Actions for Processing results of 1,800 gallons of mercury and radioactively contaminated mixed waste rinse solution [electronic resource].

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Processing results of 1,800 gallons of mercury and radioactively contaminated mixed waste rinse solution [electronic resource].

Published
Washington, D.C. : United States. Dept. of Energy, 1993.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Physical Description
147 pages : digital, PDF file
Additional Creators
United States. Department of Energy and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information
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Summary
The mercury-contaminated rinse solution (INEL waste ID{number_sign} 123; File 8 waste) was successfully treated at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). This waste was generated during the decontamination of the Heat Transfer Reactor Experiment 3 (HTRE-3) reactor shield tank. Approximately 1,800 gal of waste was generated and was placed into 33 drums. Each drum contained precipitated sludge material ranging from 1--10 in. in depth, with the average depth of about 2.5 in. The pH of each drum varied from 3--11. The bulk liquid waste had a mercury level of 7.0 mg/l, which exceeded the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) limit of 0.2 mg/l. The average liquid bulk radioactivity was about 2.1 pCi/ml, while the average sludge contamination was about 13,800 pci/g. Treatment of the waste required separation of the liquid from the sludge, filtration, pH adjustment, and ion exchange. Because of difficulties in processing, three trials were required to reduce the mercury levels to below the RCRA limit. In the first trial, insufficient filtration of the waste allowed solid particulate produced during pH adjustment to enter into the ion exchange columns and ultimately the waste storage tank. In the second trial, the waste was filtered down to 0.1 μ to remove all solid mercury compounds. However, before filtration could take place, a solid mercury complex dissolved and mercury levels exceeded the RCRA limit after filtration. In the third trial, the waste was filtered through 0.3-A filters and then passed through the S-920 resin to remove the dissolved mercury. The resulting solution had mercury levels at 0.0186 mg/l and radioactivity of 0.282 pCi/ml. This solution was disposed of at the TAN warm waste pond, TAN782, TSF-10.
Report Numbers
E 1.99:egg-wm--10630
egg-wm--10630
Subject(s)
Other Subject(s)
Note
Published through SciTech Connect.
01/01/1993.
"egg-wm--10630"
"DE93012166"
Thiesen, B.P.
EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Type of Report and Period Covered Note
Topical; 01/01/1993 - 01/01/1993
Funding Information
AC07-76ID01570
View MARC record | catkey: 14417424