Vitrification of High-Level Radioactive Waste in a Small-Scale Joule-Heated Ceramic Melter

Vitrification is the reference process for the immobilization of radioactive waste from the production of defense materials at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). Since 1979, a small vitrification facility (1 lb/hr) has been operated at the Savannah River Laboratory using actual SRP waste. In previous studies. dried waste was fed to this smaller melter. This report discusses direct feeding of actual liquid-waste slurries to the small melter. These liquid-feeding tests demonstrated that addition of premelted glass frit to the waste slurry reduces the amount of material volatilized. Results of these tests are in accord with results of large-scale tests with actual waste.