Control of Radioactive Waste Glass Melters: I, Preliminary General Limits at Savannah River

Abstract

A ceramic, Joule‐heated, slurry‐fed melter will be used to vitrify Savannah River Site high‐level waste at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) in Aiken, SC. The entire vitrification process must be performed remotely and the borosilicate host glass must accommodate a variety of waste compositions. The control bases for such a melter are unique and complex. DWPF operations are tightly constrained by processing parameters and by product specifications. Part I discusses the melter control considerations which have been identified to facilitate compliance with these constraints. These considerations include melter temperature, glass composition, product durability, waste loading limits, glass redox control, and glass cooling requirements.