Waste Treatment in a Plasma Vitrification Reactor

摘要

High enthalpies of the plasma-generatedprocess gas provides an effecient method for thetreatment of wastes. The very large heat flux producedby the plasma results in small residence times andtherefore small reactor volumes, especially whentreating waste material having small particle size.Westinghouse has conducted pilot plant scale programsin a plasma vitrification reactor involving thetreatment of simulated high level radioactive waste (HLW)sludge from nuclear fuel reprocessing. More recently,contaminated soil materials were successfully treated.Successful modeling of the vitrification reactorprovides an opportunity to optimize reactor design fora variety of wastes. Critical phenomena and operatingparameters are identified. Perspective on how mixing,heat transfer, and chemistry affect performance and reviewed.