Electroslag Remelting (ESR) Slags for Removal of Radioactive Oxide Contaminants from Stainless Steel, Annual Report (1998-1999)

摘要

Decontamination of radioactive contaminated stainless steel using the ESR process is investigated by conducting thermophysical and thermochemical laboratory studies on the slag. The ESR base slag investigated in this research project is 60wt%CaF(sub 2)-20wt%CaO-20wt%Al(sub 2)O(sub 3). In this report, we present the data obtained to date on relevant slag properties, capacity to incorporate the radioactive contaminant (using CeO(sub 3)) as surrogate, simulant for PUO(sub 2) and UO(sub 2), slag-metal partition coefficient, volatilization rate and volatile species, viscosity, electrical conductivity and surface tension as a function of temperature. The impact of these properties on the ESR decontamination process is presented.