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Development of a ceramic waste form for high-level waste disposal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

D. W. Esh
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls, ID 83403
K. M. Goff
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls, ID 83403
K. T. Hirsche
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls, ID 83403
T. J. Battisti
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls, ID 83403
M. F. Simpson
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls, ID 83403
S. G. Johnson
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls, ID 83403
K. J. Bateman
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls, ID 83403
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Abstract

A ceramic waste form is being developed by Argonne National Laboratory* (ANL) as part of the demonstration of the electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel [1]. The halide, alkaline earth, alkali, transuranic, and rare earth fission products are stabilized in zeolite which is combined with glass and processed in a hot isostatic press (HIP) to form a ceramic composite. The mineral sodalite is formed in the HIP from the zeolite precursor. The process, from starting materials to final product, is relatively simple. An overview of the processing operations is given. The metrics that have been developed to measure the success or completion of processing operations are developed and discussed. The impact of variability in processing metrics on the durability of the final product is presented. The process is demonstrated to be robust for the type and range of operation metrics considered and the performance metric (PCT durability test) against which the operation metrics are evaluated.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

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References

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