Objetivo IN ORDER TO QUALIFY A SOLIDIFICATION PROCESS FOR "ALPHA" INCINERATOR ASHES COMING FROM SOLID BURNABLE WASTES OF A MOX FUEL FABRICATION PLANT THE EMBEDDING PROPERTIES OF THREE MATRICES HAVE BEEN CHECKED. THESE MATRICES ARE: 1) A CEMENT CONTAINING BLAST FURNACE SLAG AND FLYING ASHES. 2) AN EPOXIDE RESINE. 3) A POLYMER - CEMENT COMPOUND. THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE THE FOLLOWING: - DEFINITION AND CHOICE OF THE BEST "ALPHA" EMBEDDED WASTE FORM, FOR THE OBTENTION OF A LONG TERM RESISTANT "ALPHA" PACKAGING ACCORDING TO THE CRITERIA DEFINED BY ANDRA, RESPONSIBLE IN FRANCE OF WASTE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL, - STUDY AT THE LABORATORY SCALE, GIVING THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DIFFERENT "ALPHA" INCINERATOR EMBEDDED FORMS, - CONCEPTION, DESIGN AND STARTING UP OF A PILOT PLANT ALLOWING TO MAKE THE TRANSPOSITION TESTS FROM THE LABORATORY STUDY TO THE INDUSTRIAL SCALE. Incinerator ash was embedded in 3 matrices (ie a ternary cement, a 2 component exoxide system and an epoxide-cement compound matrix). Alpha ash (from plutonium bearing waste), ash from inactive combustible waste and ash from an active waste incineration plant were all embedded in the various matrices. The 3 matrices were then evaluated for various criteria including leaching and mechanical properties.Studies have been conducted on radioactive incinerator ash conditioning by embedding in 3 different matrices, a ternary cement, a 2-component epoxide system and an epoxide cement compound matrix. 3 ash categories were investigated, real alpha ash from plutonium bearing waste, ash from inactive combustible waste and ash from an inactive waste incineration plant.On a laboratory scale, the embedding formulations were established and physicomechanical data obtained. Using alpha ash, embedded samples were made and used for a 1-year leaching test. A 1-year radiolysis study was also performed in order to measure the composition and volume of the radiolytic gas flow. This work was followed by leaching and mechanical tests on samples coming from radiolysis.On an industrial scale, a pilot plant operating the polyvalent embedding process was designed and put into service. The technologies options were specified, particularly those for the epoxide cement procedure.Laboratory tests have also been carried out on alpha ash embedded forms using a modified sulphur cement matrix.STARTED IN 86, THE STUDIES RELATIVE TO OUR CONTRACT CONTAIN SEVERAL STEPS: 1. FORMULATION STUDY, AT THE LABORATORY SCALE. DETERMINATION OF THE FEASIBILITY FOR ASH EMBEDDING IN A CEMENT, IN AN EPOXIDE, IN A CEMENT-POLYMER MATRIX. THIS WORK IS MADE WITH NON RADIOACTIVE WASTE. 2. WITH REAL ACTIVE "ALPHA" INCINERATOR ASHES, FABRICATION OF THREE SAMPLES EMBEDDED IN EACH CONSIDERED MATRIX: ONE YEAR LEACHING TEST, FOR PLUTONIUM RELEASE EVALUATION: SAMPLE SCALE 100 ML. 3. FABRICATION OF SPECIAL SAMPLES CONTAINING A HIGH "ALPHA" ACTIVITY OF 238 PU: THESE SAMPLES WERE MADE WITH TWO OBJECTIVES: - AN "ALPHA" RADIOLYSIS STUDY WITH RADIOLYTIC GAS IDENTIFICATION AND MEASUREMENT, - A LEACHING TEST FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE COMBINED EFFECT OF WATER IMMERSION AND "ALPHA" RADIOLYSIS. 4. CONFIRMATION OF THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE BEST CHOSEN EMBEDDED FORM: CHANGE OF THE SAMPLE VOLUME (FROM 100 TO 400 ML), FABRICATION OF A SERIES OF SAMPLES: LEACHING TEST. 5. STARTING UP OF A PILOT PLANT, ALLOWING THE PRODUCTION OF 200 LITRES INCINERATOR ASHES EMBEDDED FORM. FOR THE CONSIDERED PERIOD OF TIME, I.E. FROM JULY 87 TO JUNE 88, POINT 3 AND PART OF POINT 5 WERE REPORTED. 6. EXTENSION OF THE PROGRAMME TO THE TWO FOLLOWING ASPECTS: 1) CHARACTERIZATION OF THE COVERINGS OF THE ALPHA ASHES COMING FROM LIXIVIATION OR RADIOLYSIS; 2) EVALUATION OF THE MATRIX DEVELOPED BY ECN-PETTEN (MODIFIED SULPHUR CEMENT) BY CONDITIONING TESTS ON REAL ALPHA ASHES COMING FROM CADARACHE. THE ADDITIONAL CHARACTERIZATION TESTS PLANNED WILL ALLOW TO IMPROVE THE CHOICE OF THE OPTIMAL MATRIX FOR THE ALPHA INCINERATOR ASHES. THE CHOICE WILL HAVE A CONSIDERABLE IMPACT ON THE COST OF THE WASTES TREATMENT WHICH FROM 1992 ON, WILL BE PRODUCED AT THE MELOX PLANT FOR THE UO2 PU O2 FUEL MANUFACTURE (112 TONNES OF HEAVY METAL/YEAR). BESIDES, THE REALIZATION OF CONDITIONING TESTS THANKS TO THE MATRIX DEVELOPED BY ECN-PETTEN (CONTRACT FI1W000800) WILL ALLOW TO ASSESS - ON RELIABLE SCIENTIFIC BASIS - THE PERFORMANCES OF THAT NEW MATRIX IN RELATION TO THE MORE CONVENTIONAL MATERIALS. Ámbito científico engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesnuclear engineeringnuclear waste managementnatural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesnatural scienceschemical sciencesnuclear chemistryradiation chemistry Programa(s) FP1-RADWASTOM 3C - Research and development programme (Euratom) on the management and storage of radioactive waste, 1985-1989 Tema(s) Data not available Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinador Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Centre d'Études de Cadarache Sere-Ders 13113 SAINT-PAUL-LEZ-DURANCE Francia Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Participantes (1) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo ECN Países Bajos Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 1755 ZG PETTEN Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos
