 103 Treatment 103 Used Oil - Onsite

Bubblers Speed Nuclear Waste Processing at SRS

ScienceCinema

None

2018-05-23

At the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding has supported installation of bubbler technology and related enhancements in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). The improvements will accelerate the processing of radioactive waste into a safe, stable form for storage and permit expedited closure of underground waste tanks holding 37 million gallons of liquid nuclear waste.

Process control plan for 242-A Evaporator Campaign 95-1

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

Le, E.Q.; Guthrie, M.D.

1995-05-18

The wastes from tanks 106-AP, 107-AP, and 106-AW have been selected to be candidate feed wastes for Evaporator Campaign 95-1. The wastes in tank 106-AP and 107-AP are primarily from B-Plant strontium processing and PUREX neutralized cladding removal, respectively. The waste in tank 106-AW originated primarily from the partially concentrated product from 242-A Evaporator Campaign 94-2. Approximately 8.67 million liters of waste from these tanks will be transferred to tank 102-AW during the campaign. Tank 102-AW is the dedicated waste feed tank for the evaporator and currently contains 647,000 liters of processable waste. The purpose of the 242-A Evaporator Campaignmore » 95-1 Process Control Plan (hereafter referred to as PCP) is to certify that the wastes in tanks 106-AP, 107-AP, 102-AW, and 106-AW are acceptable for processing through evaporator and provide a general description of process strategies and activities which will take place during Campaign 95-1. The PCP also summarizes and presents a comprehensive characterization of the wastes in these tanks.« less

Membrane Distillation Bioreactor (MDBR) - A lower Green-House-Gas (GHG) option for industrial wastewater reclamation.

PubMed

Goh, Shuwen; Zhang, Jinsong; Liu, Yu; Fane, Anthony G

2015-12-01

A high-retention membrane bioreactor system, the Membrane Distillation Bioreactor (MDBR) is a wastewater reclamation process which has the potential to tap on waste heat generated in industries to produce high quality product water. There are a few key factors which could make MDBR an attractive advanced treatment option, namely tightening legal requirements due to increasing concerns on the micropollutants in industrial wastewater effluents as well as concerns over the electrical requirement of pressurized advanced treatment processes and greenhouse gas emissions associated with wastewater reclamation. This paper aims to provide a consolidated review on the current state of research for the MDBR system and to evaluate the system as a possible lower Green House Gas (GHG) emission option for wastewater reclamation using the membrane bioreactor-reverse osmosis (MBR-RO) system as a baseline for comparison. The areas for potential applications and possible configurations for MDBR applications are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated Data Assimilation and Flight Planning for Multi-Platform Observation Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oza, Nikunj; Morris, Robert A.; Strawa, Anthony; Kurklu, Elif; Keely, Leslie

2008-01-01

This is a progress report on an effort in which our goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of automated data mining and planning for the daily management of Earth Science missions. Currently, data mining and machine learning technologies are being used by scientists at research labs for validating Earth science models. However, few if any of these advanced techniques are currently being integrated into daily mission operations. Consequently, there are significant gaps in the knowledge that can be derived from the models and data that are used each day for guiding mission activities. The result can be sub-optimal observation plans, lack of useful data, and wasteful use of resources. Recent advances in data mining, machine learning, and planning make it feasible to migrate these technologies into the daily mission planning cycle. We describe the design of a closed loop system for data acquisition, processing, and flight planning that integrates the results of machine learning into the flight planning process.

The Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) program office of industrial technologies fiscal year 1995

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

Sorrell, C.A.

1997-04-01

In many ways, the Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) Program underwent a major transformation in FY95 and these changes have continued to the present. When the Program was established in 1990 as the Advanced Industrial Concepts (AIC) Materials Program, the mission was to conduct applied research and development to bring materials and processing technologies from the knowledge derived from basic research to the maturity required for the end use sectors for commercialization. In 1995, the Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) made radical changes in structure and procedures. All technology development was directed toward the seven `Vision Industries` that use about 80%more » of industrial energy and generated about 90% of industrial wastes. These are: aluminium; chemical; forest products; glass; metal casting; refineries; and steel. OIT is working with these industries, through appropriate organizations, to develop Visions of the desired condition of each industry some 20 to 25 years in the future and then to prepare Road Maps and Implementation Plans to enable them to reach their goals. The mission of AIM has, therefore, changed to `Support development and commercialization of new or improved materials to improve productivity, product quality, and energy efficiency in the major process industries.`« less

An advanced study on the hydrometallurgical processing of waste computer printed circuit boards to extract their valuable content of metals.

PubMed

Birloaga, Ionela; Coman, Vasile; Kopacek, Bernd; Vegliò, Francesco

2014-12-01

This study refers to two chemical leaching systems for the base and precious metals extraction from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs); sulfuric acid with hydrogen peroxide have been used for the first group of metals, meantime thiourea with the ferric ion in sulfuric acid medium were employed for the second one. The cementation process with zinc, copper and iron metal powders was attempted for solutions purification. The effects of hydrogen peroxide volume in rapport with sulfuric acid concentration and temperature were evaluated for oxidative leaching process. 2M H2SO4 (98% w/v), 5% H2O2, 25 °C, 1/10 S/L ratio and 200 rpm were founded as optimal conditions for Cu extraction. Thiourea acid leaching process, performed on the solid filtrate obtained after three oxidative leaching steps, was carried out with 20 g/L of CS(NH2)2, 6g/L of Fe(3+), 0.5M H2SO4, The cross-leaching method was applied by reusing of thiourea liquid suspension and immersing 5 g/L of this reagent for each other experiment material of leaching. This procedure has lead to the doubling and, respectively, tripling, of gold and silver concentrations into solution. These results reveal a very efficient, promising and environmental friendly method for WPCBs processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lean manufacturing and Toyota Production System terminology applied to the procurement of vascular stents in interventional radiology.

PubMed

de Bucourt, Maximilian; Busse, Reinhard; Güttler, Felix; Wintzer, Christian; Collettini, Federico; Kloeters, Christian; Hamm, Bernd; Teichgräber, Ulf K

2011-08-01

OBJECTIVES: To apply the economic terminology of lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System to the procurement of vascular stents in interventional radiology. METHODS: The economic- and process-driven terminology of lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System is first presented, including information and product flow as well as value stream mapping (VSM), and then applied to an interdisciplinary setting of physicians, nurses and technicians from different medical departments to identify wastes in the process of endovascular stent procurement in interventional radiology. RESULTS: Using the so-called seven wastes approach of the Toyota Production System (waste of overproducing, waiting, transport, processing, inventory, motion and waste of defects and spoilage) as well as further waste characteristics (gross waste, process and method waste, and micro waste), wastes in the process of endovascular stent procurement in interventional radiology were identified and eliminated to create an overall smoother process from the procurement as well as from the medical perspective. CONCLUSION: Economic terminology of lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System, especially VSM, can be used to visualise and better understand processes in the procurement of vascular stents in interventional radiology from an economic point of view.

LEATHER TANNERY WASTE MANAGEMENT THROUGH PROCESS CHANGE, REUSE AND PRETREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Reduction of tannery waste, i.e., trivalent chromium, sulfide and oil and grease components has been accomplished by process change. Protein recovery and hydroclonic separation of solids was shown to be possible in tannery processing in reducing waste loading. All waste load redu...

40 CFR 421.13 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of process waste water pollutants to navigable waters. (b) During any calendar month there may be discharged from the overflow of a process waste water impoundment either a volume of process waste water... the evaporation within the impoundment for that month, or, if greater, a volume of process waste water...

Minimally processed beetroot waste as an alternative source to obtain functional ingredients.

PubMed

Costa, Anne Porto Dalla; Hermes, Vanessa Stahl; Rios, Alessandro de Oliveira; Flôres, Simone Hickmann

2017-06-01

Large amounts of waste are generated by the minimally processed vegetables industry, such as those from beetroot processing. The aim of this study was to determine the best method to obtain flour from minimally processed beetroot waste dried at different temperatures, besides producing a colorant from such waste and assessing its stability along 45 days. Beetroot waste dried at 70 °C originates flour with significant antioxidant activity and higher betalain content than flour produced from waste dried at 60 and 80 °C, while chlorination had no impact on the process since microbiological results were consistent for its application. The colorant obtained from beetroot waste showed color stability for 20 days and potential antioxidant activity over the analysis period, thus it can be used as a functional additive to improve nutritional characteristics and appearance of food products. These results are promising since minimally processed beetroot waste can be used as an alternative source of natural and functional ingredients with high antioxidant activity and betalain content.

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

Cada, G.F.

H-coal is a process for the direct liquefaction of coal to produce synthetic fuels. Its development has progressed from bench-scale testing through operation of a 2.7 Mg/d (3 ton/d) Process Development Unit. A large-scale H-Coal pilot plant is presently operating at Catlettsburg, Kentucky, and there are plans for the construction of a commercial H-Coal liquefaction facility by the end of the decade. Two of the environmental concerns of the developing direct coal liquefaction industry are accidental spills of synthetic oils and treatment/storage of solid wastes. As a means of obtaining preliminary information on the severity of these potential impacts wellmore » in advance of commercialization, samples of product oils and solid wastes were obtained from the H-Coal Process Development Unit (PDU). These samples were subjected to a battery of rapid screening tests, including chemical characterization and bioassays with a variety of aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Water-soluble fraction (WSFs) of H-Coal PDU oils had considerably higher concentrations of phenols and anilines and were commonly one to two orders of magnitude more toxic to aquatic organisms than WSFs of analogous petroleum crude oil. Whole H-Coal PDU oils were also more toxic to the cricket than petroleum-based oils, and some H-Coal samples showed evidence of teratogenicity. Leachates from H-Coal PDU solid wastes, on the other hand, had relatively low concentrations of selected elements and had essentially no acute toxicity to a variety of aquatic and terrestrial species. These studies indicate that environmental effects of product oil spills from a commercial H-Coal liquefaction plant are likely to be more severe than those of conventional petroleum spills. Product upgrading or special transportation and storage techniques may be needed to ensure environmentally sound commercialization of the H-Coal process.« less

A Centrifugal Contactor Design to Facilitate Remote Replacement

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

David H. Meikrantz; Jack. D. Law; Troy G. Garn

2011-03-01

Advanced designs of nuclear fuel recycling and radioactive waste treatment plants are expected to include more ambitious goals for solvent extraction based separations including; higher separations efficiency, high-level waste minimization, and a greater focus on continuous processes to minimize cost and footprint. Therefore, Annular Centrifugal Contactors (ACCs) are destined to play a more important role for such future processing schemes. This work continues the development of remote designs for ACCs that can process the large throughputs needed for future nuclear fuel recycling and radioactive waste treatment plants. A three stage, 12.5 cm diameter rotor module has been constructed and ismore » being evaluated for use in highly radioactive environments. This prototype assembly employs three standard CINC V-05 clean-in-place (CIP) units modified for remote service and replacement via new methods of connection for solution inlets, outlets, drain and CIP. Hydraulic testing and functional checks were successfully conducted and then the prototype was evaluated for remote handling and maintenance. Removal and replacement of the center position V-05R contactor in the three stage assembly was demonstrated using an overhead rail mounted PaR manipulator. Initial evaluation indicates a viable new design for interconnecting and cleaning individual stages while retaining the benefits of commercially reliable ACC equipment. Replacement of a single stage via remote manipulators and tools is estimated to take about 30 minutes, perhaps fast enough to support a contactor change without loss of process equilibrium. The design presented in this work is scalable to commercial ACC models from V-05 to V-20 with total throughput rates ranging from 20 to 650 liters per minute.« less

Single cell protein production of Chlorella sp. using food processing waste as a cultivation medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putri, D.; Ulhidayati, A.; Musthofa, I. A.; Wardani, A. K.

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various food processing wastes on the production of single cell protein by Chlorella sp. Three various food processing wastes i.e. tofu waste, tempeh waste and cheese whey waste were used as cultivation medium for Chlorella sp. growth. Sea water was used as a control of cultivation medium. The addition of waste into cultivation medium was 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. The result showed that the highest yield of cell mass and protein content was found in 50% tofu waste cultivation medium was 47.8 × 106 cell/ml with protein content was 52.24%. The 50% tofu waste medium showed improved cell yield as nearly as 30% than tempeh waste medium. The yield of biomass and protein content when 30% tempeh waste was used as cultivation medium was 37.1 × 106 cell/ml and 52%, respectively. Thus, food processing waste especially tofu waste would be a promising candidate for cultivation medium for single cell production from Chlorella sp. Moreover, the utilization of waste can reduce environmental pollution and increase protein supply for food supplement or animal feed.

Data analytics approach to create waste generation profiles for waste management and collection.

PubMed

Niska, Harri; Serkkola, Ari

2018-04-30

Extensive monitoring data on waste generation is increasingly collected in order to implement cost-efficient and sustainable waste management operations. In addition, geospatial data from different registries of the society are opening for free usage. Novel data analytics approaches can be built on the top of the data to produce more detailed, and in-time waste generation information for the basis of waste management and collection. In this paper, a data-based approach based on the self-organizing map (SOM) and the k-means algorithm is developed for creating a set of waste generation type profiles. The approach is demonstrated using the extensive container-level waste weighting data collected in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, Finland. The results obtained highlight the potential of advanced data analytic approaches in producing more detailed waste generation information e.g. for the basis of tailored feedback services for waste producers and the planning and optimization of waste collection and recycling. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aluminum phosphate ceramics for waste storage

DOEpatents

Wagh, Arun; Maloney, Martin D

2014-06-03

The present disclosure describes solid waste forms and methods of processing waste. In one particular implementation, the invention provides a method of processing waste that may be particularly suitable for processing hazardous waste. In this method, a waste component is combined with an aluminum oxide and an acidic phosphate component in a slurry. A molar ratio of aluminum to phosphorus in the slurry is greater than one. Water in the slurry may be evaporated while mixing the slurry at a temperature of about 140-200.degree. C. The mixed slurry may be allowed to cure into a solid waste form. This solid waste form includes an anhydrous aluminum phosphate with at least a residual portion of the waste component bound therein.

Gas Chromatic Mass Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wey, Chowen

1995-01-01

Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) used to measure and identify combustion species present in trace concentration. Advanced extractive diagnostic method measures to parts per billion (PPB), as well as differentiates between different types of hydrocarbons. Applicable for petrochemical, waste incinerator, diesel transporation, and electric utility companies in accurately monitoring types of hydrocarbon emissions generated by fuel combustion, in order to meet stricter environmental requirements. Other potential applications include manufacturing processes requiring precise detection of toxic gaseous chemicals, biomedical applications requiring precise identification of accumulative gaseous species, and gas utility operations requiring high-sensitivity leak detection.

Advanced Development Waste Processing Unit for Combat Vehicles. Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-29

Johns Manville Manufacturers # : 5346474 Type: Cera Blanket Size: 6 lb., I" thick Amount Used: 24" x 48" total TIME RPM TI O T 2 F T ,F T 4, Tbient F 1200...WPUBMO01 DATA SHEET DSO01-4 Date:NOV 2 5 186 i~ L , Candidate Insulation: Manufacturer: Johns Manville Manufacturer’s # : 5346474. Type: Cera Blanket Size...SHEET DS001-5 Date: EC 0 3 186 Candidate Insulation: Manufacturer: Johns Manville Manufacturerls # : 5346474 Type: Cera Blanket (F Size: 6 lb., 1

Biotechnology opportunities on Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deming, Jess; Henderson, Keith; Phillips, Robert W.; Dickey, Bernistine; Grounds, Phyllis

1987-01-01

Biotechnology applications which could be implemented on the Space Station are examined. The advances possible in biotechnology due to the favorable microgravity environment are discussed. The objectives of the Space Station Life Sciences Program are: (1) the study of human diseases, (2) biopolymer processing, and (3) the development of cryoprocessing and cryopreservation methods. The use of the microgravity environment for crystal growth, cell culturing, and the separation of biological materials is considered. The proposed Space Station research could provide benefits to the fields of medicine, pharmaceuticals, genetics, agriculture, and industrial waste management.

Economic and Environmental Analysis for Advancing Sustainable Management of Livestock Waste: A Wisconsin Case Study

EPA Science Inventory

Livestock waste may cause air quality degradation from ammonia and methane emissions, soil quality detriment from the in-excess nutrients and acidification, and water pollution issues from nutrient and pathogens runoff to the water bodies, leading to eutrophication, algal blooms,...

Enclosure from DOE letter dated 7/20/07 - Table 5-2, Isotopic Compositions of Rocky Flats Plutonium and Uranium

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This enclosure from a DOE letter to EPA regarding a waste container disposed at the WIPP from the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project includes Table 5-2, Isotopic Compositions of Rocky Flats Plutonium and Uranium.

THE IMPACT OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

Technological advancements in United States (U.S.) municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal and a focus on the environmental advantages of integrated MSW management have greatly reduced the environmental impacts of MSW management, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study ...

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY: VITRIFICATION OF SOILS CONTAMINATED BY HAZARDOUS AND/OR RADIOACTIVE WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

A performance summary of an advanced multifuel-capable combustion and melting system (CMS) for the vitrification of hazardous wastes is presented. Vortex Corporation has evaluated its patented CMS for use in the remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals and radionuclid...

Waste Determination Equivalency - 12172

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

Freeman, Rebecca D.

2012-07-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is a Department of Energy (DOE) facility encompassing approximately 800 square kilometers near Aiken, South Carolina which began operations in the 1950's with the mission to produce nuclear materials. The SRS contains fifty-one tanks (2 stabilized, 49 yet to be closed) distributed between two liquid radioactive waste storage facilities at SRS containing carbon steel underground tanks with storage capacities ranging from 2,800,000 to 4,900,000 liters. Treatment of the liquid waste from these tanks is essential both to closing older tanks and to maintaining space needed to treat the waste that is eventually vitrified or disposedmore » of onsite. Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) provides the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), a methodology to determine that certain waste resulting from prior reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel are not high-level radioactive waste if it can be demonstrated that the waste meets the criteria set forth in Section 3116(a) of the NDAA. The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the NRC, signed a determination in January 2006, pursuant to Section 3116(a) of the NDAA, for salt waste disposal at the SRS Saltstone Disposal Facility. This determination is based, in part, on the Basis for Section 3116 Determination for Salt Waste Disposal at the Savannah River Site and supporting references, a document that describes the planned methods of liquid waste treatment and the resulting waste streams. The document provides descriptions of the proposed methods for processing salt waste, dividing them into 'Interim Salt Processing' and later processing through the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF). Interim Salt Processing is separated into Deliquification, Dissolution, and Adjustment (DDA) and Actinide Removal Process/Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit (ARP/MCU). The Waste Determination was signed by the Secretary of Energy in January of 2006 based on proposed processing techniques with the expectation that it could be revised as new processing capabilities became viable. Once signed, however, it became evident that any changes would require lengthy review and another determination signed by the Secretary of Energy. With the maturation of additional salt removal technologies and the extension of the SWPF start-up date, it becomes necessary to define 'equivalency' to the processes laid out in the original determination. For the purposes of SRS, any waste not processed through Interim Salt Processing must be processed through SWPF or an equivalent process, and therefore a clear statement of the requirements for a process to be equivalent to SWPF becomes necessary. (authors)« less

Municipal waste processing apparatus

DOEpatents

Mayberry, J.L.

1988-04-13

This invention relates to apparatus for processing municipal waste, and more particularly to vibrating mesh screen conveyor systems for removing grit, glass, and other noncombustible materials from dry municipal waste. Municipal waste must be properly processed and disposed of so that it does not create health risks to the community. Generally, municipal waste, which may be collected in garbage trucks, dumpsters, or the like, is deposited in processing areas such as landfills. Land and environmental controls imposed on landfill operators by governmental bodies have increased in recent years, however, making landfill disposal of solid waste materials more expensive. 6 figs.

Enzymes and microorganisms in food industry waste processing and conversion to useful products: a review of the literature

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

Carroad, P.A.; Wilke, C.R.

1976-12-01

Bioconversion of food processing wastes is receiving increased attention with the realization that waste components represent an available and utilizable resource for conversion to useful products. Liquid wastes are characterized as dilute streams containing sugars, starches, proteins, and fats. Solid wastes are generally cellulosic, but may contain other biopolymers. The greatest potential for economic bioconversion is represented by processes to convert cellulose to glucose, glucose to alcohol and protein, starch to invert sugar, and dilute waste streams to methane by anaerobic digestion. Microbial or enzymatic processes to accomplish these conversions are described.

Process for remediation of plastic waste

DOEpatents

Pol, Vilas G [Westmont, IL; Thiyagarajan, Pappannan [Germantown, MD

2012-04-10

A single step process for degrading plastic waste by converting the plastic waste into carbonaceous products via thermal decomposition of the plastic waste by placing the plastic waste into a reactor, heating the plastic waste under an inert or air atmosphere until the temperature of 700.degree. C. is achieved, allowing the reactor to cool down, and recovering the resulting decomposition products therefrom. The decomposition products that this process yields are carbonaceous materials, and more specifically egg-shaped and spherical-shaped solid carbons. Additionally, in the presence of a transition metal compound, this thermal decomposition process produces multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Generic repository design concepts and thermal analysis (FY11).

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

Howard, Robert; Dupont, Mark; Blink, James A.

2011-08-01

Reference concepts for geologic disposal of used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste in the U.S. are developed, including geologic settings and engineered barriers. Repository thermal analysis is demonstrated for a range of waste types from projected future, advanced nuclear fuel cycles. The results show significant differences among geologic media considered (clay/shale, crystalline rock, salt), and also that waste package size and waste loading must be limited to meet targeted maximum temperature values. In this study, the UFD R&D Campaign has developed a set of reference geologic disposal concepts for a range of waste types that could potentially be generatedmore » in advanced nuclear FCs. A disposal concept consists of three components: waste inventory, geologic setting, and concept of operations. Mature repository concepts have been developed in other countries for disposal of spent LWR fuel and HLW from reprocessing UNF, and these serve as starting points for developing this set. Additional design details and EBS concepts will be considered as the reference disposal concepts evolve. The waste inventory considered in this study includes: (1) direct disposal of SNF from the LWR fleet, including Gen III+ advanced LWRs being developed through the Nuclear Power 2010 Program, operating in a once-through cycle; (2) waste generated from reprocessing of LWR UOX UNF to recover U and Pu, and subsequent direct disposal of used Pu-MOX fuel (also used in LWRs) in a modified-open cycle; and (3) waste generated by continuous recycling of metal fuel from fast reactors operating in a TRU burner configuration, with additional TRU material input supplied from reprocessing of LWR UOX fuel. The geologic setting provides the natural barriers, and establishes the boundary conditions for performance of engineered barriers. The composition and physical properties of the host medium dictate design and construction approaches, and determine hydrologic and thermal responses of the disposal system. Clay/shale, salt, and crystalline rock media are selected as the basis for reference mined geologic disposal concepts in this study, consistent with advanced international repository programs, and previous investigations in the U.S. The U.S. pursued deep geologic disposal programs in crystalline rock, shale, salt, and volcanic rock in the years leading up to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, or NWPA (Rechard et al. 2011). The 1987 NWPA amendment act focused the U.S. program on unsaturated, volcanic rock at the Yucca Mountain site, culminating in the 2008 license application. Additional work on unsaturated, crystalline rock settings (e.g., volcanic tuff) is not required to support this generic study. Reference disposal concepts are selected for the media listed above and for deep borehole disposal, drawing from recent work in the U.S. and internationally. The main features of the repository concepts are discussed in Section 4.5 and summarized in Table ES-1. Temperature histories at the waste package surface and a specified distance into the host rock are calculated for combinations of waste types and reference disposal concepts, specifying waste package emplacement modes. Target maximum waste package surface temperatures are identified, enabling a sensitivity study to inform the tradeoff between the quantity of waste per disposal package, and decay storage duration, with respect to peak temperature at the waste package surface. For surface storage duration on the order of 100 years or less, waste package sizes for direct disposal of SNF are effectively limited to 4-PWR configurations (or equivalent size and output). Thermal results are summarized, along with recommendations for follow-on work including adding additional reference concepts, verification and uncertainty analysis for thermal calculations, developing descriptions of surface facilities and other system details, and cost estimation to support system-level evaluations.« less

Advanced Life Systems for Extreme Environments: An Arctic Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Carol E.; Stanford, Kerry L.; Bubenheim, David L.; Covington, Alan (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The problems of obtaining adequate pure drinking water and disposing of liquid and solid waste in the U.S. Arctic, a region where virtually all water is frozen solid for much of the year, has led to unsanitary solutions (U.S. Arctic Research Commission). These solutions are also damaging to the environment. Sanitation and a safe water supply are particularly problems in rural villages. About one-fourth of Alaska's 86.000 Native residents live in these communities. They are without running water and use plastic buckets for toilets. The outbreak of diseases is believed to be partially attributable to exposure to human waste. Villages with the most frequent outbreaks of disease are those in which running water is difficult to obtain (Office of Technology Assessment, 1994). Waste is emptied into open lagoons, rivers, or onto the sea coast. It does not degrade rapidly and in addition to affecting human health, can be harmful to the fragile ecology of the Arctic and the indigenous wildlife and fish populations. Advanced Life Systems for Extreme Environments (ALSEE) provides a solution to sanitation and safe water problems. The system uses an advanced integrated technology developed for Antarctic and space applications. ALSEE uses the systems approach to address more than waste and water problems. By incorporating hydroponic horticulture and aquaculture into the waste treatment system, ALSEE addresses the quality and quantity of fresh foods available to Arctic residents. A temperate climate is required for year-round plant growth. ALSEE facilities can be designed to include a climate controlled area within the structure. This type of environment is a change from the long periods of darkness and cold found in the Arctic and can help alleviate stress so often associated with these extremes. While the overall concept of ALSEE projects is advanced, system facilities can be operated by village residents with appropriate training. ALSEE provides continuing training and education as a part of the project. Not only is this desirable but necessary. There is ample evidence in "gravoyard" throughout rural Alaska of technologies which failed not because they were not applic4tble, but because they were not integrated and could not be operated or repaired by village residents. Waste streams in villages will vary depending on the human diet and the non-food waste stream. ALSEE units can be adapted to different village situations once the content of the waste stream is known. Units located in population hubs can serve as research, education. and demonstration centers. Appropriate modifications can be determined at these centers to transfer technology to more remote locations where waste stream conditions may differ.

Challenges to diagnosis of HIV-associated wasting.

PubMed

Kotler, Donald

2004-12-01

There is a wide variability in the clinical presentation of the protein energy malnutrition often characterized as wasting in patients infected with HIV. Moreover, the clinical presentation has evolved over time. Initially, protein energy malnutrition was characterized by profound weight loss and depletion of body cell mass (BCM). Recently, unrelated concurrent metabolic abnormalities, such as lipodystrophy, may complicate the diagnosis of HIV wasting. Although measures of BCM are relatively accurate for the diagnosis of HIV wasting, the optimal tools for assessing BCM are not necessarily available to the clinician. From the practical standpoint, HIV wasting may be a self-evident diagnosis in advanced stages, but effective interpretation of the early signs of HIV wasting requires familiarity with other complications included in the differential diagnosis.

Secondary Waste Form Down-Selection Data Package—Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Waste Form

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

Qafoku, Nikolla; Westsik, Joseph H.; Strachan, Denis M.

2011-09-12

The Hanford Site in southeast Washington State has 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemically hazardous wastes stored in 177 underground tanks (ORP 2010). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of River Protection (ORP), through its contractors, is constructing the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) to convert the radioactive and hazardous wastes into stable glass waste forms for disposal. Within the WTP, the pretreatment facility will receive the retrieved waste from the tank farms and separate it into two treated process streams. These waste streams will be vitrified, and the resulting waste canisters will be sentmore » to offsite (high-level waste [HLW]) and onsite (immobilized low-activity waste [ILAW]) repositories. As part of the pretreatment and ILAW processing, liquid secondary wastes will be generated that will be transferred to the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) on the Hanford Site for further treatment. These liquid secondary wastes will be converted to stable solid waste forms that will be disposed of in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). To support the selection of a waste form for the liquid secondary wastes from WTP, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has initiated secondary waste form testing work at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). In anticipation of a down-selection process for a waste form for the Solidification Treatment Unit to be added to the ETF, PNNL is developing data packages to support that down-selection. The objective of the data packages is to identify, evaluate, and summarize the existing information on the four waste forms being considered for stabilizing and solidifying the liquid secondary wastes. At the Hanford Site, the FBSR process is being evaluated as a supplemental technology for treating and immobilizing Hanford LAW radioactive tank waste and for treating secondary wastes from the WTP pretreatment and LAW vitrification processes.« less

Solid recovered fuel production from biodegradable waste in grain processing industry.

PubMed

Kliopova, Irina; Staniskis, Jurgis Kazimieras; Petraskiene, Violeta

2013-04-01

Management of biodegradable waste is one of the most important environmental problems in the grain-processing industry since this waste cannot be dumped anymore due to legal requirements. Biodegradable waste is generated in each stage of grain processing, including the waste-water and air emissions treatment processes. Their management causes some environmental and financial problems. The majority of Lithuanian grain-processing enterprises own and operate composting sites, but in Lithuania the demand for compost is not given. This study focused on the analysis of the possibility of using biodegradable waste for the production of solid recovered fuel, as a local renewable fuel with the purpose of increasing environmental performance and decreasing the direct costs of grain processing. Experimental research with regard to a pilot grain-processing plant has proven that alternative fuel production will lead to minimizing of the volume of biodegradable waste by 75% and the volume of natural gas for heat energy production by 62%. Environmental indicators of grain processing, laboratory analysis of the chemical and physical characteristics of biodegradable waste, mass and energy balances of the solid recovered fuel production, environmental and economical benefits of the project are presented and discussed herein.

40 CFR 436.21 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... natural deposits. (e) The term “process generated waste water” shall mean any waste water used in the... of the mine operator. However, if a mine is also used for treatment of process generated waste water, discharges of commingled water from the facilities shall be deemed discharges of process generated waste...

Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Frontier Chemical Waste Process Incorporated in Pendleton, New York

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Frontier Chemical Waste Process, Inc. is located at 7025 Townline Road, Pendleton, New York. This site was used for the treatment of industrial wastes from 1959 to 1974, with many wastes being discharged to the lake on the property (Quarry Lake).

The Effects of Radiation Chemistry on Solvent Extraction: 1. Conditions in Acidic Solution and a Review of TBP Radiolysis

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

Bruce J. Mincher; Guiseppe Modolo; Strephen P. Mezyk

2009-01-01

Solvent extraction is the most commonly used process scale separation technique for nuclear applications and it benefits from more than 60 years of research and development and proven experience at the industrial scale. Advanced solvent extraction processes for the separation of actinides and fission products from dissolved nuclear fuel are now being investigated worldwide by numerous groups (US, Europe, Russia, Japan etc.) in order to decrease the radiotoxic inventories of nuclear waste. While none of the advanced processes have yet been implemented at the industrial scale their development studies have sometimes reached demonstration tests at the laboratory scale. Most ofmore » the partitioning strategies rely on the following four separations: 1. Partitioning of uranium and/or plutonium from spent fuel dissolution liquors. 2. Separation of the heat generating fission products such as strontium and cesium. 3. Coextraction of the trivalent actinides and lanthanides. 4. Separation of the trivalent actinides from the trivalent lanthanides. Tributylphosphate (TBP) in the first separation is the basis of the PUREX, UREX and COEX processes, developed in Europe and the US, whereas monoamides as alternatives for TBP are being developed in Japan and India. For the second separation, many processes were developed worldwide, including the use of crown-ether extractants, like the FPEX process developed in the USA, and the CCD-PEG process jointly developed in the USA and Russia for the partitioning of cesium and strontium. In the third separation, phosphine oxides (CMPOs), malonamides, and diglycolamides are used in the TRUEX, DIAMEX and the ARTIST processes, respectively developed in US, Europe and Japan. Trialkylphosphine oxide(TRPO) developed in China, or UNEX (a mixture of several extractants) jointly developed in Russia and the USA allow all actinides to be co-extracted from acidic radioactive liquid waste. For the final separation, soft donor atom-containing ligands such as the bistriazinylbipyridines (BTBPs) or dithiophosphinic acids have been developed in Europe and China to selectively extract the trivalent actinides. However, in the TALSPEAK process developed in the USA, the separation is based on the relatively high affinity of aminopolycarboxylic acid complexants such as DTPA for trivalent actinides over lanthanides. In the DIDPA, SETFICS and the GANEX processes, developed in Japan and France, the group separation is accomplished in a reverse TALSPEAK process. A typical scenario is shown in Figure 1 for the UREX1a (Uranium Extraction version 1a) process. The initial step is the TBP extraction for the separation of recyclable uranium. The second step partitions the short-lived, highly radioactive cesium and strontium to minimize heat loading in the high-level waste repository. The third step is a group separation of the trivalent actinides and lanthanides with the last step being partitioning of the trivalent lanthanides from the actinides.« less

Landfills: Engineering Design for Waste Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deck, Anita; Grubbs, Michael E.

2016-01-01

It is becoming increasingly important to consider the waste humans produce and options for reducing the impact it has on the environment. Allowing students the opportunities to research potential solutions and present their ideas results in an educated citizenry that considers consequences of technological advances. Throughout the course of a…

ADVANCES IN SAMPLING, SEPARATION, DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION THAT ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS OF OSWER AND THE REGIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) has identified the development of improved methods for measuring, monitoring, and characterizing complex wastes in soils, sediments, biota, and groundwater as a priority under GOAL 3: LAND PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION:Prese...

75 FR 38151 - Governors' Designees Receiving Advance Notification of Transportation of Nuclear Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-01

... Jenkins, Bureau of Land and Waste Management, Same. Department of Health & Environmental Control, 2600.... Vermont Thomas R. Tremblay, Commissioner, Department of Same. Public Safety, Division of Vermont State... Bldg., 2nd Floor, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802, (340) 774-3320, ext. 5102, 24 hours: (340) 774...

An industrial ecology approach to municipal solid waste ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Municipal solid waste (MSW) can be viewed as a feedstock for industrial ecology inspired conversions of wastes to valuable products and energy. The industrial ecology principle of symbiotic processes using waste streams for creating value-added products is applied to MSW, with examples suggested for various residual streams. A methodology is presented to consider individual waste-to-energy or waste-to-product system synergies, evaluating the economic and environmental issues associated with each system. Steps included in the methodology include identifying waste streams, specific waste components of interest, and conversion technologies, plus steps for determining the economic and environmental effects of using wastes and changes due to transport, administrative handling, and processing. In addition to presenting the methodology, technologies for various MSW input streams are categorized as commercialized or demonstrated to provide organizations that are considering processes for MSW with summarized information. The organization can also follow the methodology to analyze interesting processes. Presents information useful for analyzing the sustainability of alternatives for the management of municipal solid waste.

Environmental management aspects for TBT antifouling wastes from the shipyards.

PubMed

Kotrikla, Anna

2009-02-01

Tributyltin (TBT)-based antifouling paints have been successfully used for over 40 years to protect a ship's hull from biofouling. However, due to its high toxicity to marine organisms, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in 1990, adopted a resolution recommending governments to adopt measures to eliminate antifouling paints containing TBT. High concentrations of TBT are detected in the vicinity of ports and shipyards. TBT is also usually detected in the sediment, in which it accumulates. This study reviews recent literature for the best management practices (BMPs) in order to minimize the environmental effects of TBT. The paper focuses on the evaluation of the available techniques for the removal of TBT from shipyard wastes and from the sediment. The most effective treatment methods are highlighted. BMPs include recycling of abrasive materials, use of cleaner abrasive materials, reuse of spent abrasive materials, substitution of hydroblasting by vacuum blasting or containment or ultra-high-pressure water blasting and confinement of pollution by enclosure and containment systems. The treatment of the TBT wastes by conventional biological wastewater treatment processes is probably not suitable, because the concentrations of TBT found in shipyards' wastewaters are toxic to microorganisms. Advanced technologies such as activated carbon adsorption and dissolved air flotation, in combination with filtration and coagulation-clarification, photodegradation and electrochemical treatment, are required to remove TBT. However, advanced methods should be further optimized to meet the regulatory limit of 200 ng/L. To date, only one published work examines the efficiency of incineration for the treatment of solid sandblast wastes. Regarding the treatment of sediment, land deposition of the less polluted fraction of sediment is a feasible option. Such treatment must take into account the risk of contamination of groundwater and the surroundings, and it requires extended areas of land. Other treatment methods, such as thermal and electrochemical treatment, are promising options but due to the large amounts of dredged material, they have high capital and operational costs.

Advanced Containment System

DOEpatents

Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Kawamura, Hideki; Richardson, John G.; Noda, Masaru

2004-10-12

An advanced containment system for containing buried waste and associated leachate. A trench is dug on either side of the zone of interest containing the buried waste so as to accommodate a micro tunnel boring machine. A series of small diameter tunnels are serially excavated underneath the buried waste. The tunnels are excavated by the micro tunnel boring machine at a consistent depth and are substantially parallel to each other. As tunneling progresses, steel casing sections are connected end to end in the excavated portion of the tunnel so that a steel tube is formed. Each casing section has complementary interlocking structure running its length that interlocks with complementary interlocking structure on the adjacent casing section. Thus, once the first tube is emplaced, placement of subsequent tubes is facilitated by the complementary interlocking structure on the adjacent, previously placed, casing sections.

Advanced Containment System

DOEpatents

Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Kawamura, Hideki; Richardson, John G.; Noda, Masaru

2005-05-24

An advanced containment system for containing buried waste and associated leachate. A trench is dug on either side of the zone of interest containing the buried waste so as to accommodate a micro tunnel boring machine. A series of small diameter tunnels are serially excavated underneath the buried waste. The tunnels are excavated by the micro tunnel boring machine at a consistent depth and are substantially parallel to each other. As tunneling progresses, steel casing sections are connected end to end in the excavated portion of the tunnel so that a steel tube is formed. Each casing section has complementary interlocking structure running its length that interlocks with complementary interlocking structure on the adjacent casing section. Thus, once the first tube is emplaced, placement of subsequent tubes is facilitated by the complementary interlocking structure on the adjacent, previously placed, casing sections.

Hydrothermal Processing of Base Camp Solid Wastes To Allow Onsite Recycling

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

ER D C/ CE R L TR -0 8 -1 3 Hydrothermal Processing of Base Camp Solid Wastes To Allow Onsite Recycling Gary L. Gerdes, Deborah...release; distribution is unlimited. ERDC/CERL TR-08-13 September 2008 Hydrothermal Processing of Base Camp Solid Wastes To Allow Onsite Recycling...a technology to process domestic solid waste using a unique hydrothermal system. The process was successfully demonstrated at Forts Benning and

Studies, Summary Tables, and Data Related to the Advancing Sustainable Materials Management Report

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This webpage provides further information about how EPA measures data for the annual Advancing Materials Management Report. Researchers can use the tables and studies to better understand how waste in managed in America

Installation and Setup of Whole School Food Waste Composting Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, A.; Forder, S. E.

2014-12-01

Hong Kong, one of the busiest trading harbors in the world, is also a city of 8 million of people. The biggest problem that the government faces is the lack of solid waste landfill space. Hong Kong produces around 13,500 tons of waste per day. There are three landfills in Hong Kong in operation. These three landfills will soon be exhausted in around 2020, and the solid waste in Hong Kong is still increasing. Out of the 13,500 tons of solid waste, 9,000 tons are organic solid waste or food waste. Food waste, especially domestic waste, is recyclable. The Independent Schools Foundation Academy has a project to collect domestic food waste (from the school cafeteria) for decomposition. Our school produces around 15 tons of food waste per year. The project includes a sub-project in the Primary school, which uses the organic soil produced by an aerobic food waste machine, the Rocket A900, to plant vegetables in school. This not only helps our school to process the waste, but also helps the Primary students to study agriculture and have greater opportunities for experimental learning. For this project, two types of machines will be used for food waste processing. Firstly, the Dehydra made by Tiny Planet reduces the volume and the mass of the food waste, by dehydrating the food waste and separating the ground food waste and the excessive water inside machine for further decomposition. Secondly, the A900 Rocket, also made by Tidy Planet; this is used to process the dehydrated ground food waste for around 14 days thereby producing usable organic soil. It grinds the food waste into tiny pieces so that it is easier to decompose. It also separates the wood chips inside the ground food waste. This machine runs an aerobic process, which includes O2 and will produce CO2 during the process and is less harmful to the environment. On the other hand, if it is an anaerobic process occurs during the operation, it will produce a greenhouse gas- CH4 -and smells bad.

The Management of the Radioactive Waste Generated by Cernavoda NPP, Romania, an Example of International Cooperation - 13449

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

Barariu, Gheorghe

2013-07-01

The design criteria and constraints for the development of the management strategy for radioactive waste generated from operating and decommissioning of CANDU Nuclear Units from Cernavoda NPP in Romania, present many specific aspects. The main characteristics of CANDU type waste are its high concentrations of tritium and radiocarbon. Also, the existing management strategy for radioactive waste at Cernavoda NPP provides no treatment or conditioning for radioactive waste disposal. These characteristics embodied a challenging effort, in order to select a proper strategy for radioactive waste management at present, when Romania is an EU member and a signatory country of the Jointmore » Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. The helping of advanced countries in radioactive waste management, directly or into the frame of the international organizations, like IAEA, become solve the aforementioned challenges at adequate level. (authors)« less

Process for remediation of plastic waste

DOEpatents

Pol, Vilas G; Thiyagarajan, Pappannan

2013-11-12

A single step process for degrading plastic waste by converting the plastic waste into carbonaceous products via thermal decomposition of the plastic waste by placing the plastic waste into a reactor, heating the plastic waste under an inert or air atmosphere until the temperature of about 700.degree. C. is achieved, allowing the reactor to cool down, and recovering the resulting decomposition products therefrom. The decomposition products that this process yields are carbonaceous materials, and more specifically carbon nanotubes having a partially filled core (encapsulated) adjacent to one end of the nanotube. Additionally, in the presence of a transition metal compound, this thermal decomposition process produces multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Bioprocessing of a stored mixed liquid waste

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

Wolfram, J.H.; Rogers, R.D.; Finney, R.

1995-12-31

This paper describes the development and results of a demonstration for a continuous bioprocess for mixed waste treatment. A key element of the process is an unique microbial strain which tolerates high levels of aromatic solvents and surfactants. This microorganism is the biocatalysis of the continuous flow system designed for the processing of stored liquid scintillation wastes. During the past year a process demonstration has been conducted on commercial formulation of liquid scintillation cocktails (LSC). Based on data obtained from this demonstration, the Ohio EPA granted the Mound Applied Technologies Lab a treatability permit allowing the limited processing of actualmore » mixed waste. Since August 1994, the system has been successfully processing stored, {open_quotes}hot{close_quotes} LSC waste. The initial LSC waste fed into the system contained 11% pseudocumene and detectable quantities of plutonium. Another treated waste stream contained pseudocumene and tritium. Data from this initial work shows that the hazardous organic solvent, and pseudocumene have been removed due to processing, leaving the aqueous low level radioactive waste. Results to date have shown that living cells are not affected by the dissolved plutonium and that 95% of the plutonium was sorbed to the biomass. This paper discusses the bioprocess, rates of processing, effluent, and the implications of bioprocessing for mixed waste management.« less

Sustainable solutions for solid waste management in Southeast Asian countries.

PubMed

Ngoc, Uyen Nguyen; Schnitzer, Hans

2009-06-01

Human activities generate waste and the amounts tend to increase as the demand for quality of life increases. Today's rate in the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEANs) is alarming, posing a challenge to governments regarding environmental pollution in the recent years. The expectation is that eventually waste treatment and waste prevention approaches will develop towards sustainable waste management solutions. This expectation is for instance reflected in the term 'zero emission systems'. The concept of zero emissions can be applied successfully with today's technical possibilities in the agro-based processing industry. First, the state-of-the-art of waste management in Southeast Asian countries will be outlined in this paper, followed by waste generation rates, sources, and composition, as well as future trends of waste. Further on, solutions for solid waste management will be reviewed in the discussions of sustainable waste management. The paper emphasizes the concept of waste prevention through utilization of all wastes as process inputs, leading to the possibility of creating an ecosystem in a loop of materials. Also, a case study, focusing on the citrus processing industry, is displayed to illustrate the application of the aggregated material input-output model in a widespread processing industry in ASEAN. The model can be shown as a closed cluster, which permits an identification of opportunities for reducing environmental impacts at the process level in the food processing industry. Throughout the discussion in this paper, the utilization of renewable energy and economic aspects are considered to adapt to environmental and economic issues and the aim of eco-efficiency. Additionally, the opportunities and constraints of waste management will be discussed.

Verification of the Accountability Method as a Means to Classify Radioactive Wastes Processed Using THOR Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming at the Studsvik Processing Facility in Erwin, Tennessee, USA - 13087

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

Olander, Jonathan; Myers, Corey

2013-07-01

Studsviks' Processing Facility Erwin (SPFE) has been treating Low-Level Radioactive Waste using its patented THOR process for over 13 years. Studsvik has been mixing and processing wastes of the same waste classification but different chemical and isotopic characteristics for the full extent of this period as a general matter of operations. Studsvik utilizes the accountability method to track the movement of radionuclides from acceptance of waste, through processing, and finally in the classification of waste for disposal. Recently the NRC has proposed to revise the 1995 Branch Technical Position on Concentration Averaging and Encapsulation (1995 BTP on CA) with additionalmore » clarification (draft BTP on CA). The draft BTP on CA has paved the way for large scale blending of higher activity and lower activity waste to produce a single waste for the purpose of classification. With the onset of blending in the waste treatment industry, there is concern from the public and state regulators as to the robustness of the accountability method and the ability of processors to prevent the inclusion of hot spots in waste. To address these concerns and verify the accountability method as applied by the SPFE, as well as the SPFE's ability to control waste package classification, testing of actual waste packages was performed. Testing consisted of a comprehensive dose rate survey of a container of processed waste. Separately, the waste package was modeled chemically and radiologically. Comparing the observed and theoretical data demonstrated that actual dose rates were lower than, but consistent with, modeled dose rates. Moreover, the distribution of radioactivity confirms that the SPFE can produce a radiologically homogeneous waste form. The results of the study demonstrate: 1) the accountability method as applied by the SPFE is valid and produces expected results; 2) the SPFE can produce a radiologically homogeneous waste; and 3) the SPFE can effectively control the waste package classification. (authors)« less

Pilot test of Pickliq{reg_sign} process to determine energy and environmental benefits & economic feasibility

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

Olsen, D.R.

Green Technology Group (GTG) was awarded Grant No. DE-FG01-96EE 15657 in the amount of $99,904 for a project to advance GTG`s Pickliq{reg_sign} Process in the Copper and Steel Industries. The use of the Pickliq{reg_sign} Process can significantly reduce the production of waste acids containing metal salts. The Pickliq{reg_sign} Process can save energy and eliminate hazardous waste in a typical copper rod or wire mill or a typical steel wire mill. The objective of this pilot project was to determine the magnitude of the economic, energy and environmental benefits of the Pickliq{reg_sign} Process in two applications within the metal processing industry.more » The effectiveness of the process has already been demonstrated at facilities cleaning iron and steel with sulfuric acid. 9207 companies are reported to use sulfuric and hydrochloric acid in the USA. The USEPA TRI statistics of acid not recycled in the US is 2.4 x 10{sup 9} lbs (net) for Hydrochloric Acid and 2.0 x 10{sup 9} lbs (net) for Sulfuric Acid. The energy cost of not reclaiming acid is 10.7 x 10{sup 6} BTU/ton for Hydrochloric Acid and 21.6 x 10{sup 6} BTU/Ton for Sulfuric Acid. This means that there is a very large market for the application of the Pickliq{reg_sign} Process and the widespread use of the process will bring significant world wide savings of energy to the environment.« less

A study of inter-particle bonds in dry bauxite waste resulting in atmospheric aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagh, Arun S.; Thompson, Bentley

1988-02-01

Bauxite and Alumina production are one of the main activities of several third world countries such as Jamaica, Brazil, India, Guinea, eastern European countries such as Hungary and Rumania and advanced countries such as Australia, West Germany, Japan and the United States. The mining operations lead to dust pollution, but the refining of bauxite to alumina yield large amounts of highly caustic sludge waste, called "Red Mud". Millions of tons of the waste produced in every country are stored in containment dams or natural valleys. This leads to ground water pollution, destruction of plant and bird life and is hazardous to human settlement in earthquake prone regions like Jamaica. As a result several companies have been looking into dry mud stacking which involves thickening the mud in the refining plants and sprying it on the slopes to sun dry it. Typically it involves a drying field of about two hundred acres, which could act as a potential source of caustic dust. In Jamaica one company has started disposing of the mud in this way. The aerosol formation from such areas depends mainly on the integrity of the top dry layers. Presently this is done by studying the approximate parameters such as the friability of the mud. However, following the recent advances in powder technology it has been possible for us to develop an instrument to study the average interparticle forces between the red mud particles. The instrument is based on the principle of a tensometer and a split cell is used to load specimens. A load cell is used to measure the force and a chart recorder is used for plotting separation and the force. The present study reports elemental composition of the dust and its health hazards. It also reports the physical measurement of the average interparticle force as a function of their separation in the Jamaican mud. The effect of ultraviolet radiation on the strength of the material is studied to see the effect of sun-drying of the waste. The five-fold increase in tensile strength indicates that laterisation process is responsible for this phenomenon in Jamaican red mud. The study is crucial to the development of dust free mud stacking by the proper modifications in the process technology. Finally, such a case study is general enough in the characterisation of other sources of aerosols.

Identification of the bioactive compounds and antioxidant, antimutagenic and antimicrobial activities of thermally processed agro-industrial waste.

PubMed

Vodnar, Dan Cristian; Călinoiu, Lavinia Florina; Dulf, Francisc Vasile; Ştefănescu, Bianca Eugenia; Crişan, Gianina; Socaciu, Carmen

2017-09-15

The purpose of the research was to identify the bioactive compounds and to evaluate the antioxidant, antimutagenic and antimicrobial activities of the major Romanian agro-industrial wastes (apple peels, carrot pulp, white- and red-grape peels and red-beet peels and pulp) for the purpose of increasing the wastes' value. Each type of waste material was analyzed without (fresh) and with thermal processing (10min, 80°C). Based on the obtained results, the thermal process enhanced the total phenolic content. The highest antioxidant activity was exhibited by thermally processed red-grape waste followed by thermally processed red-beet waste. Linoleic acid was the major fatty acid in all analyzed samples, but its content decreased significantly during thermal processing. The carrot extracts have no antimicrobial effects, while the thermally processed red-grape waste has the highest antimicrobial effect against the studied strains. The thermally processed red-grape sample has the highest antimutagenic activity toward S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Verification of a model for predicting the effect of inconstant temperature on embryonic development of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berlin, William H.; Brooke, L.T.; Stone, Linda J.

1977-01-01

The model was used to predict the effects of small temperature increases (caused by a hypothetical waste-heat discharge) on the rate of development and time of hatching of lake whitefish eggs. According to this simulation, continuous addition of waste heat sufficient to raise the temperature 1, 2, or 3 C above ambient on the spawning grounds during December-April would advance the time of hatching 8, 16, or 21 days, respectively. Possible effects of this advancement on the reproductive success of whitefish are discussed.

Parametric and kinetic study of adsorptive removal of dyes from aqueous solutions using an agriculture waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bencheikh, imane; el hajjaji, souad; abourouh, imane; Kitane, Said; Dahchour, Abdelmalek; El M'Rabet, Mohammadine

2017-04-01

Wastewater treatment is the subject of several studies through decades. Interest is continuously oriented to provide cheaper and efficient methods of treatment. Several methods of treatment exit including coagulation flocculation, filtration, precipitation, ozonation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, advanced oxidation process. The use of these methods proved limited because of their high investment and operational cost. Adsorption can be an efficient low-cost process to remove pollutants from wastewater. This method of treatment calls for an solid adsorbent which constitutes the purification tool. Agricultural wastes have been widely exploited in this case .As we know the agricultural wastes are an important source of water pollution once discharged into the aquatic environment (river, sea ...). The valorization of such wastes and their use allows the prevention of this problem with an economic and environment benefits. In this context our study aimed testing the wastewater treatment capacity by adsorption onto holocellulose resulting from the valorization of an agriculture waste. In this study, methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) are selected as models pollutants for evaluating the holocellulose adsorbent capacity. The kinetics of adsorption is performed using UV-visible spectroscopy. In order to study the effect of the main parameters for the adsorption process and their mutual interaction, a full factorial design (type nk) has been used.23 full factorial design analysis was performed to screen the parameters affecting dye removal efficiency. Using the experimental results, a linear mathematical model representing the influence of the different parameters and their interactions was obtained. The parametric study showed that efficiency of the adsorption system (Dyes/ Holocellulose) is mainly linked to pH variation. The best yields were observed for MB at pH=10 and for MO at pH=2.The kinetic data was analyzed using different models , namely , the pseudo-first- order kinetic model the pseudo-second-order kinetic model , and the Intraparticule diffusion model . It was observed that the pseudo -second -order model was the best model describing the adsorption behavior of MB and MO onto holocellulose. This suggested that the adsorption mechanism might be a chemisorptions process. In general, the results indicated that holocellulose is suitable as sorbent material for adsorption of MO and MB from aqueous solutions for its high effectiveness and low cost.

Energy implications of the thermal recovery of biodegradable municipal waste materials in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Burnley, Stephen; Phillips, Rhiannon; Coleman, Terry; Rampling, Terence

2011-01-01

Waste management policies and legislation in many developed countries call for a reduction in the quantity of biodegradable waste landfilled. Anaerobic digestion, combustion and gasification are options for managing biodegradable waste while generating renewable energy. However, very little research has been carried to establish the overall energy balance of the collection, preparation and energy recovery processes for different types of wastes. Without this information, it is impossible to determine the optimum method for managing a particular waste to recover renewable energy. In this study, energy balances were carried out for the thermal processing of food waste, garden waste, wood, waste paper and the non-recyclable fraction of municipal waste. For all of these wastes, combustion in dedicated facilities or incineration with the municipal waste stream was the most energy-advantageous option. However, we identified a lack of reliable information on the energy consumed in collecting individual wastes and preparing the wastes for thermal processing. There was also little reliable information on the performance and efficiency of anaerobic digestion and gasification facilities for waste. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an education and training intervention to reduce health care waste in a tertiary hospital in Spain.

PubMed

Mosquera, Margarita; Andrés-Prado, Maria José; Rodríguez-Caravaca, Gil; Latasa, Pello; Mosquera, Marta E G

2014-08-01

In recent decades there has been a significant increase in waste generation. Training interventions in advanced health care waste management can improve the segregation of regulated medical waste and reduce volume and costs. We carried out a quasi-experimental intervention study with before and after training session analysis to compare waste segregation. Descriptive analysis of the segregated health care waste and an evaluation of the quality of segregation were done. A comparison of monthly average waste to assess the effectiveness of the educational intervention was performed. After the intervention, there was a significant reduction in the monthly average health care waste volume of 6.2%. Statistically significant differences in the infectious waste and genotoxic/pharmaceutical waste weight segregated before and after the intervention (P < .05) were found. Because of the health care waste weight reduction and the improvement of waste classification, a savings cost of €125,205 was achieved. The health care waste management training improves biomedical waste segregation at the hospital, reducing the health care waste volume and costs as an added value. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A review of technologies and performances of thermal treatment systems for energy recovery from waste.

PubMed

Lombardi, Lidia; Carnevale, Ennio; Corti, Andrea

2015-03-01

The aim of this work is to identify the current level of energy recovery through waste thermal treatment. The state of the art in energy recovery from waste was investigated, highlighting the differences for different types of thermal treatment, considering combustion/incineration, gasification and pyrolysis. Also different types of wastes - Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) or Solid Refuse Fuels (SRF) and some typologies of Industrial Waste (IW) (sludge, plastic scraps, etc.) - were included in the analysis. The investigation was carried out mainly reviewing papers, published in scientific journals and conferences, but also considering technical reports, to gather more information. In particular the goal of this review work was to synthesize studies in order to compare the values of energy conversion efficiencies measured or calculated for different types of thermal processes and different types of waste. It emerged that the dominant type of thermal treatment is incineration associated to energy recovery in a steam cycle. When waste gasification is applied, the produced syngas is generally combusted in a boiler to generate steam for energy recovery in a steam cycle. For both the possibilities--incineration or gasification--co-generation is the mean to improve energy recovery, especially for small scale plants. In the case of only electricity production, the achievable values are strongly dependent on the plant size: for large plant size, where advanced technical solutions can be applied and sustained from an economic point of view, net electric efficiency may reach values up to 30-31%. In small-medium plants, net electric efficiency is constrained by scale effect and remains at values around 20-24%. Other types of technical solutions--gasification with syngas use in internally fired devices, pyrolysis and plasma gasification--are less common or studied at pilot or demonstrative scale and, in any case, offer at present similar or lower levels of energy efficiency. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 412.12 - Effluent limitations attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... effluent limitations representing the application of BPT: There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to navigable waters. (b) Process waste pollutants in the overflow may be discharged to... waste water from a facility designed, constructed and operated to contain all process generated waste...

Integrated chemical treatment of municipal wastewater using waste hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatti, Zulfiqar Ahmed; Mahmood, Qaisar; Raja, Iftikhar Ahmad; Malik, Amir Haider; Rashid, Naim; Wu, Donglei

Dilemmas like water shortage, rapid industrialization, growing human population and related issues have seriously affected human health and environmental sustainability. For conservation and sustainable use of our water resources, innovative methods for wastewater treatment are continuously being explored. Advance Oxidation Processes (AOPs) show a promising approach to meet specific objectives of municipal wastewater treatment (MWW). The MWW samples were pretreated with Al 2(SO 4) 4·8H 2O (Alum) at different doses 4, 8, 12-50 mg/L to enhance the sedimentation. The maximum COD removal was observed at alum treatments in range of 28-32 mg/L without increasing total dissolved solids (TDS). TDS were found to increase when the alum dose was increased from 32-40 mg/L. In the present study, the optimum alum dose of 30 mg/L for 3 h of sedimentation and subsequent integrated H 2O 2/UV treatment was applied (using 2.5 mL/L of 40% waste H 2O 2 and 35% fresh H 2O 2 separately). Organic and inorganic pollutants, contributing towards chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), turbidity and total dissolved solids were degraded by H 2O 2/UV. About 93% COD, 90% BOD and 83% turbidity reduction occurred when 40% waste H 2O 2 was used. When using fresh H 2O 2, 63% COD, 68% BOD and 86% turbidity reduction was detected. Complete disinfection of coliform bacteria occurred by using 40% H 2O 2/UV. The most interesting part of this research was to compare the effectiveness of waste H 2O 2 with fresh H 2O 2. Waste H 2O 2 generated from an industrial process of disinfection was found more effective in the treatment of MWW than fresh 35% H 2O 2.

On the ASR and ASR thermal residues characterization of full scale treatment plant.

PubMed

Mancini, G; Viotti, P; Luciano, A; Fino, D

2014-02-01

In order to obtain 85% recycling, several procedures on Automotive Shredder Residue (ASR) could be implemented, such as advanced metal and polymer recovery, mechanical recycling, pyrolysis, the direct use of ASR in the cement industry, and/or the direct use of ASR as a secondary raw material. However, many of these recovery options appear to be limited, due to the possible low acceptability of ASR based products on the market. The recovery of bottom ash and slag after an ASR thermal treatment is an option that is not usually considered in most countries (e.g. Italy) due to the excessive amount of contaminants, especially metals. The purpose of this paper is to provide information on the characteristics of ASR and its full-scale incineration residues. Experiments have been carried out, in two different experimental campaigns, in a full-scale tyre incineration plant specifically modified to treat ASR waste. Detailed analysis of ASR samples and combustion residues were carried out and compared with literature data. On the basis of the analytical results, the slag and bottom ash from the combustion process have been classified as non-hazardous wastes, according to the EU waste acceptance criteria (WAC), and therefore after further tests could be used in future in the construction industry. It has also been concluded that ASR bottom ash (EWC - European Waste Catalogue - code 19 01 12) could be landfilled in SNRHW (stabilized non-reactive hazardous waste) cells or used as raw material for road construction, with or without further treatment for the removal of heavy metals. In the case of fly ash from boiler or Air Pollution Control (APC) residues, it has been found that the Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations exceeded regulatory leaching test limits therefore their removal, or a stabilization process, would be essential prior to landfilling the use of these residues as construction material. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulating advanced life support systems to test integrated control approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kortenkamp, D.; Bell, S.

Simulations allow for testing of life support control approaches before hardware is designed and built. Simulations also allow for the safe exploration of alternative control strategies during life support operation. As such, they are an important component of any life support research program and testbed. This paper describes a specific advanced life support simulation being created at NASA Johnson Space Center. It is a discrete-event simulation that is dynamic and stochastic. It simulates all major components of an advanced life support system, including crew (with variable ages, weights and genders), biomass production (with scalable plantings of ten different crops), water recovery, air revitalization, food processing, solid waste recycling and energy production. Each component is modeled as a producer of certain resources and a consumer of certain resources. The control system must monitor (via sensors) and control (via actuators) the flow of resources throughout the system to provide life support functionality. The simulation is written in an object-oriented paradigm that makes it portable, extensible and reconfigurable.

``Recycling'' Nuclear Power Plant Waste: Technical Difficulties and Proliferation Concerns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyman, Edwin

2007-04-01

One of the most vexing problems associated with nuclear energy is the inability to find a technically and politically viable solution for the disposal of long-lived radioactive waste. The U.S. plan to develop a geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain in Nevada is in jeopardy, as a result of managerial incompetence, political opposition and regulatory standards that may be impossible to meet. As a result, there is growing interest in technologies that are claimed to have the potential to drastically reduce the amount of waste that would require geologic burial and the length of time that the waste would require containment. A scenario for such a vision was presented in the December 2005 Scientific American. While details differ, these technologies share a common approach: they require chemical processing of spent fuel to extract plutonium and other long-lived actinide elements, which would then be ``recycled'' into fresh fuel for advanced reactors and ``transmuted'' into shorter-lived fission products. Such a scheme is the basis for the ``Global Nuclear Energy Partnership,'' a major program unveiled by the Department of Energy (DOE) in early 2006. This concept is not new, but has been studied for decades. Major obstacles include fundamental safety issues, engineering feasibility and cost. Perhaps the most important consideration in the post-9/11 era is that these technologies involve the separation of plutonium and other nuclear weapon-usable materials from highly radioactive fission products, providing opportunities for terrorists seeking to obtain nuclear weapons. While DOE claims that it will only utilize processes that do not produce ``separated plutonium,'' it has offered no evidence that such technologies would effectively deter theft. It is doubtful that DOE's scheme can be implemented without an unacceptable increase in the risk of nuclear terrorism.

Treatment of halogen-containing waste and other waste materials

DOEpatents

Forsberg, Charles W.; Beahm, Edward C.; Parker, George W.

1997-01-01

A process for treating a halogen-containing waste material. The process provides a bath of molten glass containing a sacrificial metal oxide capable of reacting with a halogen in the waste material. The sacrificial metal oxide is present in the molten glass in at least a stoichiometric amount with respect to the halogen in the waste material. The waste material is introduced into the bath of molten glass to cause a reaction between the halogen in the waste material and the sacrificial metal oxide to yield a metal halide. The metal halide is a gas at the temperature of the molten glass. The gaseous metal halide is separated from the molten glass and contacted with an aqueous scrubber solution of an alkali metal hydroxide to yield a metal hydroxide or metal oxide-containing precipitate and a soluble alkali metal halide. The precipitate is then separated from the aqueous scrubber solution. The molten glass containing the treated waste material is removed from the bath as a waste glass. The process of the invention can be used to treat all types of waste material including radioactive wastes. The process is particularly suited for separating halogens from halogen-containing wastes.

Treatment of halogen-containing waste and other waste materials

DOEpatents

Forsberg, C.W.; Beahm, E.C.; Parker, G.W.

1997-03-18

A process is described for treating a halogen-containing waste material. The process provides a bath of molten glass containing a sacrificial metal oxide capable of reacting with a halogen in the waste material. The sacrificial metal oxide is present in the molten glass in at least a stoichiometric amount with respect to the halogen in the waste material. The waste material is introduced into the bath of molten glass to cause a reaction between the halogen in the waste material and the sacrificial metal oxide to yield a metal halide. The metal halide is a gas at the temperature of the molten glass. The gaseous metal halide is separated from the molten glass and contacted with an aqueous scrubber solution of an alkali metal hydroxide to yield a metal hydroxide or metal oxide-containing precipitate and a soluble alkali metal halide. The precipitate is then separated from the aqueous scrubber solution. The molten glass containing the treated waste material is removed from the bath as a waste glass. The process of the invention can be used to treat all types of waste material including radioactive wastes. The process is particularly suited for separating halogens from halogen-containing wastes. 3 figs.

Biodigester Feasibility and Design for Space and Earth Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Terrier, Douglas; Clayton, Ronald; Shutts, Stacy (Principal Investigator); Bacon, John; Ewert, Michael; Paul, Thomas

2016-01-01

Biodigesters harness and utilize byproducts, and are a valuable technology for waste conversion and advanced exploration closed loops targets (6.1.a-E), including that of human waste. On Mars and at JSC, this could lead to growing food and to more sustainable uses of waste. It is critical to understand biogas generation rates, odor management of the effluent, and nutrient viability. Improved efficiency and reliance on this renewable energy source can become feasible for deep space missions.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1999-07-20

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogenous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a "clean" polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1998-03-24

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogenous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a "clean" polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1997-01-01

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogenous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a "clean" polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment.

Metallurgical recovery of metals from electronic waste: a review.

PubMed

Cui, Jirang; Zhang, Lifeng

2008-10-30

Waste electric and electronic equipment, or electronic waste, has been taken into consideration not only by the government but also by the public due to their hazardous material contents. In the detailed literature survey, value distributions for different electronic waste samples were calculated. It is showed that the major economic driver for recycling of electronic waste is from the recovery of precious metals. The state of the art in recovery of precious metals from electronic waste by pyrometallurgical processing, hydrometallurgical processing, and biometallurgical processing are highlighted in the paper. Pyrometallurgical processing has been a traditional technology for recovery of precious metals from waste electronic equipment. However, state-of-the-art smelters are highly depended on investments. Recent research on recovery of energy from PC waste gives an example for using plastics in this waste stream. It indicates that thermal processing provides a feasible approach for recovery of energy from electronic waste if a comprehensive emission control system is installed. In the last decade, attentions have been removed from pyrometallurgical process to hydrometallurgical process for recovery of metals from electronic waste. In the paper, hydrometallurgical processing techniques including cyanide leaching, halide leaching, thiourea leaching, and thiosulfate leaching of precious metals are detailed. In order to develop an environmentally friendly technique for recovery of precious metals from electronic scrap, a critical comparison of main leaching methods is analyzed for both economic feasibility and environmental impact. It is believed that biotechnology has been one of the most promising technologies in metallurgical processing. Bioleaching has been used for recovery of precious metals and copper from ores for many years. However, limited research was carried out on the bioleaching of metals from electronic waste. In the review, initial researches on the topic are presented. In addition, mechanisms and models of biosorption of precious metal ions from solutions are discussed.

Bio-hydrogen production from tempeh and tofu processing wastes via fermentation process using microbial consortium: A mini-review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rengga, Wara Dyah Pita; Wati, Diyah Saras; Siregar, Riska Yuliana; Wulandari, Ajeng Riswanti; Lestari, Adela Ayu; Chafidz, Achmad

2017-03-01

One of alternative energies that can replace fossil fuels is hydrogen. Hydrogen can be used to generate electricity and to power combustion engines for transportation. Bio-hydrogen produced from tempeh and tofu processing waste can be considered as a renewable energy. Bio-hydrogen produced from tempeh and tofu processing waste is beneficial because the waste of soybean straw and tofu processing waste is plentiful, cheap, renewable and biodegradable. Specification of tempeh and tofu processing waste were soybean straw and sludge of tofu processing. They contain carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) and methane. This paper reviews the optimal condition to produce bio-hydrogen from tempeh and tofu processing waste. The production of bio-hydrogen used microbial consortium which were enriched from cracked cereals and mainly dominated by Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium roseum. The production process of bio-hydrogen from tempeh and tofu processing waste used acid pre-treatment with acid catalyzed hydrolysis to cleave the bond of hemicellulose and cellulose chains contained in biomass. The optimal production of bio-hydrogen has a yield of 6-6.8 mL/g at 35-60 °C, pH 5.5-7 in hydraulic retention time (HRT) less than 16 h. The production used a continuous system in an anaerobic digester. This condition can be used as a reference for the future research.

Plasma for environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Oost, G.

2017-11-01

Human activity is associated with the permanent emergence of a very wide range of waste streams. The most widely used treatment of waste is thermal processing such as incineration. An alternative environmentally friendly process is based on thermal plasma technology which is a very flexible tool because it allows to operate in a wide temperature range with almost any chemical composition of waste and chemicals needed for processing this waste, and to convert organic waste into energy or chemical substances as well as to destroy toxic organic compounds, and to vitrify radioactive waste in a scenario that for each specific type of waste can be considered optimal, both in terms of energy efficiency and environmental safety.

ADVANCED REMOTE SENSING MONITORING OF MINE WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

The OEI-EAD and NERL-ESD have been cooperating on development of monitoring technologies and research to better use remote sensor-derived information and to ultimately disseminate that information to users. This work has focused on NASA'S airborne advanced remote sensor systems ...

Evaluating the toxicity of food processing wastes as co-digestion substrates with dairy manure.

PubMed

Lisboa, Maria Sol; Lansing, Stephanie

2014-07-01

Studies have shown that including food waste as a co-digestion substrate in the anaerobic digestion of livestock manure can increase energy production. However, the type and inclusion rate of food waste used for co-digestion need to be carefully considered in order to prevent adverse conditions in the digestion environment. This study determined the effect of increasing the concentration (2%, 5%, 15% and 30%, by volume) of four food-processing wastes (meatball, chicken, cranberry and ice cream processing wastes) on methane production. Anaerobic toxicity assay (ATA) and specific methanogenic activity (SMA) tests were conducted to determine the concentration at which each food waste became toxic to the digestion environment. Decreases in methane production were observed at concentrations above 5% for all four food waste substrates, with up to 99% decreases in methane production at 30% food processing wastes (by volume). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Novel process utilizing alkalis assisted hydrothermal process to stabilize heavy metals both from municipal solid waste or medical waste incinerator fly ash and waste water].

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Jin, Jian; Li, Xiao-dong; Chi, Yong; Yan, Jian-hua

2010-08-01

An alkalis assisted hydrothermal process was induced to stabilize heavy metals both from municipal solid waste or medical waste incinerator fly ash and waste water. The results showed that alkalis assisted hydrothermal process removed the heavy metals effectively from the waste water, and reduced leachability of fly ash after process. The heavy metal leachabilities of fly ash studied in this paper were Mn 17,300 microg/L,Ni 1650 microg/L, Cu 2560 microg/L, Zn 189,000 microg/L, Cd 1970 microg/L, Pb 1560 microg/L for medical waste incinerator fly ash; Mn 17.2 microg/L, Ni 8.32 microg/L, Cu 235.2 microg/L, Zn 668.3 microg/L, Cd 2.81 microg/L, Pb 7200 microg/L for municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash. After hydrothermal process with experimental condition [Na2CO3 dosage (5 g Na2CO3/50 g fly ash), reaction time = 10 h, L/S ratio = 10/1], the heavy metal removal efficiencies of medical waste incinerator fly ash were 86.2%-97.3%, and 94.7%-99.6% for municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash. The leachabilities of both two kinds of fly ash were lower than that of the Chinese national limit. The mechanism of heavy metal stabilization can be concluded to the chemisorption and physically encapsulation effects of aluminosilicates during its formation, crystallization and aging process, the high pH value has some contribution to the heavy metal removal and stabilization.

Advances in the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology of acid mine waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nordstrom, D. Kirk

2000-01-01

The last decade has witnessed a plethora of research related to the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology of acid mine waters and associated tailings and waste-rock waters. Numerous books, reviews, technical papers, and proceedings have been published that examine the complex bio-geochemical process of sulfide mineral oxidation, develop and apply geochemical models to site characterization, and characterize the microbial ecology of these environments. This review summarizes many of these recent works, and provides references for those investigating this field. Comparisons of measured versus calculated Eh and measured versus calculated pH for water samples from several field sites demonstrate the reliability of some current geochemical models for aqueous speciation and mass balances. Geochemical models are not, however, used to predict accurately time-dependent processes but to improve our understanding of these systems and to constrain possible processes that contribute to actual or potential water quality issues. Microbiological studies are demonstrating that there is much we have yet to learn about the types of different microorganisms and their function and ecology in mine-waste environments. A broad diversity of green algae, bacteria, archaea, yeasts, and fungi are encountered in acid mine waters, and a better understanding of their ecology and function may potentially enhance remediation possibilities as well as our understanding of the evolution of life.

PROCESSING ALTERNATIVES FOR DESTRUCTION OF TETRAPHENYLBORATE

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

Lambert, D; Thomas Peters, T; Samuel Fink, S

Two processes were chosen in the 1980's at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to decontaminate the soluble High Level Waste (HLW). The In Tank Precipitation (ITP) process (1,2) was developed at SRS for the removal of radioactive cesium and actinides from the soluble HLW. Sodium tetraphenylborate was added to the waste to precipitate cesium and monosodium titanate (MST) was added to adsorb actinides, primarily uranium and plutonium. Two products of this process were a low activity waste stream and a concentrated organic stream containing cesium tetraphenylborate and actinides adsorbed on monosodium titanate (MST). A copper catalyzed acid hydrolysis process wasmore » built to process (3, 4) the Tank 48H cesium tetraphenylborate waste in the SRS's Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). Operation of the DWPF would have resulted in the production of benzene for incineration in SRS's Consolidated Incineration Facility. This process was abandoned together with the ITP process in 1998 due to high benzene in ITP caused by decomposition of excess sodium tetraphenylborate. Processing in ITP resulted in the production of approximately 1.0 million liters of HLW. SRS has chosen a solvent extraction process combined with adsorption of the actinides to decontaminate the soluble HLW stream (5). However, the waste in Tank 48H is incompatible with existing waste processing facilities. As a result, a processing facility is needed to disposition the HLW in Tank 48H. This paper will describe the process for searching for processing options by SRS task teams for the disposition of the waste in Tank 48H. In addition, attempts to develop a caustic hydrolysis process for in tank destruction of tetraphenylborate will be presented. Lastly, the development of both a caustic and acidic copper catalyzed peroxide oxidation process will be discussed.« less

N-SINK - reduction of waste water nitrogen load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aalto, Sanni; Tiirola, Marja; Arvola, Lauri; Huotari, Jussi; Tulonen, Tiina; Rissanen, Antti; Nykänen, Hannu

2014-05-01

Protection of the Baltic Sea from eutrophication is one of the key topics in the European Union environmental policy. One of the main anthropogenic sources of nitrogen (N) loading into Baltic Sea are waste water treatment plants, which are currently capable in removing only 40-70% of N. European commission has obliged Finland and other Baltic states to reduce nitrate load, which would require high monetary investments on nitrate removal processes in treatment plants. In addition, forced denitrification in treatment plants would increase emissions of strong greenhouse gas N2O. In this project (LIFE12 FI/ENV/597 N-SINK) we will develop and demonstrate a novel economically feasible method for nitrogen removal using applied ecosystem services. As sediment is known to have enormous capacity to reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas through denitrification, we predict that spatial optimization of the waste water discharge would be an efficient way to reduce nitrate-based load in aquatic systems. A new sediment filtration approach, which will increase both the area and time that nitrified waste water will be in contact with the reducing microbes of the sediment, is tested. Compared to the currently implemented practice, where purified waste water is discharged though one-point outlet system, we expect that sediment filtration system will result in more efficient denitrification and decreased N load to aquatic system. We will conduct three full-scale demonstrations in the receiving water bodies of waste water treatment plants in Southern and Central Finland. The ecosystem effects of sediment filtration system will be monitored. Using the most advanced stable isotope techniques will allow us accurately measure denitrification and unfavoured DNRA (reduction of nitrite to ammonium) activity.

Waste processing building with incineration technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasilah, Wasilah; Zaldi Suradin, Muh.

2017-12-01

In Indonesia, waste problem is one of major problem of the society in the city as part of their life dynamics. Based on Regional Medium Term Development Plan of South Sulawesi Province in 2013-2018, total volume and waste production from Makassar City, Maros, Gowa, and Takalar Regency estimates the garbage dump level 9,076.949 m3/person/day. Additionally, aim of this design is to present a recommendation on waste processing facility design that would accommodate waste processing process activity by incineration technology and supported by supporting activity such as place of education and research on waste, and the administration activity on waste processing facility. Implementation of incineration technology would reduce waste volume up to 90% followed by relative negative impact possibility. The result planning is in form of landscape layout that inspired from the observation analysis of satellite image line pattern of planning site and then created as a building site pattern. Consideration of building orientation conducted by wind analysis process and sun path by auto desk project Vasari software. The footprint designed by separate circulation system between waste management facility interest and the social visiting activity in order to minimize the croos and thus bring convenient to the building user. Building mass designed by inseparable connection series system, from the main building that located in the Northward, then connected to a centre visitor area lengthways, and walked to the waste processing area into the residue area in the Southward area.

Recycling process for recovery of gallium from GaN an e-waste of LED industry through ball milling, annealing and leaching.

PubMed

Swain, Basudev; Mishra, Chinmayee; Kang, Leeseung; Park, Kyung-Soo; Lee, Chan Gi; Hong, Hyun Seon

2015-04-01

Waste dust generated during manufacturing of LED contains significant amounts of gallium and indium, needs suitable treatment and can be an important resource for recovery. The LED industry waste dust contains primarily gallium as GaN. Leaching followed by purification technology is the green and clean technology. To develop treatment and recycling technology of these GaN bearing e-waste, leaching is the primary stage. In our current investigation possible process for treatment and quantitative leaching of gallium and indium from the GaN bearing e-waste or waste of LED industry dust has been developed. To recycle the waste and quantitative leaching of gallium, two different process flow sheets have been proposed. In one, process first the GaN of the waste the LED industry dust was leached at the optimum condition. Subsequently, the leach residue was mixed with Na2CO3, ball milled followed by annealing, again leached to recover gallium. In the second process, the waste LED industry dust was mixed with Na2CO3, after ball milling and annealing, followed acidic leaching. Without pretreatment, the gallium leaching was only 4.91 w/w % using 4M HCl, 100°C and pulp density of 20g/L. After mechano-chemical processing, both these processes achieved 73.68 w/w % of gallium leaching at their optimum condition. The developed process can treat and recycle any e-waste containing GaN through ball milling, annealing and leaching. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pathways for Disposal of Commercially-Generated Tritiated Waste

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

Halverson, Nancy V.

From a waste disposal standpoint, tritium is a major challenge. Because it behaves like hydrogen, tritium exchanges readily with hydrogen in the ground water and moves easily through the ground. Land disposal sites must control the tritium activity and mobility of incoming wastes to protect human health and the environment. Consequently, disposal of tritiated low-level wastes is highly regulated and disposal options are limited. The United States has had eight operating commercial facilities licensed for low-level radioactive waste disposal, only four of which are currently receiving waste. Each of these is licensed and regulated by its state. Only two ofmore » these sites accept waste from states outside of their specified regional compact. For waste streams that cannot be disposed directly at one of the four active commercial low-level waste disposal facilities, processing facilities offer various forms of tritiated low-level waste processing and treatment, and then transport and dispose of the residuals at a disposal facility. These processing facilities may remove and recycle tritium, reduce waste volume, solidify liquid waste, remove hazardous constituents, or perform a number of additional treatments. Waste brokers also offer many low-level and mixed waste management and transportation services. These services can be especially helpful for small-quantity tritiated-waste generators, such as universities, research institutions, medical facilities, and some industries. The information contained in this report covers general capabilities and requirements for the various disposal/processing facilities and brokerage companies, but is not considered exhaustive. Typically, each facility has extensive waste acceptance criteria and will require a generator to thoroughly characterize their wastes. Then a contractual agreement between the waste generator and the disposal/processing/broker entity must be in place before waste is accepted. Costs for tritiated waste transportation, processing and disposal vary based a number of factors. In many cases, wastes with very low radioactivity are priced primarily based on weight or volume. For higher activities, costs are based on both volume and activity, with the activity-based charges usually being much larger than volume-based charges. Other factors affecting cost include location, waste classification and form, other hazards in the waste, etc. Costs may be based on general guidelines used by an individual disposal or processing site, but final costs are established by specific contract with each generator. For this report, seven hypothetical waste streams intended to represent commercially-generated tritiated waste were defined in order to calculate comparative costs. Ballpark costs for disposition of these hypothetical waste streams were calculated. These costs ranged from thousands to millions of dollars. Due to the complexity of the cost-determining factors mentioned above, the costs calculated in this report should be understood to represent very rough cost estimates for the various hypothetical wastes. Actual costs could be higher or could be lower due to quantity discounts or other factors.« less

Using Waste Heat for External Processes (English/Chinese) (Fact Sheet) (in Chin3se; English)

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

Not Available

Chinese translation of the Using Waste Heat for External Processes fact sheet. Provides suggestions on how to use waste heat in industrial applications. The temperature of exhaust gases from fuel-fired industrial processes depends mainly on the process temperature and the waste heat recovery method. Figure 1 shows the heat lost in exhaust gases at various exhaust gas temperatures and percentages of excess air. Energy from gases exhausted from higher temperature processes (primary processes) can be recovered and used for lower temperature processes (secondary processes). One example is to generate steam using waste heat boilers for the fluid heaters used inmore » petroleum crude processing. In addition, many companies install heat exchangers on the exhaust stacks of furnaces and ovens to produce hot water or to generate hot air for space heating.« less

Biogasification of papaya processing wastes

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

Yang, P.Y.; Weitzenhoff, M.H.; Moy, J.H.

1984-01-01

Biogasification of papaya processing wastes for pollution control and energy utilization is feasible. The biogasification process with sludge recycling permits smaller reactor volume without any deterioration of CH4 production rate and CH4 content. Appropriate design and operational criteria for biogasification processing of papaya wastes were developed.

Bioconversion of fish solid waste into PHB using Bacillus subtilis based submerged fermentation process.

PubMed

Mohapatra, S; Sarkar, B; Samantaray, D P; Daware, A; Maity, S; Pattnaik, S; Bhattacharjee, S

2017-12-01

Currently, one of the major problem affecting the world is solid waste management, predominantly petroleum-based plastic and fish solid waste (FSW). However, it is very difficult to reduce the consumption of plastic as well as fish products, but it is promising to convert FSW to biopolymer to reduce eco-pollution. On account of that, the bioconversion of FSW extract to polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was undertaken by using Bacillus subtilis (KP172548). Under optimized conditions, 1.62 g/L of PHB has been produced by the bacterium. The purified compound was further characterized by advanced analytical technologies to elucidate its chemical structure. Results indicated that the biopolymer was found to be PHB, the most common homopolymer of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). This is the first report demonstrating the efficacy of B. subtilis to utilize FSW extract to produce biopolymer. The biocompatibility of the PHB against murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 demonstrated that, it was comparatively less toxic, favourable for surface attachment and proliferation in comparison with poly-lactic acid (PLA) and commercially available PHB. Thus, further exploration is highly indispensable to use FSW extract as a substrate for production of PHB at pilot scale.

An Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy System for Monitoring Pineapple Waste Saccharification

PubMed Central

Conesa, Claudia; Ibáñez Civera, Javier; Seguí, Lucía; Fito, Pedro; Laguarda-Miró, Nicolás

2016-01-01

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has been used for monitoring the enzymatic pineapple waste hydrolysis process. The system employed consists of a device called Advanced Voltammetry, Impedance Spectroscopy & Potentiometry Analyzer (AVISPA) equipped with a specific software application and a stainless steel double needle electrode. EIS measurements were conducted at different saccharification time intervals: 0, 0.75, 1.5, 6, 12 and 24 h. Partial least squares (PLS) were used to model the relationship between the EIS measurements and the sugar determination by HPAEC-PAD. On the other hand, artificial neural networks: (multilayer feed forward architecture with quick propagation training algorithm and logistic-type transfer functions) gave the best results as predictive models for glucose, fructose, sucrose and total sugars. Coefficients of determination (R2) and root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) were determined as R2 > 0.944 and RMSEP < 1.782 for PLS and R2 > 0.973 and RMSEP < 0.486 for artificial neural networks (ANNs), respectively. Therefore, a combination of both an EIS-based technique and ANN models is suggested as a promising alternative to the traditional laboratory techniques for monitoring the pineapple waste saccharification step. PMID:26861317

Letter report on PCT/Monolith glass ceramic corrosion tests

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

Crawford, Charles L.

2015-09-24

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is collaborating with personnel from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to study advanced waste form glass ceramics for immobilization of waste from Used Nuclear Fuel (UNF) separations processes. The glass ceramic waste forms take advantage of both crystalline and glassy phases where ‘troublesome’ elements (e.g., low solubility in glass or very long-lived) partition to highly durable ceramic phases with the remainder of elements residing in the glassy phase. The ceramic phases are tailored to create certain minerals or unique crystalline structures that can host the radionuclides by binding them in their specific crystalline networkmore » while not adversely impacting the residual glass network (Crum et al., 2011). Glass ceramics have been demonstrated using a scaled melter test performed in a pilot scale (1/4 scale) cold crucible induction melter (CCIM) (Crum et al., 2014; Maio et al., 2015). This report summarizes recent results from both Phase I and Phase II bench scale tests involving crucible fabrication and corrosion testing of glass ceramics using the Product Consistency Test (PCT). Preliminary results from both Phase I and Phase II bench scale tests involving statistically designed matrices have previously been reported (Crawford, 2013; Crawford, 2014).« less

Review of potential processing techniques for the encapsulation of wastes in thermoplastic polymers

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

Patel, B.R.; Lageraaen, P.R.; Kalb, P.D.

1995-08-01

Thermoplastic encapsulation has been extensively studied at Brookhaven National Laboratory`s (BNL) Environmental and Waste Technology Center (EWTC) as a waste encapsulation technology applicable to a wide range of waste types including radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. Encapsulation involves processing thermoplastic and waste materials into a waste form product by heating and mixing both materials into a homogeneous molten mixture. Cooling of the melt results in a solid monolithic waste form in which contaminants have been completely surrounded by a polymer matrix. Heating and mixing requirements for successful waste encapsulation can be met using proven technologies available in various types ofmore » commercial equipment. Processing techniques for thermoplastic materials, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), are well established within the plastics industry. The majority of commercial polymer processing is accomplished using extruders, mixers or a combination of these technologies. Extruders and mixers are available in a broad range of designs and are used during the manufacture of consumer and commercial products as well as for compounding applications. Compounding which refers to mixing additives such as stabilizers and/or colorants with polymers, is analogous to thermoplastic encapsulation. Several processing technologies were investigated for their potential application in encapsulating residual sorbent waste in selected thermoplastic polymers, including single-screw extruders, twin-screw extruders, continuous mixers, batch mixers as well as other less conventional devices. Each was evaluated based on operational ease, quality control, waste handling capabilities as well as degree of waste pretreatment required. Based on literature review, this report provides a description of polymer processing technologies, a discussion of the merits and limitations of each and an evaluation of their applicability to the encapsulation of sorbent wastes.« less

Sustainable solutions for solid waste management in Southeast Asian countries

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

Uyen Nguyen Ngoc; Schnitzer, Hans

2009-06-15

Human activities generate waste and the amounts tend to increase as the demand for quality of life increases. Today's rate in the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEANs) is alarming, posing a challenge to governments regarding environmental pollution in the recent years. The expectation is that eventually waste treatment and waste prevention approaches will develop towards sustainable waste management solutions. This expectation is for instance reflected in the term 'zero emission systems'. The concept of zero emissions can be applied successfully with today's technical possibilities in the agro-based processing industry. First, the state-of-the-art of waste management in Southeast Asian countries will bemore » outlined in this paper, followed by waste generation rates, sources, and composition, as well as future trends of waste. Further on, solutions for solid waste management will be reviewed in the discussions of sustainable waste management. The paper emphasizes the concept of waste prevention through utilization of all wastes as process inputs, leading to the possibility of creating an ecosystem in a loop of materials. Also, a case study, focusing on the citrus processing industry, is displayed to illustrate the application of the aggregated material input-output model in a widespread processing industry in ASEAN. The model can be shown as a closed cluster, which permits an identification of opportunities for reducing environmental impacts at the process level in the food processing industry. Throughout the discussion in this paper, the utilization of renewable energy and economic aspects are considered to adapt to environmental and economic issues and the aim of eco-efficiency. Additionally, the opportunities and constraints of waste management will be discussed.« less

Recent advances in yeast cell-surface display technologies for waste biorefineries.

PubMed

Liu, Zhuo; Ho, Shih-Hsin; Hasunuma, Tomohisa; Chang, Jo-Shu; Ren, Nan-Qi; Kondo, Akihiko

2016-09-01

Waste biorefinery aims to maximize the output of value-added products from various artificial/agricultural wastes by using integrated bioprocesses. To make waste biorefinery economically feasible, it is thus necessary to develop a low-cost, environment-friendly technique to perform simultaneous biodegradation and bioconversion of waste materials. Cell-surface display engineering is a novel, cost-effective technique that can auto-immobilize proteins on the cell exterior of microorganisms, and has been applied for use with waste biofinery. Through tethering different enzymes (e.g., cellulase, lipase, and protease) or metal-binding peptides on cell surfaces, various yeast strains can effectively produce biofuels and biochemicals from sugar/protein-rich waste materials, catalyze waste oils into biodiesels, or retrieve heavy metals from wastewater. This review critically summarizes recent applications of yeast cell-surface display on various types of waste biorefineries, highlighting its potential and future challenges with regard to commercializing this technology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Synthesis by Spirulina sp. LEB 18 Using Biopolymer Extraction Waste.

PubMed

da Silva, Cleber Klasener; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira; de Morais, Michele Greque

2018-01-20

The reuse of waste as well as the production of biodegradable compounds has for years been the object of studies and of global interest as a way to reduce the environmental impact generated by unsustainable exploratory processes. The conversion of linear processes into cyclical processes has environmental and economic advantages, reducing waste deposition and reducing costs. The objective of this work was to use biopolymer extraction waste in the cultivation of Spirulina sp. LEB 18, for the cyclic process of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis. Concentrations of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% (v/v) of biopolymer extraction waste were tested. For comparison, two assays were used without addition of waste, Zarrouk (SZ) and modified Zarrouk (ZM), with reduction of nitrogen. The assays were carried out in triplicate and evaluated for the production of microalgal biomass and PHB. The tests with addition of waste presented a biomass production statistically equal to ZM (0.79 g L -1 ) (p < 0.1). The production of PHB in the assay containing 25% of waste was higher when compared to the other cultivations, obtaining 10.6% (w/w) of biopolymer. From the results obtained, it is affirmed that the use of PHB extraction waste in the microalgal cultivation, aiming at the synthesis of biopolymers, can occur in a cyclic process, reducing process costs and the deposition of waste, thus favoring the preservation of the environment.

Modeling and Advanced Control for Sustainable Process ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This book chapter introduces a novel process systems engineering framework that integrates process control with sustainability assessment tools for the simultaneous evaluation and optimization of process operations. The implemented control strategy consists of a biologically-inspired, multi-agent-based method. The sustainability and performance assessment of process operating points is carried out using the U.S. E.P.A.’s GREENSCOPE assessment tool that provides scores for the selected economic, material management, environmental and energy indicators. The indicator results supply information on whether the implementation of the controller is moving the process towards a more sustainable operation. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is illustrated through a case study of a continuous bioethanol fermentation process whose dynamics are characterized by steady-state multiplicity and oscillatory behavior. This book chapter contribution demonstrates the application of novel process control strategies for sustainability by increasing material management, energy efficiency, and pollution prevention, as needed for SHC Sustainable Uses of Wastes and Materials Management.

The production of chemicals from food processing wastes using a novel fermenter separator. Annual progress report, January 1993--March 1994

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

Dale, M.C.; Venkatesh, K.V.; Choi, H.

The basic objective of this project is to convert waste streams from the food processing industry to usable fuels and chemicals using novel bioreactors. These bioreactors should allow economical utilization of waste (whey, waste sugars, waste starch, bottling wastes, candy wastes, molasses, and cellulosic wastes) by the production of ethanol, acetone/butanol, organic acids (acetic, lactic, and gluconic), yeast diacetyl flavor, and antifungal compounds. Continuous processes incorporating various processing improvements such as simultaneous product separation and immobilized cells are being developed to allow commercial scale utilization of waste stream. The production of ethanol by a continuous reactor-separator is the process closestmore » to commercialization with a 7,500 liter pilot plant presently sited at an Iowa site to convert whey lactose to ethanol. Accomplishments during 1993 include installation and start-up of a 7,500 liter ICRS for ethanol production at an industry site in Iowa; Donation and installation of a 200 liter yeast pilot Plant to the project from Kenyon Enterprises; Modeling and testing of a low energy system for recovery of ethanol from vapor is using a solvent absorption/extractive distillation system; Simultaneous saccharification/fermentation of raw corn grits and starch in a stirred reactor/separator; Testing of the ability of `koji` process to ferment raw corn grits in a `no-cook` process.« less

Climate impact analysis of waste treatment scenarios--thermal treatment of commercial and pretreated waste versus landfilling in Austria.

PubMed

Ragossnig, A M; Wartha, C; Pomberger, R

2009-11-01

A major challenge for modern waste management lies in a smart integration of waste-to-energy installations in local energy systems in such a way that the energy efficiency of the waste-to-energy plant is optimized and that the energy contained in the waste is, therefore, optimally utilized. The extent of integration of thermal waste treatment processes into regular energy supply systems plays a major role with regard to climate control. In this research, the specific waste management situation looked at scenarios aiming at maximizing the energy recovery from waste (i.e. actual scenario and waste-to-energy process with 75% energy efficiency [22.5% electricity, 52.5% heat]) yield greenhouse gas emission savings due to the fact that more greenhouse gas emissions are avoided in the energy sector than caused by the various waste treatment processes. Comparing dedicated waste-to-energy-systems based on the combined heat and power (CHP) process with concepts based on sole electricity production, the energy efficiency proves to be crucial with regard to climate control. This underlines the importance of choosing appropriate sites for waste-to-energy-plants. This research was looking at the effect with regard to the climate impact of various waste management scenarios that could be applied alternatively by a private waste management company in Austria. The research is, therefore, based on a specific set of data for the waste streams looked at (waste characteristics, logistics needed, etc.). Furthermore, the investigated scenarios have been defined based on the actual available alternatives with regard to the usage of treatment plants for this specific company. The standard scenarios for identifying climate impact implications due to energy recovery from waste are based on the respective marginal energy data for the power and heat generation facilities/industrial processes in Austria.

Process Waste Assessment - Paint Shop

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

Phillips, N.M.

1993-06-01

This Process Waste Assessment was conducted to evaluate hazardous wastes generated in the Paint Shop, Building 913, Room 130. Special attention is given to waste streams generated by the spray painting process because it requires a number of steps for preparing, priming, and painting an object. Also, the spray paint booth covers the largest area in R-130. The largest and most costly waste stream to dispose of is {open_quote}Paint Shop waste{close_quotes} -- a combination of paint cans, rags, sticks, filters, and paper containers. These items are compacted in 55-gallon drums and disposed of as solid hazardous waste. Recommendations are mademore » for minimizing waste in the Paint Shop. Paint Shop personnel are very aware of the need to minimize hazardous wastes and are continuously looking for opportunities to do so.« less

Dangerous Waste Characteristics of Waste from Hanford Tank 241-S-109

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

Tingey, Joel M.; Bryan, Garry H.; Deschane, Jaquetta R.

2004-11-05

Existing analytical data from samples taken from Hanford Tank 241-S-109, along with process knowledge of the wastes transferred to this tank, are reviewed to determine whether dangerous waste characteristics currently assigned to all waste in Hanford underground storage tanks are applicable to this tank waste. Supplemental technologies are examined to accelerate the Hanford tank waste cleanup mission and to accomplish the waste treatment in a safer and more efficient manner. The goals of supplemental technologies are to reduce costs, conserve double-shell tank space, and meet the scheduled tank waste processing completion date of 2028.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, P.D.; Colombo, P.

1997-07-15

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogeneous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a ``clean`` polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment. 2 figs.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, P.D.; Colombo, P.

1998-03-24

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogeneous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a ``clean`` polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment. 2 figs.