Supplemental Immobilization Cast Stone Technology Development and Waste Form Qualification Testing Plan

Abstract

iii SummaryThe Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is being constructed to treat the 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site. The WTP includes a pretreatment facility to separate the wastes into high-level waste (HLW) and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions for vitrification and disposal. The LAW will be converted to glass for final disposal at the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). The pretreatment facility will have the capacity to separate all of the tank wastes into the HLW and LAW fractions, and the HLW Vitrification Facility will have the capacity to vitrify all of the HLW. However, a second immobilization facility will be needed for the expected volume of LAW requiring immobilization. A number of alternatives, including Cast Stone-a cementitious waste form-are being considered to provide the additional LAW immobilization capacity.The supplemental immobilization waste form must be acceptable for disposal in the IDF. This supplemental immobilization waste form testing plan outlines the testing of the waste form and immobilization process to demonstrate that the Cast Stone waste form can comply with the disposal requirements.Specifications for the supplemental immobilization waste form have not been established. For this testing plan, Cast Stone specifications are derived from specifications for the immobilized LAW glass in the WTP contract, the waste acceptance criteria for the IDF, and the waste acceptance criteria in the IDF portion of the Hanford Facility Resource and Recovery Act (RCRA) Permit issued by the State of Washington. This testing plan outlines the testing needed to demonstrate that the waste form can comply with these waste form specifications and acceptance criteria. The testing program must also demonstrate that the immobilization process can be controlled to consistently provide an acceptable waste form product.

Supplemental Immobilization of Hanford Low-Activity Waste: Cast Stone Screening Tests

“…A testing program was developed in fiscal year (FY) 2012 describing in detail the work needed to develop and qualify Cast Stone as a waste form for the solidification of Hanford LAW (Westsik et al 2013). Included in the testing plan by Westsik et al (2013) is a section on the near-term needs to address Tri-Party Agreement (TPA) Milestone M-062-40ZZ. The objectives of the testing program to be conducted in FY 2013 and FY 2014 are as follows:…”

Analysis of Hanford Cast Stone Supplemental LAW using Composition Adjusted SRS Tank 50 Salt Solution

“…A testing program was developed to obtain additional information on the Cast Stone option. 1 Screening tests were conducted in 2013 to examine expected ranges in waste composition, waste concentration, dry materials sources, and free water (in the waste liquid)-to-dry blend mix ratios. 2 An engineering scale demonstration (ES Demo) with nonradioactive LAW simulants was initiated in October 2013.…”

Letter Report: LAW Simulant Development for Cast Stone Screening Test

“…A testing program was developed in fiscal year (FY) 2012 describing in some detail the work needed to develop and qualify Cast Stone as a waste form for the solidification of Hanford LAW (Westsik et al 2012). Included within Westsik et al (2012) is a section on the near-term needs to address Tri-Party Agreement Milestone M-062-40ZZ.…”

“…Included within Westsik et al (2012) is a section on the near-term needs to address Tri-Party Agreement Milestone M-062-40ZZ. The objectives of the testing program to be conducted in FY 2013 and FY 2014 are to:…”