Model for the conversion of nuclear waste melter feed to glass
The rate of batch-to-glass conversion is a primary concern for the vitrification of nuclear waste, as it directly influences the life cycle of the cleanup process. This study describes the development of an advanced model of the cold cap, which augments the previous model by further developments on the structure and the dynamics of the foam layer. The foam layer on the bottom of the cold cap consists of the primary foam, cavities, and the secondary foam, and forms an interface through which the heat is transferred to the cold cap. Other model enhancements include the behavior of intermediate crystalline phases and the dissolution of quartz particles. The model relates the melting rate to feed properties and melter conditions, such as the molten glass temperature, foaminess of the melt, or the heat fraction supplied to the cold cap from the plenum space. The model correctly predicts a 25% increase in melting rate when changing the alumina source in the melter feed from Al(OH)3 to AlO(OH). It is expected that this model will be incorporated in the full glass melter model as its integral component.
Cold-cap reactions in vitrification of nuclear waste glass: Experiments and modeling
a b s t r a c t Cold-cap reactions are multiple overlapping reactions that occur in the waste-glass melter during the vitrification process when the melter feed is being converted to molten glass. In this study, we used simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetry (DSC-TGA) to investigate cold-cap reactions in a high-alumina high-level waste melter feed. To separate the reaction heat from both the heat associated with the heat capacity of the feed and experimental artifacts, we employed the run/rerun method, which enabled us to define the degree of conversion based on the reaction heat and to estimate the heat capacity of the reacting feed. Assuming that the reactions are nearly independent and can be approximated by an nth order kinetic model, we obtained the kinetic parameters using the Kissinger method combined with least squares analysis. The resulting mathematical simulation of the cold-cap reactions provides a key element for the development of an advanced cold-cap model.
Anomalous Annealing Behavior of Arsenic Implanted Silicon as a Function of Dose and Energy
Anomalous annealing behavior of damage in As implanted Si has been investigated by channeling effect measurements. Room temperature As implants with doses from 1014 to 2 × 1016cm-2 at energies ranging from 50 to 250 keV into Si were annealed over the range of 600°C to 1100°C. Anneal temperatures ≥ 950°C reduce the disorder for ion doses of 0.5 to 1 × 1016 cm-2 at energies between 50 and 250 keV. Anomalously high residual disorder was found for the intermediate doses of 2 × 1014 to 2 × 10/cm2 implanted above 100 keV. For this intermediate dose, annealing of implants performed at liquid nitrogen temperatures did not show significant reduction in this damage. However implants at 200° to 300°C indicate a lower amount of damage compared to the room temperature implants.