SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Services to Test and Evaluate High-Level Waste & Low-Level Waste Vitrification System Improvements
- Notice Date
- 6/28/2013
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Energy, Federal Locations, All DOE Federal Contracting Offices, Various, Various locations, 20585
- ZIP Code
- 20585
- Solicitation Number
- DE-EM0002103
- Archive Date
- 7/15/2013
- Point of Contact
- David R Garcia, Phone: 5093760370
- E-Mail Address
-
david_garcia@orp.doe.gov
(david_garcia@orp.doe.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- DE-EM0002103
- Award Date
- 8/16/2012
- Description
- , O Work under Modification 003 will support development of the vitrification process for the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP is expected to treat both high-level waste (HLW) and low-activity waste (LAW). CLIN 0006: High Waste Loading Glass Formulation Development for High-Zr HLW Recent WTP flow-sheet projections indicate that nearly 5% of the HLW glass produced by the WTP will be limited by zirconium and, according to System Plan 6, these feeds are scheduled for delivery to the WTP relatively early during operations. Suitably optimized glass formulations have not yet been developed to treat these high-Zr HLW. The proposed work will focus on developing high waste loading glass formulations with good processing characteristics to treat high-Zr Hanford HLW. The HLW compositions for the work will either be specified by ORP or selected in consultation with ORP. Crucible melts will be prepared and characterized to identify high waste loading glass compositions that meet all WTP processing and product quality requirements. Vertical gradient furnace tests will be used to screen the glass compositions for feed processing characteristics. Processing characteristics of the selected glass formulations will be assessed using DM100 melter tests. The melter tests will be used to determine feed processing rate, cold-cap behavior, feed carry over, etc. and to identify any processing issues. CLIN 0007: High Waste Loading Glass Formulation Development for High-Sr HLW A significant number of HLW batches processed at the WTP will be high in strontium, with SrO concentrations extending up to about 7 wt% on an oxide basis. Since strontium forms a highly insoluble carbonate that is stable to relatively high temperatures, high strontium wastes have the potential for carbonate decomposition deep in the cold cap, which can lead to foam generation and slow melting rates. This task will focus on developing high waste loading glass formulations with good processing characteristics to treat high-Sr Hanford HLW. The HLW compositions for the work will either be specified by ORP or selected in consultation with ORP. Crucible melts will be prepared and characterized to identify high waste loading glass compositions that meet all WTP processing and product quality requirements. Vertical gradient furnace tests will be used to screen the glass compositions for melt rate and feed processing characteristics and, in particular, to investigate the role of strontium compounds on feed conversion reactions and foam generation. These tests will also evaluate the potential for managing such behavior through appropriate modifications to the glass formulations. Two formulations will be selected for testing on the DM100 melter system in order to demonstrate the potential impacts of high strontium waste on processing rates and the ability to mitigate such behavior. The melter tests will be used to determine feed processing rate, cold-cap behavior, feed carry over, etc. and to identify any processing issues. CLIN 0008: Glass Models for LAW Refractory Corrosion and Sulfate Solubility Various glass property-composition models have been developed to control glass compositions for LAW vitrification at the WTP. The baseline WTP models are based on data from crucible scale tests to large scale LAW Pilot Melter tests, providing high confidence in the models and glass compositions selected for waste processing. In addition, ORP has work ongoing to develop extended models that could support the use of enhanced glass formulations that achieve much higher waste loadings than is possible with the WTP baseline models. However, models have not yet been developed to address the dependence of K-3 refractory corrosion on LAW glass composition or the dependence of sulfate solubility on LAW glass composition. These properties become increasingly important constraints on glass formulations as the waste loadings are increased. For LAW streams with high sulfate to sodium ratios, sulfate salt formation is typically the most constraining property; whereas for LAW streams with low sulfate to sodium ratios, the effects of the high alkali content on glass properties ultimately limit waste loadings. In particular, as the alkali content is increased, K3 refractory corrosion rates tend to increase, which can result in decreased melter lifetime. Glass leaching also increases but models for PCT and VHT performance have been developed and are being refined. Conversely, models have not been developed for K-3 refractory corrosion or sulfate salt formation. In this task, previously collected data on sulfate solubility and K-3 refractory corrosion will be compiled together with the corresponding glass composition data. This data base will be used to develop preliminary models for the relationship between K-3 refractory corrosion rate and LAW glass composition and for sulfate solubility and LAW glass composition. The coverage of the data over the LAW composition space also will be evaluated and data gaps will be identified in order to support recommendations for the collection of additional data to address those gaps. It is anticipated that the data base will be updated periodically as new data become available and the models will be further refined and extended. These results will also be of use for high sulfur HLW formulations, for which there are presently fewer data than for LAW formulations, as well as for potential direct feed scenarios that will employ waste feeds composed of blends of HLW and LAW streams. CLIN 0009: Effect of Halides on LAW Salt Formation A range of enhanced glass formulations for WTP LAW vitrification have been developed that achieve significantly higher sulfur and sodium loadings than is possible with the current WTP baseline formulations and glass property-composition models. However, to date there has been relatively limited testing to evaluate the impacts of the presence of halides on sulfate salt formation. From the previous work it is known that higher levels of halides increases the tendency for salt formation for a given sulfate concentration. Therefore it is important to define these effects and incorporate them into appropriate glass models to support the implementation of the enhanced higher loading formulations into the WTP and also to perform assessments of the waste loadings that are practically achievable over the likely range of halide and sulfate concentrations. In a previous task, a series of DM10 melter tests were defined on four of the seven WTP baseline waste types using the corresponding enhanced high waste loading glass formulations. In those tests, a matrix spanning a range of halide and sulfur concentrations was developed in order to define the interactions between these species with respect to salt formation. The present task would extend that effort to include a similar matrix of DM10 melter tests on two more waste compositions. The combined data set should provide an improved basis for defining the interactions between halides and sulfate salt formation during LAW vitrification. In addition, glass formulation work at crucible scale will address the potential for formulation enhancements that could improve the tolerance of the present formulations to the effects of high halide concentrations to achieve higher waste loadings while still preventing salt formation. Prospective improved formulations will be characterized with respect to WTP processability and product quality properties. CLIN 0010: Improved High-Alkali LAW Formulations Under previous ORP tasks, a range of enhanced LAW glass formulations have been developed and tested that achieve significantly higher waste loadings than is possible with the current WTP baseline LAW formulations. For LAW streams with low sulfate to sodium ratios, the effects of the high alkali content on glass properties ultimately limit waste loadings. In particular, as the alkali content is increased, K3 refractory corrosion rates tend to increase, which can result in decreased melter lifetime, and PCT and VHT alterations rates increase, which can challenge compliance with the WTP product quality requirements. In these new formulations, various additives are employed in order to manage K-3 refractory corrosion rates to within acceptable limits. Chromium oxide is one such additive that is effective in reducing K-3 corrosion rates and has been employed in some formulations at low levels. However, there are several disadvantages associated with this additive that would favor its removal or replacement. In this task, modified glass formulations will be developed and tested at crucible scale to determine the potential for achieving similar or better properties and waste loadings as the current enhanced formulations but without the use of chromium oxide as an additive. Prospective formulations will be characterized with respect to WTP processability and product quality properties including melt viscosity and electrical conductivity, PCT and VHT response, crystal formation on heat treatment, K-3 refractory corrosion, and sulfate salt formation. The results will be analyzed to define recommended revisions to the current enhanced LAW glass formulations.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOE/PAM/HQ/DE-EM0002103/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Catholic University of America, Vitreous State Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, 20064, United States
- Zip Code: 20064
- Zip Code: 20064
- Record
- SN03102681-W 20130630/130628234605-7417c251718a1a3069c418145845b86b (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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