Operability Testing of a Prototype DWPF (Defense Waste Processing Facility) Melter Drain Valve

摘要

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the Savannah River Plant will incorporate radioactive defense waste into borosilicate glass. This will be accomplished by mixing the waste with a glass- forming frit slurry in a joule-heated melter. The melter will be equipped with a drain valve, which will be used to drain glass through the bottom of the melter at the end of its useful life or in the even of process upset where vacuum-pouring cannot be accomplished. As part of the operability test program for prototypic DWPF equipment, a full-scale prototype of the DWPF melter drain valve was fabricated and installed in a test stand at the Savannah River Laboratory. The drain valve test program consisted of a series of temperature profile studies followed by five experimental draining campaigns. The test results proved the mechanical functionality of the drain valve and provided data which were used to establish operating parameters for the DWPF drain valve. 7 refs., 23 figs., 12 tabs. (ERA citation 14:017096)