Radwaste vitrification
Radwaste vitrification is currently one of most reliable and advanced methods of its disposal. The «Rasplav-Steklo» facility was developed in NITI for single-stage radwaste vitrification by induction melting in cold crucible.
In cooperation with St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University «LETI» and JSC «V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute» the following work was done:
- The melters of different design were tested. A large-diameter cold-crucible melter with low-frequency induction was developed and manufactured in NITI. The efficiency of using the melter was demonstrated during phosphate glass synthesis
- The glass composition chosen for radwaste vitrification was improved
- Prototype radwaste was used during glass matrix synthesis experiments. Concentrate content in glass matrix was up to 30 wt-%. Radionuclide leaching rate was about 10-5g/cm2day, which is in compliance with the requirements to chemical stability of vitrified high-level radwaste
| Technical characteristics | |
| Met retention method | Induction melting in cold crucible |
| Installed capacity, kW | 160 |
| Current frequency at elevated temperatures, MHz | 0.44 |
| Melt weight in crucible, kg | up to 200 |
| Melt temperature, °С | up to 1500 |
| Environment | air |
| Melt composition | phosphate and borosilicate glass + fission products |
| Possible melt handling operations | Melt discharge |
NITI has theoretical and experimental resources for conduction of research activities to try out different radwaste vitrification methods.
