A study on immobilization of 14CO2 using inorganic materials

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 328; no. 2; pp. 627 - 635
• Main Authors: Eun, Hee-Chul, Yang, Hee-Chul, Kim, Hyung-Ju, Kim, Sung-Jun, Lee, Keun-Young, Seo, Bum-Kyoung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Bismuth oxides; Bismuth trioxide; Boron oxides; Calcium carbonate; Carbon dioxide; Carbonation; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Diagnostic Radiology; Glass ceramics; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inorganic Chemistry; Inorganic materials; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear engineering; Nuclear Physics; Physical Chemistry; Silicon dioxide; Slaked lime; Zinc oxide; Immobilization; Carbonation; Activated carbon waste; CO; Nuclear facility
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-021-07681-4

Activated carbon wastes from the air cleaning system in a nuclear facility contain a long half-life value of 14 C (5700 years). This 14 C is converted into a gaseous form of 14 CO 2 during a treatment process of the activated carbon wastes, and it is vented with a considerable amount of CO 2 gas. This CO 2 gas must be immobilized in a stable waste form with a minimized volume for final disposal. For this reason, carbonation tests of CO 2 were conducted in accelerated CO 2 carbonation equipment using Ca(OH) 2 , and fabrication tests of the CO 2 carbonation products into a waste form were performed using a low melting glass in this study. Through the carbonation tests, an optimal condition was determined to achieve a high CaCO 3 production rate (214 kg/m 3  h). In the fabrication tests, it was confirmed that the carbonation product can be fabricated into a homogenous glass-ceramic waste form with a high density (3.1 g/cm 3 ) at 450 °C by using a low melting glass with the Bi 2 O 3 –B 2 O 3 –ZnO–SiO 2 system.