Abstract

Svetlana Nikolaevna Skomorokhova, Artem Nikolaevich Nikolaev, Elena Mikhaylovna Trifanova, Ivan Vladimirovich Sitnikov and Elena Aleksandrovna Grushicheva

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/ojc/310439

The possibility for spent ion-exchange resins (IER) of intermediate specific activity to be solidified in alkali-slag (geocement) water-resistant matrixes with an increased level of filling with resins was studied. Comparative tests of the IER immobilization process were done for justifying the most technologically effective matrix material. We used three different alkali-slag cementing systems and the prepared simulated pulps of IER with the specific activity of 3×10⁸ Bq/L, saturated with ¹³⁷Cs radionuclide. The manufactured samples of the alkali-slag compounds, filled with IER at the level of 24-27% by weight, meet the regulatory requirements set in NP-019-15 code and feature better working quality parameters (mechanical strength: 5-14 MPa, leaching rate of ¹³⁷Cs, Na, Ca: <2×10^-4 g/cm²∙day on the 7^th-10^th day, mechanical strength of compounds rises by the factor of 1.2-1.5 after immersion tests). The incorporation of the spent IER in the most technologically effective alkali-slag matrix makes it possible to decrease the cementing material consumption by the factor of 2.4 in comparison with Portland cement and by the factor of 1.3 in comparison with the known slag binders, while a compound with better quality parameters is produced. The research was done with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science (unique identifier of the applied research studies - RFMEFI57915X0101) for justifying a new energy-efficient and resource-saving technology of reprocessing the spent IER-containing waste.

ion-exchange resins (IER); radioactive waste (RAW); cementation; conditioning; alkali-slag binders; matrix material; quality parameters of compounds; radionuclide immobilization

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