Process and composition for the immobilization of radioactive and hazardous wastes in borosilicate glass
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A process for immobilizing wastes in glass which achieves a high concentration of waste constituents (waste loading) comprising:
- combining a waste stream having one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, and hazardous components with fluorine and glass-forming components in proportion to achieve a mixture capable of forming a highly polymerized borosilicate glass consisting essentially of about 1 to about 1.3 mole parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), about 1 to about 1.4 mole parts trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), and about 1.2 to about 4.2 mole parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), wherein SiO2 is present in an amount greater than 30 weight percent, B2O3 is present in an amount between 8.7 and 15.3 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount between 7 and 15.1 weight percent, CaO is present in an amount between 0.2 and 2.3 weight percent, and fluorine is present in an amount between about 1 to about 3 weight percent;
melting the mixture to form a melted glass with integrated waste; and
solidifying the melted glass with integrated waste by cooling to form said highly polymerized borosilicate glass.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides processes to immobilize radioactive and/or hazardous waste in a borosilicate glass, the waste containing one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, hazardous compounds, and/or other compounds. The invention also provides borosilicate glass compositions for use in immobilizing radioactive and/or hazardous waste.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A process for immobilizing wastes in glass which achieves a high concentration of waste constituents (waste loading) comprising:
-
combining a waste stream having one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, and hazardous components with fluorine and glass-forming components in proportion to achieve a mixture capable of forming a highly polymerized borosilicate glass consisting essentially of about 1 to about 1.3 mole parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), about 1 to about 1.4 mole parts trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), and about 1.2 to about 4.2 mole parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), wherein SiO2 is present in an amount greater than 30 weight percent, B2O3 is present in an amount between 8.7 and 15.3 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount between 7 and 15.1 weight percent, CaO is present in an amount between 0.2 and 2.3 weight percent, and fluorine is present in an amount between about 1 to about 3 weight percent;
melting the mixture to form a melted glass with integrated waste; and
solidifying the melted glass with integrated waste by cooling to form said highly polymerized borosilicate glass. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
2. A process for immobilizing wastes comprising:
-
combining a waste stream having one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, and hazardous components with fluorine and glass-forming components in proportion to achieve a mixture capable of forming a highly polymerized borosilicate glass consisting essentially of about 1 to about 1.3 mole parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), including alkaline oxides and alkaline earth oxides, about 1 to about 1.4 mole parts trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), including alumina, boric oxide, and ferric oxide, and about 1.2 to about 4.2 mole parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), including silica, zirconia, titania, and phosphoric oxide, wherein SiO2 is present in an amount greater than 30 weight percent, B2O3 is present in an amount between 8.7 and 15.3 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount between 7 and 15.1 weight percent, CaO is present in an amount between 0.2 and 2.3 weight percent, and fluorine is present in an amount between about 1 to about 3 weight percent;
melting the mixture to form a melted glass with integrated waste; and
solidifying the melted glass with integrated waste by cooling to form said highly polymerized borosilicate glass.
-
-
12. A borosilicate glass consisting essentially of:
-
about 1 to about 1.3 mole parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO);
about 1 to about 1.4 mole parts trivalent cation oxides (R2O3);
about 1.2 to about 4.2 mole parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5); and
wherein SiO2 is present in an amount greater than 30 weight percent, B2O3 is present in an amount between 8.7 and 15.3 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount between 7 and 15.1 weight percent, CaO is present in an amount between 0.2 and 2.3 weight percent, and fluorine is present in an amount between about 1 to about 3 weight percent. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
13. A borosilicate glass consisting essentially of:
-
about 1 to about 1.3 mole parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), including alkaline oxides and alkaline earth oxides;
about 1 to about 1.4 mole parts trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), including alumina, boric oxide, and ferric oxide;
about 1.2 to about 4.2 mole parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), including silica, zirconia, titania, and phosphoric oxide; and
about 1 to about 3 weight percent fluorine;
wherein SiO2 is present in an amount greater than 30 weight percent, B2O3 is present in an amount between 8.7 and 15.3 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount between 7 and 15.1 weight percent, and CaO is present in an amount between 0.2 and 2.3 weight percent.
-
Specification