Hot-isostatic pressing of chlorine-containing plutonium residues and wastes

Abstract

Some of the plutonium residues wastes at Sellafield contain chlorine from the decomposition of PVC bags and other sources. NNL and ANSTO have been developing ceramic and glass-ceramic waste forms to immobilize these wastes using hot-isostatic pressing (HIPing) as the consolidation step. While the level of chlorine in these waste packages is expected to be < 0.2 wt%, studies have been undertaken to examine the effect of higher chlorine loadings up to 1.86 wt%, on the processing and waste form. The treated waste plus additives would be loaded into metal containers and then consolidated into dense waste forms. The interaction of these waste forms with the hot-isostatic press can and the impact of Cl on the interaction are discussed.