Single-Pass Flow Through (SPFT) Testing of Fluidized-Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) Waste Forms

Two samples of fluidized-bed steam reforming (FBSR) mineral waste form product were subjected to single-pass flow-through (SPFT) testing. Sample LAW 1123 resulted from pilot-scale FBSR processing with a Hanford Envelope A low-activity waste (LAW) simulant. Sample SBW 1173 resulted from pilot-scale FBSR processing with an Idaho National Laboratory (INL) simulant commonly referred to as sodium-bearing waste (SBW). The pilot-scale waste forms were made at the Science and Technology Applications Research (STAR) facility in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The durability of the two FBSR waste forms was assessed via the SPFT test in this study. Both samples were multiphase mineral waste forms, so the SPFT test results provide an overall release rate from the multiple mineral species in each sample and are dependent on the amount of each phase present and the mineralogy of the phases present. SPFT testing was performed at temperatures of 25, 40, 70, and 90 C on LAW 1123, while SBW 1173 was only tested at 70 and 90 C. The 70 and 90 C data were compared to each other and the LAW-1123 results were compared to previous testing performed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) on a LAW Envelope C (high organic content) waste simulant.more » The objectives of this study were to obtain forward dissolution rate data for both STAR FBSR bed products (using SPFT tests). Also, a qualitative comparison of the FBSR bed products to a glass waste form (specifically the low-activity reference material (LRM) glass) was performed. For these comparisons, the relative surface areas of the FBSR and glass products had to be measured. Due to the more porous and irregular surface of FBSR bed products, the surface area of the bed products was determined using the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) measurement method. The surface area of a glass is much smoother and the calculated geometric surface area is typically used for determining dissolution behavior. Presently there are no specifications or standard release rates that the FBSR tested materials have to meet, e.g. the data from the FBSR testing is normally used during subsequent Performance Assessment (PA) calculations. Since a PA calculation is not part of this study, the LAW and SBW steam reforming samples were compared to each other, to previous LAW FBSR SPFT results, and to the results from the LRM reference glass. The experimental durability data generated from this study suggests that an FBSR mineral waste form product would be an adequate alternative form to borosilicate glass. The tested FBSR mineral waste forms showed normalized release rates for matrix elements such as Si to be more than 200X slower than the LRM glass. However, further durability testing and mineral phase information is recommended to further substantiate these findings.« less