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The Use of Combustion Process Modification to Capture Cesium from Combustion of Contaminated Biomass
Citation:
Lemieux, P., S. Lee, W. Linak, AND L. Virtaranta. The Use of Combustion Process Modification to Capture Cesium from Combustion of Contaminated Biomass. 37th International Conference on Thermal Treatment Technologies & Hazardous Waste Combustors (IT3), League City,TX, October 02 - 03, 2019.
Impact/Purpose:
Presentation at IT3 Conference, October 2-3, 2019, League City, TX.,The objective of this research is to: 1) Examine the behavior and transformations of biomass-bound Cs in an incinerator environment; and 2) Determine whether combustion modifications, including sorbent injection into the post-combustion zone of practical incinerators and combustors, could be used to convert biomass-bound Cs into easily collected forms.
Description:
In the aftermath of a wide-area radiological contamination incident in an urban setting, there is the potential for generation of significant quantities of contaminated biomass waste. These wastes are likely candidates for incineration as a means of volume reduction, due to the costs associated with disposal of low-level radioactive waste. Cesium (Cs), an alkali metal element, is a radionuclide that might be used in a radiological dispersal device or may be the predominant long-term radionuclide contaminant from a nuclear power plant accident. Cs presents problematic behavior in combustion systems due to its volatility and solubility in water. Although high-temperature combustion or incineration systems cannot destroy the elemental metal constituents, these environments may induce metal transformations. These transformations may exacerbate difficulties in controlling the radionuclides of interest because many of the metal species, including Cs, vaporize readily within the combustion environments. This saturated vapor will subsequently nucleate and condense downstream of the flame, forming a fume of submicron aerosol with a mean volume aerodynamic diameter between 100 and 200 nanometers. These small particles are difficult to collect in pollution control systems such as electrostatic precipitators. The objective of this research was to: 1) Examine the behavior and transformations of biomass-bound Cs in an incinerator environment; and 2) Determine whether combustion modifications, including sorbent injection into the post-combustion zone of practical incinerators and combustors, could be used to convert biomass-bound Cs into easily collected forms.