(66b) Start up of Salt Waste Processing at SRS: Actinide Removal Process (ARP/512-S)

Since 1951, the Savannah River Site (SRS) has generated over 100 million gallons of high level nuclear waste, which has been concentrated down to about 34 million gallons. The high level waste (HLW) exists in two forms sludge (solids) and salt (liquids). The HLW would be dispositioned through the process of vitrication, where the HLW is mixed with sand and melted into a glass form. Due to the complex chemistry of salt waste feed preparation for vitrification, only sludge waste vitrification commenced with the start up of Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) in 1994. With salt waste accounting for 91% volume of HLW, it was critical to initiate the treatment of the salt waste into a form that could be vitrified. The salt waste feed preparation process, to be used in the new Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF), is based on filtration and solvent extraction. SWPF is projected to come online in 2013. The pilot to SWPF is Integrated Salt Disposition Project (ISDP). ISDP initiated radioactive operations in April 2008. ISDP filtration is handled in the Actinide Removal Process (ARP), which a majority of the process is housed in 512-S Facility Building at SRS. At the end of CY2008, ARP/512-S has processed 150,000 gallons of salt waste. Though the salt waste processing chemistry had been worked out on paper and design, real world conditions would need to be factored, for the success of ARP/512-S and ultimately for the success of HLW waste disposition at SRS and the entire DOE complex.