Demonstration and Optimization of BNFL's Pulsed Jet Mixing and RFD Sampling Systems Using NCAW Simulant

Bontha, JR ; Golcar, GR ; Hannigan, N

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (U.S.)

关键词: 12 Management Of Radioactive Wastes, And Non-Radioactive Wastes From Nuclear Facilities;    Samplers;    Sampling;    Mixers;    Waste Retrieval;   

DOI  :  10.2172/761039
RP-ID  :  PNWD-3054
RP-ID  :  AC06-76RL01830
RP-ID  :  761039

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The BNFL Inc. flowsheet for the pretreatment and vitrification of the Hanford High Level Tank waste includes the use of several hundred Reverse Flow Diverters (RFDs) for sampling and transferring the radioactive slurries and Pulsed Jet mixers to homogenize or suspend the tank contents. The Pulsed Jet mixing and the RFD sampling devices represent very simple and efficient methods to mix and sample slurries, respectively, using compressed air to achieve the desired operation. The equipment has no moving parts, which makes them very suitable for mixing and sampling highly radioactive wastes. However, the effectiveness of the mixing and sampling systems are yet to be demonstrated when dealing with Hanford slurries, which exhibit a wide range of physical and theological properties. This report describes the results of the testing of BNFL's Pulsed Jet mixing and RFD sampling systems in a 13-ft ID and 15-ft height dish-bottomed tank at Battelle's 336 building high-bay facility using AZ-101/102 simulants containing up to 36-wt% insoluble solids. The specific objectives of the work were to: Demonstrate the effectiveness of the Pulsed Jet mixing system to thoroughly homogenize Hanford-type slurries over a range of solids loading; Minimize/optimize air usage by changing sequencing of the Pulsed Jet mixers or by altering cycle times; and Demonstrate that the RFD sampler can obtain representative samples of the slurry up to the maximum RPP-WTP baseline concentration of 25-wt%.