DEFENSE HIGH-LEVEL WASTE MANAGEMENT

Year
1984
Author(s)
J. R. Berreth - Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Company, Inc.
D. A. Knecht - Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Company, Inc.
Abstract
The Idaho Chemical Processing Plant reprocesses Department of Energy nuclear fuels for recovery of Uranium. Acidic high-level liquid wastes are temporarily scored in stainless-steel tanks prior to solidification using a fluidized-bed calcining process. After solidification, the granular solid waste is stored in stainless-steel bins located within concrete vaults. Approximately 20,000 m of liquid waste has been reduced to 2800 m of solidified waste during 20 years of routine calcining operations. Alternative strategies for long-term waste management include in-place immobilization and repository disposal. Glass and ceramic are candidate waste forms to immobilize the waste.