1

Advanced Joule Heated

Ceramic Melter Technology for
Radioactive Waste
Immobilization

Brad Bowan

Senior Vice President

Engineering and Technology
EnergySolutions, Inc.

December 2007
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EnergySolutions JHCM Borosilicate Glass

Melter Technology
• EnergySolutions melter technology is
the culmination of 30-years of HLW
melter technology development
• EnergySolutions melter technology is
the technology adopted for Hanford
Waste Treatment Plant (WTP):
– Hanford LAW and HLW melters
• EnergySolutions melters provide
reliable performance:
– M-Area system > 80%
availability (1,000,000-kg glass)
– Hanford pilot melter > 80%
availability (3,400,000-kg glass)
CONFIDENTIAL
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Joule Heated Ceramic Melter (JHCM)

West Valley and developed the WVDP Experience
• VSL provided technology support to
HLW glass composition (1985-1993)
• VSL/EnergySolutions developed enhanced
JHCM technology for commercialization
(1990)
• VSL/EnergySolutions completed DOE’s first
Mixed Waste Stabilization Project at Savannah
River Site M Area (1999)

• VSL/EnergySolutions technology and expertise

selected for Hanford HLW and LAW vitrification
(1996), and retained in 1998 and 2000
• VSL/EnergySolutions have over 20 years of JHCM
experience and produced over 11,000,000 pounds of
glass

Over 20 years JHCM experience, 11M + pounds of glass.

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Advancement of JHCM Technology in the United States

DOE/ORP ENHANCEMENTS

RPP-HLW PILOT MELTER

RPP-LAW PILOT MELTER

DWPF - SRS PRODUCTION

WEST VALLEY PRODUCTION

M-AREA - SRS

CRU-4 FERNALD

MAWS FERNALD

WEST VALLEY - FACTS

CATHOLIC UNIV - VSL / ENERGYSOLUTIONS DEVELOPMENT

SRTC - TNX DEVEL. PROGRAM

DOE NATIONAL LABORATORIES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

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Extensive Development of Proprietary Glass

Pool Bubbling Technology

Physical Modeling of Glass Pool

Bubbling

CUA DM1200 Actual Glass

Pool Bubbling (top view)
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Agitated JHCM
(M-Area, WTP LAW, WTP HLW)

EnergySolutions’
Patented JHCM Bubbling
Technology

Glass Formulations developed by CUA-VSL

4.0
Unagitated JHCM Bubbled
(West Valley, DWPF)
EnergySolutions
Specific throughput in metric tons glass produced
per m2 melt pool surface area (melter size) per day

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

LAW Pilot (1225°C)

LAW Pilot (1150°C)

LAW Pilot (1200°C)

1.5

1.0
HLW Pilot

0.5

0.0
DWPF WVDP M-Area WTP WTP WTP WTP
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Melter Scale Comparison Savannah River

Melt Pool Surface Areas of JHCM DWPF-SRS
Melters 2.6 m2
West Valley
2.2 m2
Hanford Low Active Waste
RPP-LAW 10 m2
EnergySolutions
M-Area Mixed Waste Hanford High Level
DM-5000 5m2 Waste 3.75 m2

EnergySolutions
Hanford LAW Pilot
DM-3300 3.3 m2

EnergySolutions/
VSL Hanford EnergySolutions/VSL Test
HLW Pilot Melters DM-100 0.11 m2
DM-1200 1.2 m2
EnergySolutions/VSL Test
Melters DM-10 0.02 m2
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Hanford WTP Flow Sheet – Key Process Flows

Alternate • Meet WAC
Treatment or • Maximize Waste Loading
Waste Form LAW • Manage Sulfate
Maximize
Vitrification • Manage Halides
Mass (90+% of
• Glass Product Stays at
waste mass)
Hanford
Pretreatment
(solid/liquid
separation – Cs,
Sr, TRU removal) • Meet WAC
HLW • Maximize Waste Loading
Maximize Vitrification • Maximize Melter DF’s
SUPERNATANT Activity
(90+% of • Manage Noble Metals
waste activity) • Glass Product Ships to
SLUDGE
Yucca Mountain
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Hanford Waste Treatment Plant

LAW
Melter

HLW
Melte
r
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Hanford HLW Flow Sheet To

Stack
HEPA

Feed Line

Organic Injection Pump

Emergency Off Gas Line

S
16
Film Cooler Blower

Paxton
Control Air Blower
S9

Paxton
HEPA
S8 S S S
S1 S3 S5 S7
11 12 14

Heater
(801)

SCR
TCO
Melter Heater HEME
SBS WESP HEME (701) AC-S PBS 2

S S S
S6
10 13 15
S2

To Storage Tank
Wand Transfer
Pump S4
Glass Receiving
Drum
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Melter Technology Description

• EnergySolutions JHCM waste glass melter
features:
– Refractory lined
– Joule heated
– Slurry fed
– Airlift glass discharge
– Noble metals tolerant
– Sulfate glass tolerant
– Enhanced processing with bubbling
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Hanford HLW Melter

• Remotely installed and replaced
• Remotely operated and maintained
• Long operating life
• EnergySolutions melter features:
– Ceramic lined
– Joule heated
– Slurry fed
– Air lift discharge
– Noble metals tolerant
– Sulfate glass tolerant
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Refractory Lined Melter

• Multiple layers
• Corrosion resistant
glass contact layer
• Insulating backup
layers
• Water cooled
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Joule Heated
• The glass is the heating
element
• Submerged metal electrodes
(Inconel)
• Single-phase alternating-
current

Melter Section View

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Slurry Fed
Start of Feeding (gas space view)

• Waste mixed with

glass forming
Melter Lid
chemicals (GFC)
• Resulting slurry
continuously
transferred at a slow
Feed Tubes rate into melter
through feed tubes
Bubbler
Location • Slurry falls from
melter lid onto glass
Gas Space Feed Pile surface
Refractory (Cold Cap)

Molten Glass

CONFIDENTIAL
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EnergySolutions
Vitrification Technology Applications
• United States: Legacy Defense
HLW; Surplus Pu Immobilization;
GNEP – Fission Product
Stabilization
• Russian Federation: Legacy
Defense HLW; Commercial
Reprocessing Waste
• Technology:
– High Production Rate and Waste
Loading (demonstrated as high as
3.3 MT glass/m2/day)
– Melter life expectancy >5 years
– Noble metal tolerant
– Transition metal tolerant
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For Additional Information

• Colin Boardman
Vice President, International Group
EnergySolutions
9781 South Meridian Blvd
Englewood, Colorado 80112 USA
cboardman@energysolutions.com
• Brad Bowan
Senior Vice President, Engineering & Technology
EnergySolutions
6100 Chevy Chase Drive
Laurel, Maryland 20707 USA
Phone: 001-301-957-3793
Fax: 001-301-362-0369
bbowan@energysolutions.com