Jonathan Bricker - US Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Progress of the High Level Waste Program at the
Defense Waste Processing Facility
Jonathan M. Bricker, PEM
DWPF Process Improvement
Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board: Spring 2013 Meeting
Richland, WA
April 16, 2013

DWPF Progress
– 4.0 million gallons HLW treated
– 14 million pounds of glass produced representing 50 million curies
– 3600+ canisters filled (7500+ planned)
– Currently processing Sludge Batch 7; Sludge Batch 8 to start May 2013 (18 batches planned)
– Production performance for FY13 currently below target
Canisters
Waste Loading
Number of Discrete Canisters Produced
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
264
275
225
196
192
38.3%
36.5%
33.3%
33.0%
30.7%
FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12
Fiscal Year
2

DWPF Overview
Modular Caustic Side
Solvent Extraction Unit
(Strip Effluent, Cs-137
stream)
Actinide Removal
Product
Nitric Acid,
Formic Acid,
and Antifoam
Additions
Antifoam Additions,
Decon Frit Water
Additions, and Frit
Additions
H- Tank Farm
Waste Acceptance
Items/Activities
Sludge Receipt
and Adjustment
Tank
Slurry Mix
Evaporator
SAMPLE
ANALYSIS
HOLD POINT-
GLASS
ACCEPTABLE?
Melter
Feed
Tank
Melter
Process works to produce highly durable borosilicate wasteform.
3

Recent Improvements
• Extensive improvements made to increase waste throughput
– Reduction in cycle time of melter feed preparation cycle (e.g. analytical improvements)
– Melter bubbler installation to increase melt rate
– Increase in waste loadings due to “tailoring” frit (i.e. more waste in each can)
400
Goal is to maximize
waste throughput to
reduce environmental risk.
Canisters Per Year
350
300
250
200
150
100
Recent
Improvements
Original
Capacity
Melter
Bubblers
Original
Capacity
50
0
DWPF Batch Prep
DWPF Melter
4

Challenges and Future Work
• Growing need to provide flexibility to accommodate variability in
SRR System Plan (e.g. waste feed compositions, input streams)
– Understand and expand operating windows (simplify process to improve throughput)
– Optimize processing windows for future waste compositions (higher waste loadings)
– Addressing demand for higher process/equipment reliability due to closely Long-term coupled
operations and increased activity in Tank Closure efforts and salt waste Improvements processing
• Alternate Reductant
• Dry Frit
• System Reliability
Goal is to position
facility for continuous
success.
Canisters Per Year
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
Melter
Bubblers
Planned
Improvements
Recent
Improvements
Original
Capacity
Short-term
Improvements
Melter
Bubblers
Original
Capacity
0
DWPF Batch Prep
DWPF Melter
5

Lessons Learned
• Lessons learned over 18 years of operation
– Efficiency of waste qualification program
– Success of statistical process control (versus product quality control) methodology
– Decontamination features provide ability to perform hands-on work on critical
equipment
– Utility of maintaining research facilities and expertise throughout the DWPF production
life to address immediate issues as well as forward-looking improvements
– Synergizing ideas from multiple technology organizations
– Continuous improvement required to accommodate changes in SRR System Plan
– Understanding impacts of changes in processes on the physical properties of material
– Volume management critical to vitrification production performance
6