Behavior of technetium in nuclear waste vitrification processes

• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-014-3900-9
• Publication Date: 2015-01-13T12:22:26Z
• Authors: Ian L. Pegg
• Keywords: Vitrification; Borosilicate glass; Savannah River Site; Hanford Site; Fraction (chemistry); Technetium-99

Nearly 100 tests were performed with prototypical melters and off-gas system components to investigate the extents which technetium is incorporated into glass melt, partitioned stream, captured by treatment during waste vitrification. The employed several simulants, spiked 99mTc Re (a potential surrogate), of low activity separated from nuclear wastes in storage Hanford tanks, planned for immobilization borosilicate glass. Single-pass retention averaged about 35 % increased significantly recycle fluids. fraction escaping loop was very small.