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0421 WSRC-MS-95- Keywords: Pu D i s p o s i t i o n , Waste Management, Ac t in ides , Melters

OPERATION OF A BUSHING MELTER SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR ACTINIDE VITRIFICATION

W. G. Ramsey

Sasvannah R i v e r Technology Center Westinghouse Savannah R i v e r Co. Aiken, SC 29808

Extended summary of paper proposed f o r p r e s e n t a t i o n and p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e proceedings of the Waste Management I n t e r n a t i o n a l Conference, Tucson, AZ, February 25-29, 1996

* * (803) 727-7295 (PHONE) (803) 725-4704 (FAX)

T h i s paper w a s prepared i n connect ion w i t h work done under Cont rac t N o . DE-AC-09-89SR18035 wi th t h e U.S. Department of Energy. By acceptance of t h i s paper, t h e p u b l i s h e r and/or r e c i p i e n t acknowledges the U . S . Government’s r i g h t t o r e t a i n a nonexclusive, roya l ty - f r ee l i c e n s e i n and t o any copyr ight cover ing t h i s paper , a long w i t h t h e r igh t t o reproduce and t o a u t h o r i z e o t h e r s t o reproduce a l l o r p a r t of the copyr igh ted paper .

Operation of a Bushing Melter System Designed for Actinide Vitrification

W. G. Ramsey

Westinghouse Savannah River Company Savannah River Technology Center

Aiken, SC 29808

Extended Summary of a Paper Proposed for Presentation at WM'96 in Tucson, AZ.

Introduction The Westinghouse Savannah River Company is developing a melter system to vitrify actinide materials. The melter system will used to vitrify the americium and curium solution which is currently stored in one of the Savannah River Site's (SRS) processing canyons. This solution is one of the materials designated by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) to be dispositioned as part of the DNFSB recommendation 94-1. The Am/Cm solution contains an extremely large fraction (>2 kilograms of Cm and 10 kilograms of Am) of the United States's total inventory of both elements. They have an estimated value on the order of one billion dollars - if they are processed through the DOE Isotope Sales program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It is therefore deemed highly desirable to transfer the material to Oak Ridge in a form which can allow f o r recovery of the material. A commercial glass composition has been demonstrated to be compatible with up to 40 weight percent of the Am/Cm solution contents. This glass is also selectively attacked by nitric acid. This allows the actinide to be recovered by common separation processes.

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Another commercial technology - a bushing melter - has been selected as the melter system to process the Am/Cm into glass. Bushings are standard technology developed by the fiber glass industry. This particular adaptation is very similar to a "drain bushing". Drain bushings (1 to 3 nozzles) are used to regulate flow from large glass tanks to the fiber drawing bushings (up to 2000 small nozzles. Initial tests with a bushing melter at SRS indicate the system to be compatible with both actinide glasses and remote processing. A physical description of the bushing melter, its processing characteristics and limitations, and the status of the Am/Cm melter system is provided in this paper.

Phvsical DescrlatloP . .

The SRS bushing melter is a small 6.35cm x 25cm x 25cm platinum-rhodium alloy box. A small sloped bottom leads to the drain tap. The unit is heated conductively. Copper buss bars are connected two sides of the melter and electricity is driven into the Pt/Rh via the buss. The bushing is fed low voltage (3-5 volts), high amperage (up to 5000 amps) to process 2-5 kilograms of glass per hour. Refractory insulation is provided on four sides plus the bottom to retain heat and give structural support to the unit. The refractory on the initial bushing is a high alumina castable material.

The Am/Cm glass requires on the order of 14OO0C for melting. At this temperature the glass is extremely fluid (10 poise).The bushing melter drain tip was designed to extend below the body of the melter in order to allow for maximum control of pour (The tip temperature is often 100°C cooler than the melt temperature. The initial melt tests were made using dry frit. Melt rate tests with frit and water are underway. The ultimate limitation to the melt rate (production capacity) will be determined by the amount of

power which can be placed on the copper/platinum connection. Production rates in the 4 kilogram per hour range appear fairly comfortable - but not close to the upper limit. - Currently, the melter system (feed equipment and melter off- gas equipment is being evaluated. The final processing input will be made to the equipment design team by June, 1996, and a workable system will be demonstrated by November, 1996, The equipment to process the actual Am/Cm will be tested June, 1997, and then "mock-up" - or skid placement and Canyon connectors will be constructed. The Am/Cm production runs will begin in the first quarter, 1998.

Conclusions

A melter system is being tested for vitrification of americium and curium. Commercial glass and melter technology is being adapted for the processing of these highly radioactive, and highly valuable elements. The unique features of the bushing melter appear compatible with remote operations and with the chemistry of the actinide elements. It is also strongly possible that the geometrically favorable dimensions of the bushing would allow for safe vitrification of fissile material such as plutonium.

Acknowledament Work performed under Contract No. DE-AC09-89SR18035 with the U.S. Department of Energy and Task Technical P l a n SR14 sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Technology Development.

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system

960521 960305 960305 2 R H

vitrification

CLASSIFICATION-CODE LITERAREI-INDICATOR GPO-SUPERINTENDENT-OF-DOCUMENTS PERSONAL-AUTHOR-AND-AFFILIATION SPONSORING-ORGANIZATION-CODE TITLE-ENGLISH

PR Y-REPORT-NUMBER WS%-MS--95-0421 SECONDARY-REPORT-NUMBER CONF-960212--50 CONTRACT-NUMBER-DOE ACO9-89SRl8035 ABBRFV-CONTRACT-NUMBER-DOE SR18035 AWARDING-OFFICE-CODE 09 BUDGET-REPORTING-CODE LEGIBILITY-CODE DOE-INITIATINGOFFICE-CODE SR MICROFICHE-DISTRIBUTION-CODE 4 VENDOR-ID-CODE 228160-0001-X VENDOR-NAME WESTINGHOUSE SAVANNAH RIVER CO REPORTING-NCQUImNT AZ DUPCHECK-BYPASS-FLAG N PACKED-PRD1VIARY-REPORT-NUMBER PREFIX DE INDEX-DOCUMENT-NUMBER M96006491 PUBLICATION-DATE REPORT-TYPE -CODE -AhD-FREQUENCY C/02/ 6 PAGES-BIBLIOGRAPHIC 6 REPORT-DISTRIBUTION-CODE A LANGUAGE-CODE EN AUDIENCE-CODE 01 LIMITATION-CODE UNL CO?JFERENCE-NUMBER 960212 DISTRIBUTION-CATEGORY M -2000 PROJECT-STATUS P ANNOUNC?BENT-CODE EDB;ERA;ETD; 1NS;NTS EDB-SUBJECT-CATEGORIES 052001 SOURCE-OF-BIBLIOGRAPHIC-INPUT TIC COUNTRY-OF-INTELLECTUAL-ORIGIN us COUNTRY-OF-PUBLICATION us INIS-'IYPE R INIS-CATEGORIES E5100 DOCUMENT-STATUS -CODE 000 CORPORATE-CODE 9525316 SUBJECT-DESCRIPTORS

INIS-DESCRIPTORS

AVAILABILITY-CODE 0s;NT;IN ABSTRACT

=tion of a bushing melter desi ed for actinide

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WSRCMS 95 0 42 1

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CERAMTC MELTERS;VITRIFICATION: Q1; AMERICIUM; CURIUM; PLUTONIUM; RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT; GLASS; ACTINIDES : TI ACTINIDES : T1;AMERICIUM; CERAMIC MELTERS; CURIUM; GLASS; PLUTONIUM; RADIOACTIVE W A S T E MANAGEMENT; VITRIFICAT1ON:Ql

!Che Westinghouse Savannah River Cclmpany is developing a melter system t o vitrif ,actinjde is crqrently stored in one o f the Savannah h v e r Site's (SRS) solution is one of the materials desi ated b the Defense Nucyear Faciyities Safety Board (DNFSB) t o be dispositioned as pa@ o!?the.DdSB recmendation 94-1. The A m h n solution contams an extreme1 large fraction (>2 kilograms of Cm and 10 kilograms of Am) of t he United States's totar inventory of both elements. The have an estimated value on the order of one billion dollars - i f they are processed Through the DOE Isoto e Sales pro a t the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It is therefore deemed high1 desirahe t o trans er the material t o Oak Ridge i n a form which can allow for recovery o? the mterial . A comrcia l lass composition has been demonstrated to be compatible with up t o 40 we$ ht

acid. This allows the actinide to be recoverel by comon separation processes.

wter ia ls . The melter system w i l l used t o vitrify the americium and cpmnn s o h e ion which

$" percent of ?he Am/Qn solution contents. This lass is also selectively attacked by ru ? r i c

rocessq .c+yons. Ths