The design and operation of a 100-kg/h electric melter for nuclear waste vitrification

The vitrification of simulated nuclear waste calcines was studied in a ceramic-lined melter with a glass surface area of 0.76 m 2 . The melter contained 0.25 m 3 of glass heated by the flow of an ac current (ranging from 600-1200 A) between two Inconel-690® slab-type electrodes immersed directly in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inIEEE transactions on industry applications Vol. IA-18; no. 5; pp. 537 - 541
Main Author Dierks, Richard D.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published IEEE 01.09.1982
Subjects
Corrosion
Discharges (electric)
Electrodes
Glass
Radioactive pollution
Thyristors
Vitrification
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:The vitrification of simulated nuclear waste calcines was studied in a ceramic-lined melter with a glass surface area of 0.76 m 2 . The melter contained 0.25 m 3 of glass heated by the flow of an ac current (ranging from 600-1200 A) between two Inconel-690® slab-type electrodes immersed directly in the glass at either end of the melter tank. The melter was maintained at operating temperatures for 13.5 months and produced 62 000 kg of glass. The maximum sustained operating period was 122 h, during which glass was produced at the rate of 70 kg/h. The basic design features of the melter, and some of the operating experiences, are discussed. The proposed use of ceramic-lined electric-heated glass melters for the vitrification of nuclear wastes is feasible, but additional studies of the chemistry of the melting process and of the corrosion process of the complex nuclear waste glasses are indicated.
ISSN:0093-9994
1939-9367
DOI:10.1109/TIA.1982.6594493