Ion Recognition Approach to Volume Reduction of Alkaline Tank Waste by Separation of Sodium Salts. Annual Progress Report, October 1, 2001-September 30, 2004

摘要

The overall goal of this research conducted under the auspices of the USDOE Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) is to provide a scientific foundation upon which the feasibility of new liquid-liquid extraction chemistry applicable to the bulk reduction of the volume of tank waste can be evaluated. Disposal of high-level nuclear waste is horrendously expensive, in large part because the actual radioactive matter in the tanks has been diluted over 10,000-fold by ordinary inorganic chemicals. Quite simply, if the radioactive matter and bulk inorganic chemicals could be separated into separate streams, large cost savings would accrue, because the latter stream is much cheaper to dispose of. In principle, one could remove the radionuclides from the waste, leaving behind the bulk of the waste$ or one could remove certain bulk chemicals from the waste, leaving behind a mixture of radionuclides and minor inorganic salts. The preponderance of effort over the past two decades has focused on the former approach, which produces a high-level stream for vitrification and a low-activity stream for either vitrification (Hanford) or grout (Savannah River).