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![Page 1: 1 Status of the High Level Waste (HLW) Calcine Disposition Project at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site Description, Challenges, Technology, Issues,](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062309/56649f065503460f94c1c5d9/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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Status of the High Level Waste (HLW) Calcine Disposition Project
at theIdaho National Laboratory (INL) Site
Description, Challenges, Technology, Issues, and Needs
April 14, 2009
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Calcine Specifics• Calcine is high level waste (HLW) by definition
– First cycle raffinate from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel
• 8-9M gallons liquid HLW converted to 4400 cubic meters of granular solid – 7 to 1 volume reduction achieved
• Average particle size is 0.4 cm – Contains roughly 44 metric tons heavy metal
• Acidic, abrasive, and hydroscopic
• Currently stored in 43 bins in 6 bin-sets – Designed for safe storage for several hundred years– Stored under 10-year RCRA Part B Permit issued 11/06
• Calcine is also classified as hazardous waste as it:– Exhibits hazardous waste characteristics for toxicity for metals
• Waste numbers D004 through D011– Contains listed wastes
• Spent solvents (hazardous waste numbers F001, F002, and F005)• Discarded hydrogen fluoride (hazardous waste number U134)
• Chemical analysis has been performed on samples from:– New Waste Calcining Facility (NWCF) Campaign H-4 (1998)– NWCF Campaign H-3 (1993)– Alumina and zirconia calcine from CSSF 2 (1978)
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Regulatory Challenges: Calcine Disposition Project Drivers
• Meet Idaho Settlement Agreement (SA) milestones– Issue a NEPA Record of Decision (ROD) by December 31,2009 to identify
method to treat calcine (if necessary) • Dual path ROD may carry forward both a treatment and the direct disposal option
– Submit a RCRA Part B Permit application by December 1, 2012 to the state of Idaho for retrieval and treatment (includes packaging)
– Have all calcine ready for transport out of the state of Idaho by a target date of December 31, 2035
• Meet Idaho Site Treatment Plan (STP) milestones– Approval of CD-0 by June 30, 2007
• Approved June 29, 2007 by Deputy Secretary Clay Sell– Approval of CD-1 by September 30, 2009
• Was March 31, 2008 prior to receiving 18 month extension– Submit an enforceable schedule for disposition of calcine (including design,
construction, and start of operations) by June 30, 2010
• Fulfill calcine commitments in 2005 ROD from the Idaho HLW and Facilities Disposition EIS - DOE/EIS-0287
– Develop calcine retrieval processes and conduct risk-based analysis necessary to issue ROD on calcine treatment (with input by State) by December 31, 2009 in accordance with the Settlement Agreement
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Calcine Disposition Alternative Evaluations• Alternatives analyzed in the 9/2002 HLW and Facilities Disposition FEIS
– No action– Continued current operations– Separations
• Full or transuranic separations• Planning basis option (disposal of high activity fraction is in the YMP LA)
– Non-Separations• Early vitrification• Hot isostatic pressing• Direct cement • Steam reforming
– Minimum INEEL [sic] Processing Option – Direct vitrification
• With separations• Without separations
• DOE-ID conducted a value engineering (VE) session on March 21/22, 2006– Screened EIS alternatives through go/no-go and ranking criteria– Resulted in further downselection to three alternative treatment technologies
• Direct vitrification (without separations)• Steam Reforming• Hot Isostatic Pressing
• VE session planned for 12/08 delayed pending clarification of issues
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• Retrieve, package and dispose of as is (direct disposal option)– Idaho baseline approach – highest regulatory risk, lowest cost– Requires conditional exemption from RCRA– Granular waste form
• Treatment by hot isostatic pressing – Volume reduction – being evaluated
by BEA and ANSTO, Inc.– Monolithic waste form – requires delisting– Could compact (~50% volume reduction) steam
reformed or untreated calcine
• Treatment by steam reforming – Maximizes re-use of IWTU– Requires re-dissolution of calcine in nitric acid – Granular waste form – requires delisting
• Treatment by direct vitrification (State EIS PA)– Lowest regulatory risk – highest cost and volume– Monolythic waste form – requires delisting
• Vitrified high-activity fraction (post separations) in YMP LA• Results in ~1200 canisters of glass
Additional Disposal Options for Calcine Remain as Follows:
50% Volume reduction of granular form
30% Volume Reduction
100% Volume Expansion
50-100% Volume Expansion
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Technical Challenge: Layering of Calcine (Bin Set #3 shown)
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1 2 3
4 5 6
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Further Evaluation of HIP Option Appears Warranted
Consolidation: HIP Vitrification (JHM)
Matrix: glass-ceramic borosilicate glass
Waste loading: 60-90% 20-35%
Durability (PCT-B): 10-100 x EA glass 10 x EA glass
Final volume: 15-45% reduction ~100% increase(relative to untreated calcine)
Temp: 2200oF 2100oF
Pressure: 4500 psi atmospheric
Off-gas: minimal medium-high
Facility
Future Mission Flexibility: diverse/flexible extremely limited/inflexible
Cold calcine in glass-ceramic matrix Direct SBW compaction (no additives) Metal encapsulation of uneconomic feeds (Swedish SNF in copper shown)
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Technology Initiative: HIP Evaluation Funded by EM-20 • Contract between Battelle Energy Alliance and the Australian Nuclear
Science and Technology Organization, Inc. was signed 2/28/2008– Currently funded at $2.85M – Will provide data necessary to proper downselection of treatment alternatives
• Calcine surrogate produced at STAR Center and shipped to ANSTO for HIPing and testing of resultant waste form against repository criteria
– Three distinct alumina-calcine simulants containing low, medium, and high mercury concentrations
– Three distinct zirconia-calcine simulants containing low, medium, and high cadmium concentrations
– All other RCRA constituents at maximum
• HIP unit is installed in the HFEF hot-cell at the INL– Using to evaluate conduct of necessary remote operations
(filling/crimping/welding) and potential HIPing of actual calcine– Planning to evaluate treatment of a wide range of challenging
EM materials difficult to incorporate into glass such as:• Cesium/Strontium, technicium, radioactive sludges (e.g. Hanford
K-basin), alpha ashes, impure actinides, corroded spent fuel pins, iodine, etc.
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Technology Initiative: HIP Evaluation Funded by EM-20 (cont) • Results to date indicate viability of HIP treatment of calcine
– Direct HIPing (no treatment additives) generates > than 50% volume reduction• Aluminum calcine actually exceeds the regulatory universal treatment standard (UTS)
without treatment additives (direct HIPing)• Resultant monolythic waste form facilitates transport to a repository
– HIPing of treated calcine (80% loading) results in a glass-ceramic waste form• Chemical durability of treated zirconium calcine handily exceeds UTS and
environmental assessment (EA) requirements while achieving a 39%+ volume reduction• Evaluation of aluminum calcine is currently underway
– Preparations are being made for HIPing actual calcine at the INL (HFEF hot cell) and HIPing a large (70 pound) can in Sydney, Australia
• All work is being performed under the NRC-approved QA program
Evolution of HIP can design will further enhance volume reduction
Direct HIPed alumina calcine showing a 69%+ volume reduction
HIPed treated zirconia calcine inside the INL’s MFC hot cell
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Technology Initiative: HIP Evaluation Funded by EM-20 (cont)
• BEA/ANSTO have reviewed performance/safety record of US HIP industry– HIPs of up to 64-inch diameter operate above calcine
pressure and temperature requirements– Operated in 24/7production environment over 30 years
• Work pieces up to 10,000 pounds are routinely HIPed– Main safety issue raised was asphyxiation (argon gas)
• Not a significant concern in a restricted hot-cell environment
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IWTU Calcine Retrieval and Delivery to IWTU (Direct Disposal Case)
IWTU packaging annexIWTUBin sets (typical)Prototype retrieval arm
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IWTU Internal View Looking East
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Potential IWTU Retrofit for Hot Isostatic Pressing of Calcine
East
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Project Issues
• Inability to determine regulatory viability of direct disposal option/baseline
– Petition for conditional exemption from RCRA definition of hazardous waste for calcine requires update, finalization, and submittal to EPA (on hold) would require > 3 years for EPA decision
• DOE priority to defend the YMP LA as submitted may preclude any decision-making regarding calcine path forward for several years.
– Concern over decision on waste forms that differs from vitrification of the calcine high activity fraction into a single phase borosilicate glass
• Such as a NEPA Record of Decision and/or formal discussions with EPA
• Preparation of a RCRA Part B Permit requires significant (~30%) process and facility design
– Insufficient time and funding to produce a competent application for any option other than ICP baseline (direct disposal option) at present
• Recent announcement by Secretary Chu that the YMP repository will not be built adds project uncertainty
– NRC review of license application still supported at present– Blue Ribbon panel will recommend alternatives
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Example: Conceptual HIP Schedule Working Forward from 2035
Four year RCRA Part B Permit slip is conservatively available