Reduction of radioactive secondary waste with steam reforming in treatment of waste TBP/dodecane

Sone, Tomoyuki ; Sasaki, Toshiki ; Yamaguchi, Hiromi 

We have stored waste TBP/dodecane generated from R&D activities on recycle of nuclear fuel. Those wastes can be incinerated, however a large quantity of contaminated phosphorous compounds generate. The objective of this study is to reduce the generation of radioactive secondary waste by the treatment of those wastes using steam reforming system. We conducted process demonstration tests using waste TBP/dodecane with 0.07g/L of uranium. We studied the temperature dependence of the gasification ratio of inorganic phosphorus compounds and removal of uranium by the filter. As the results, more than 95% of phosphorus compounds were gasified at temperature of 600C or more, and more than 98% of uranium compounds were separated from the vaporized waste. The separated phosphorus compounds can be disposed of as the liquid wastes of which concentration of uranium is under the regulatory level. These results show the steam reforming system is effective in the reduction of radioactive secondary waste in the treatment of TBP/dodecane.