In situ X-Ray Computed Tomography for study of glass melter operation
EMSL Project ID
50123
Abstract
X-ray computed tomography (CT) analysis will support waste-glass research by analyzing room-temperature samples and adapting a furnace for use in the CT instrument. Developing a glass-melting furnace in the CT instrument will allow unprecedented study of melting reactions and conditions. Information on bubbling behavior, glass density, and reaction stages will allow more accurate modeling of melter operation. CT analysis of room-temperature (quenched) samples will give crucial details of reactions in the glass-melting process.Observations by X-ray CT will allow better understanding of the conditions inside nuclear waste glass melters. This will increase the predictive power of melter models, and contribute to more efficient and clean waste flowsheet. Nuclear waste-glass processing research, especially Hanford-focused research, relies on this modeling and will benefit from refined understanding of these phenomena. Predictions of melter life-spans, glass production rate, and waste loading will be improved through study of the operation of a scaled-down melter analogy. Furthermore, the possible application of CT analysis to observe test furnaces melting actual tank waste (an ambition in the Radiochemical Processing Lab) will be advanced by demonstrating the technology with a non-radioactive furnace in EMSL. The DOE mission on the Hanford site, as well as EMSL’s mission to promote solutions to energy and environmental challenges, will both benefit from this advancement.
In conjuncture with the CT instrument, Laser Ablation Mass Spectrometry and micro-X-ray Diffraction are requested to identify phases in quenched glass samples.
Project Details
Start Date
2017-12-01
End Date
2018-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator