Process and composition for the immobilization of high alkaline radioactive and hazardous wastes in silicate-based glasses
First Claim
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1. A process for immobilizing high alkaline 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 glass-forming components in proportion to achieve a mixture capable of forming a high alkaline silicate-based glass consisting essentially of about 1.6 to about 2.2 parts in weight percent of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), about 1 part in weight percent trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), and about 2 to about 3 parts in weight percent of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), wherein Na2O is present in an amount greater than 23 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount greater than about 13 weight percent and less than about 20 weight percent, Si02 is present in an amount greater than about 30 weight percent and less than about 48 weight percent, and B2O3 and other flux components are present in a total amount greater than about 9 weight percent and less than about 15 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 high alkaline silicate-based glass.
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Abstract
The present invention provides processes to immobilize high alkaline radioactive and/or hazardous waste in a silicate-based glass, the waste containing one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, hazardous compounds, and/or other compounds. The invention also provides silicate-based glass compositions for use in immobilizing radioactive and/or hazardous waste.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A process for immobilizing high alkaline wastes in glass which achieves a high concentration of waste constituents (waste loading) comprising:
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combining a waste stream having one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, and hazardous components with glass-forming components in proportion to achieve a mixture capable of forming a high alkaline silicate-based glass consisting essentially of about 1.6 to about 2.2 parts in weight percent of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), about 1 part in weight percent trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), and about 2 to about 3 parts in weight percent of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), wherein Na2O is present in an amount greater than 23 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount greater than about 13 weight percent and less than about 20 weight percent, Si02 is present in an amount greater than about 30 weight percent and less than about 48 weight percent, and B2O3 and other flux components are present in a total amount greater than about 9 weight percent and less than about 15 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 high alkaline silicate-based glass. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A process for immobilizing high alkaline wastes in glass which achieves a high concentration of waste constituents (waste loading) comprising:
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combining a waste stream having one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, and hazardous components with glass-forming components in proportion to achieve a mixture capable of forming a high alkaline silicate-based glass consisting in weight percent essentially of about 1.6 to about 2.2 parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), about 1 part trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), and about 2 to about 3 parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), wherein Na2O is present in an amount greater than 23 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount greater than about 13 weight percent and less than about 20 weight percent, SiO2 is present in an amount greater than about 30 weight percent and less than about 48 weight percent, and B2O3 and other flux components are present in a total amount greater than about 9 weight percent and less than about 15 weight percent; melting the mixture to form a melted glass with integrated waste; solidifying the melted glass with integrated waste by cooling to form said high alkaline silicate-based glass; insuring that the melted glass with integrated waste meets the Vapor Hydration Test (VHT) requirements of less than about 50 grams per square meter per day; insuring that the melted glass with integrated waste meets the Product Consistency Test (PCT) requirements of less than about 2 grams per square meter, as defined in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C 1285; and wherein the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency'"'"'s (EPA) Toxicity Characteristic Leach Test Procedure (TCLP) (SW-846 Method
1311) is performed and the silicate-based glass meets the U.S. EPA Universal Treatment Standard (UTS) for all of the analytes listed, thus meeting current U.S. waste form acceptance criteria.
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15. A process for immobilizing high alkaline wastes in glass which achieves a high concentration of waste constituents (waste loading) comprising:
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combining a waste stream having one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, and hazardous components with glass-forming components in proportion to achieve a mixture capable of forming a high alkaline silicate-based glass consisting in weight percent essentially of about 1.6 to about 2.2 parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), about 1 part trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), and about 2 to about 3 parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), wherein Na2O is present in an amount greater than 24 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount greater than about 13 weight percent and less than about 20 weight percent, SiO2 is present in an amount greater than about 30 weight percent and less than about 48 weight percent, and B2O3 and other flux components are present in a total amount greater than about 9 weight percent and less than about 15 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 high alkaline silicate-based glass. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification