A METHOD OF WASTE TREATMENT

Abstract: A process for treatment of zirconium-based metal waste in the form of a solution is described, the process including the steps of converting said solution of said metal into an oxide of said zirconium-based metal; forming a green body of said oxide by pelletising, extruding or casting and sintering said oxide to form solid articles.

Description: A METHOD OF WASTE TREATMENT The present invention relates to a method of treating zirconium-based metal waste particularly, though not exclusively, waste resulting from nuclear fuel reprocessing. Fuel rods for nuclear plants comprise a core of enriched uranium material having an outer can or cladding of a zirconium-based alloy. Presently, when the spent fuel rods are reprocessed, they are chopped up into shorter lengths and treated with nitric acid to dissolve out the spent fuel core, leaving behind the cladding since it is not attacked by the nitric acid. The pieces of zirconium alloy constitute so-called intermediate level waste which needs to be contained and stored safely for many years, One current method of dealing with this waste is to crush the pieces and store it encapsulated as the metal in concrete grout in drums. A further problem with reprocessing irradiated fuel is that associated with isolating and dealing with the fission products generated during the nuclear reaction process. Normally, the fission products are separated from the uranium and plutonium, the latter two elements being reprocessed for further use. However, it is necessary to contain and safely store the fission by¬ products as they constitute so-called high-level waste. One method of dealing with this waste is by encapsulation by vitrification. Dealing with the zirconium waste and the fission product waste currently constitutes two separate stages of the reprocessing cycle and are both extremely costly m both plant and in running costs. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for dealing more economically with zirconium waste. It is a further object to provide an alternative and more cost effective means of dealing with and storing the fission product waste. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a process for treating zirconium-based metal waste, sa d waste comprising at least some of the zirconium-based metal in solution, the process including the steps of converting at least said solution of said metal into an oxide of said zirconium-based metal, and, sintering said oxide to form solid articles. One zirconium-based metal alloy currently m use is known as "Zircalloy" (trade name) and comprises n excess of 95 wt% zirconium. The step of bringing the zirconium-based metal into solution by chemical or electrochemical means is known in the prior art and provides a stable solution, eg a nitrate and oxide residues. In this specification the terms "zirconium oxide" and "oxide of zirconium" and similar terms are frequently used. The actual chemical compositions resulting from the processes described herein may not have chemical compositions which correspond exactly either to a pure zirconium oxide or to zirconia, Zr0 2 , since the sintered materials m question will contain impurities and/or intentionally added materials and contaminants which it is desired to encapsulate, and/or to stabilise the crystal phase and which may also modify the crystal structure Examples of such stabilising and modifying additions may include for example, metal oxides such as yttria, Y 2 0 3 , to stabilise the crystal phase of zirconium oxide Furthermore, in embodiments to be described below, particles of zirconium oxide powder are embodied in a matrix also containing aluminium and/or silicon atoms Therefore, any reference herein to "zirconium oxide" or similar terms are to be taken as generic terms encompassing the resulting matrix of the sintered product or intermediate material m all embodiments and variations of the invention described herein howsoever arrived at. The zirconium-based metal may constitute waste resulting from irradiated fuel rods from nuclear plants for example The zirconium-based metal may be brought into solution by electrochemical dissolution wherein the metal is made anodic in an electrolyte of nitric acid so converting the metal to a nitrate. In this method, a substantial proportion, perhaps about 85% of the zirconium metal, is converted directly to the oxide which forms a sludge in the dissolution vessel The remaining nitrate may be thermally treated to decompose the nitrate to the oxide in a known manner. The resulting oxide may be separated, dried and milled to break down friable flakes if necessary, the resulting powder being pressed, cast or extruded for example into "green" compacts and sintered to solid bodies in known manner at temperatures up to about 1800°C Those steps in the ceramics art normally associated with the pressing and sintering of refractory oxide materials may be employed as desired and include such steps as appropriate as mixing w th resin binders and/or lubricating waxes and preliminary burn-off treatments to remove such resins and waxes for example prior to sintering. The zirconium-based metal may alternatively be brought into solution by a route other than one of the so-called "PU EX" processes. For example, the zirconium metal waste may be converted to ZrX„, where "X" is a halide, using an intensified fluorination technique such as by a fluidised bed with hydrogen fluoride. Other fluoπnatmg agents such as nitrofluor (N0F.3HF) may also be used The zirconium halides thus prepared may be readily converted to oxides. In one embodiment of the present invention, where the zirconium-based metal constitutes the cladding of a nuclear fuel rod, the whole fuel rod, including the irradiated uranium fuel, is preferably brought nto solution in nitric acid Thus, the solution will contain nitrates of uranium, plutonium, zirconium and also the fission products in the spent fuel The uranium and plutonium may then be separated from the solution by one of the known so-called "PUREX" processes which are essentially solvent extraction techniques This results in the solution retaining the fission by-products which are normally removed as a separate step m prior art processes and are normally treated as a separate waste product Again, the resulting nitrates may be thermally treated to decompose and convert them to oxides, including those of at least some of the fission products The resulting oxides may then be treated as before to convert to solid articles by conversion to a green body by pressing for example and sintering. Alternatively, oxides of the fission products may be separately treated and subsequently blended with the zirconium oxide powder in a preferred proportion. A major advantage of this modification of the process of the present invention is that the fission products are effectively encapsulated in the resulting sintered zirconium oxide body and a separate treatment stage for the fission products is removed from the process with a consequently great cost saving Zirconium oxide is a particularly stable ceramic and has the necessary chemical durability to allow it to form the matrix for encapsulation of the high-level waste fission products Furthermore, the melting point of zirconium oxide is greatly in excess of glass which forms the matrix in current vitrification encapsulation processes The sintered bodies may be stored in drums in concrete grout for example. A further advantage conferred by the nature of zirconium oxide compared with glass is that it may allow higher levels of fission product waste to be incorporated into the ceramic encapsulant than is achievable with glass. The sintered zirconium oxide material may also be used to encapsulate some or all of the plutonium arising from the nuclear reaction process in the same manner as described with reference to the fission products above. The irradiated fuel rods may be processed as complete units without prior chopping up into shorter lengths so improving the efficiency and ease of automation of the process and also reducing the contamination attributable to the chopping up process. This again improves the economics of the process as a complete plant dedicated to cutting up and handling of the fuel rod pieces may be dispensed with. In one preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, the zirconium oxide, either alone or including at least some of the fission products, may be mixed with a sol or a solution of a gel forming chemical. Examples of suitable chemicals are aluminium secondary butoxide and aluminium iso-propoxide which form complementary phases with the zirconium oxide. The gel forming chemical may be treated with a modifying agent such as an alkanolamine, an example of which is tri-ethanolamine, to stabilise them. This is due to metal alkoxides being readily precipitated in the presence of moisture When stabilised a polycondensation reaction occurs promoting gelation on hydrolysis This results in a stable cross- linked inorganic polymer gel. The modified chemical is mixed with the zirconium oxide to form a slurry, the proportion of zirconium oxide being added such that the resulting mixture is still workable and the density is as high as possible so as to minimise shrinkage during subsequent processing The proportion of water added to the slurry controls the gelation time. The slurry so formed is then cast into a mould or otherwise formed into desired shapes such as by extrusion for example, and allowed to set. Once set, the green bodies are removed from their mould, if appropriate, and slowly dried so as to minimise cracking during shrinkage. The dried green bodies are then sintered to densify and increase the strength of the articles for long term storage m a repository A hydrolysed zirconium salt or other metal salt such as a chromium salt may be used instead of the aluminium alkoxide. Alternatively, gelling systems which harden by heat rather than by hydrolysis may be used. Examples of these may include zirconium acetate, zirconium acetate/citric acid, zirconium nitrate/citric acid and zirconium acrylamide. A particular advantage of this preferred embodiment of the present invention is that after the drying process, bonds are formed between the zirconium oxide particles and the residual material resulting from either the aluminium alkoxide or from the zirconium sol for example; this residual material comprising aluminium, zirconium and oxygen, as appropriate, on a molecular scale. Due to this residual material being on a substantially molecular scale, the necessary sintering temperature is greatly reduced since the rate of the sintering reaction is greatly enhanced. It is expected that temperatures will be generally lower than those normally needed for sintering similar zirconia powder bodies . In a second preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, the zirconium oxide, either alone or including at least some of fission products, may initially be bound together by the so-called freeze- casting technique utilising a sol-gel method. Gelation takes place by dehydration of the sol during freezing and, at a critical concentration, the sol particles form chemical bonds. The result of this is that when an oxide mass which was previously a slurry, is brought back to room temperature from its freezing temperature, it remains in the green state in a stable solid and handleable form. Due to the formation of ice crystals as a result of the freezing process, the ceramic particles take up space between the ice crystals and form a continuous matrix around the crystals. On sintering of the thawed and dried green body, very little shrinkage occurs. Furthermore, due to the strong bonding produced during sol-gel freeze-casting, sintering temperatures are relatively low thus promoting relatively little shrinkage and consequent cracking. A particular advantage of the freeze-casting technique is that it is essentially solvent free thus, reducing the hazards and consequent on-costs by way of more complex plant usually associated with the use of solvents. Prior technology relating to the use of the freeze-casting technique is applicable to the second preferred embodiment. In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention utilising the freeze-casting technique, the zirconium oxide and fission products may be combined with a silica sol, or alternatively, with a zirconia sol. Filler powders such as zircon (ZrSi0 4 ) for example may be added to the zirconium oxide waste and sol to control shrinkage on sintering. Other ceramic filler powders may also be added as appropriate. The role of filler powder may be fulfilled by suitable content levels of the zirconium oxide waste powder itself. The use of filler powders also applies to the process of the first preferred embodiment. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a waste encapsulating medium comprising sintered zirconium oxide having also at least fission products contained therein. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for the disposal of zirconium metal waste, the method including the steps of converting the zirconium metal waste to an oxide according to the 5 process of the first aspect of the present invention and storing said oxide in a repository. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for the disposal of nuclear io waste comprising at least zirconium-based metal, the process comprising the steps of converting said zirconium-based metal to an oxide and sintering said oxide to form an article and storing. 15 The present invention according to the third and fourth aspects may also include the encapsulation of fission product oxides within the sintered zirconium oxide body. In order that the present invention may be more fully -I0 understood, examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a flow chart of a first preferred embodiment of a process according to the present -s.5 invention,- and Figure 2 which shows a flow chart of a second preferred embodiment of a process according to the present invention. 30 The process according to a first embodiment of the present invention may be described as follows and with reference to the flow chart shown n the Figure 1 A source of zirconium alloy fuel rod cladding is indicated at 10 The cladding is brought into solution by electrochemical dissolution 12 by making the cladding anodic and passing a current through the metal under a nitric acid electrolyte. This step results m the metal being converted to zirconium nitrate 14 However, during the dissolution step 12, a substantial quantity of the zirconium alloy is converted directly to an oxide which forms a sludge at the bottom of the dissolution tank and is subsequently removed to be added back into the process at a later stage The zirconium nitrate is then thermally decomposed 16 to the oxide 18 such as by one or more of the techniques including direct heating, fluidised bed, plasma-arc or microwave assisted. The oxide 18 is then mixed 20 with a sol of a gel forming chemical which m this case is aluminium secondary butoxide which is diluted with alcohol and modified with an alkanolamine, in this case tri-ethanolamme The modifying agent causes cross linking of the aluminium secondary butoxide in a controlled and time dependent manner on hydrolysis resulting m the onset of gelling The zirconium oxide mixed with the gelling aluminium secondary butoxide forms a slurry 22 to which may optionally be added 24 material such as oxides for example of fission products and/or plutonium 26 which have been extracted from the dissolved spent uranium fuel by a known so-called "PUREX" process, the fission products and plutonium constituting high- level waste which must be encapsulated and stored in a π repository for many years. The slurry 22 continues to gel and is cast or extruded 28 into moulds or self supporting shapes 30 where it is allowed to fully gel and solidify. After setting, the shaped "green" bodies are demoulded 32, if appropriate, to form free-standing, handleable bodies 34 which are then dried slowly 36 to prevent excessive cracking during shrinkage. The dried green bodies 38 are then sintered 40 at a substantially lower temperature than that required for physically mixed oxides to form durable refractory material monoliths 42 which may then be stored 44 in a repository 46 m known manner. During the drying step 36, the water is driven off and the hydroxyl groups in the chemical matrix are decomposed to leave only aluminium and oxygen present m the structure on a substantially molecular scale and binding together the powder particles of zirconium oxide and also the particles of other constituents such as the fission products and plutonium for example. Due to the molecular scale of the matrix constituents, the sintering rate during the sintering step 40 is very high and can be accomplished at relatively lower temperatures m the region of about 1400°C compared with the higher temperatures conventionally used to sinter pressed green bodies of zirconium oxide. Therefore, the preferred embodiment of the present invention has many advantages over known techniques in that the resulting monoliths of refractory zirconium oxide are chemically both very stable and very durable and able to encapsulate the high level waste directly within the matrix. Furthermore, the low sintering temperature which the preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention permits reduces hazards associated with high vapour pressures of some elements and consequently further reduces contamination and plant costs . Figure 2 shows a flow sheet of an alternative process according to the present invention utilising the technique of freeze casting. A freeze castable silica or zirconium oxide sol 50 is mixed with a ceramic filler powder 52 and zirconium oxide waste 54 to form a slurry 56 The starting materials 52, 54 may be milled so as to improve homogeneity and mixing prior to forming the slurry 56. The zirconium oxide waste 54 may include fission products incorporated therein but, high-level fission product waste 58 may alternatively be added separately or additionally as a constituent of the slurry 56 The slurry 56 is cast 60 into a mould (not shown) having a cavity of any desired shape and freeze-cast to form a frozen body 62. The mould may be vibrated so as to assist packing of the slurry material within the mould and to assist mould filling by the elimination of air bubbles. The slurry 56 may alternatively be freeze extruded 64 to form an alternative frozen body 66 The freeze casting process causes the slurry constituents to form chemical bonds such that when the frozen body 62 (66) is warmed 68 and the body demoulded, it forms a relatively strong, free-standing and handleable monolith 70 The thawed body 70 is dried slowly so as to avoid too rapid shrinkage and consequent cracking and, once dried it is sintered to form a high density, durable ceramic body 72 containing high level fission product waste material A first example of the second preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention is to form a zircon, ZrSι0 4 , monolith. The process comprises making a mixture of a castable silica sol which is mixed with a zircon filler powder and waste zirconium oxide formed from the electrochemical dissolution of zirconium metal fuel cans The mixture may also contain fission products from the zirconium metal waste stream or, fission product waste may be added as a separate component of the mixture The process comprises the steps of vibro-energy milling the powder constituents so as to homogenise and thoroughly mix thus, breaking up zirconia flakes from electro¬ chemical dissolution. The milling may take place wet so as to reduce dust and contamination hazard or dry The milled and homogenised powder is added to silica-sol to form the ceramic slurry 56, the slurry being capable of being poured into a mould (not shown) or at least capable of being so transferred to a mould The mould may be connected to a vacuum system so as to remove entrained air or may be provided with a vibratory system for the same purpose and also to assist mould filling The filled moulds are rapidly cooled to about -50°C to freeze them and aged for a suitable period which may range from about 10 minutes to longer times Once aged, the filled moulds are rapidly warmed to room temperature and the now solid monoliths are removed from the mould and dried in air The dried monoliths are then sintered at a minimum temperature of 1400°C. The free silica from the sol reacts with a stoichiometric amount of zirconium oxide waste and which react on sintering to form zircon. The small particle size of the sol and filler particles ensures lower sintering temperatures than normal ceramic forming processes used heretofore. Chemical bonds are formed during the freeze casting process between the silica and zirconium oxide and other constituents which are reinforced and serve to accelerate the sintering process at a low sintering temperature. An alternative to silica-sol is the use of a zirconium oxide sol. This process involves the mixing of a zircon filler powder with zirconium waste and optionally fission product waste which is then mixed with a zirconium oxide sol. The process steps for producing a sintered zircon and stabilised zirconium oxide monolith are essentially as described above with reference to the formation of a monolith using the silica-sol route.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A process for the treatment of zirconium-based metal waste, said waste comprising at least some of the zirconium-based metal in solution, the process including the steps of converting at least said solution of said metal into an oxide of said zirconium-based metal; and, sintering said oxide (as hereinbefore defined) to form solid articles. 2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the zirconium-based metal waste is derived from cladding from nuclear fuel rods. 3. A process according to either claim l or claim 2 wherein the zirconium-based metal waste results from having been brought into solution by chemical or by electrochemical dissolution. 4. A process according to any one preceding claim wherein the metal solution is in the form of a nitrate. 5. A process according to claim 4 wherein the nitrate is thermally treated to decompose the nitrate to the oxide. 6. A process according to any one preceding claims 1 to 3 wherein the zirconium-based metal is brought into solution by means of dissolution m a fluoride. 7. A process according to any one preceding claim from 1 to 5 wherein the zirconium-based metal waste is derived from the cladding of a nuclear fuel rod and the whole fuel rod, including irradiated uranium fuel, is taken into solution in nitric acid, fuel constituents of the solution being separated prior to conversion of zirconium solution to the oxide. 8. A process according to claim 7 wherein at least some fission product constituents remain with the zirconium solution. 9 A process according to any one of preceding claims 1 to 5 wherein the zirconium oxide, either alone or including at least some of the fission products, is mixed with a sol or a solution of a gel forming chemical . 10 A process according to claim 9 wherein said chemical is a metal salt. 11. A process according to claim 10 wherein said salt is an alkoxide. 12 A process according to claim 11 wherein said alkoxide is either aluminium secondary butoxide or aluminium iso-propoxide . 13 A process according to any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein the gel forming chemical is treated with a modifying agent. 14. A process according to claim 13 wherein said modifying agent is an alkanolamine. 15. A process according to claim 14 wherein the alkanolamine is tri-ethanolamine. 16. A process according to any one preceding claim from 9 to 15 wherein the mixture so formed is cast into a mould or otherwise formed into desired shapes and allowed to gel . 17. A process according to claim 16 wherein the gelled shapes are dried and sintered. 18. A process according to any one preceding claim from 9 to 12 wherein the zirconium oxide is mixed with a hydrolysed zirconium salt or other metal salt. 19. A process according to any one preceding claim rom 9 to 12 wherein said zirconium oxide is mixed with a gelling system which hardens by heat. 20. A process according to claim 19 wherein said gelling system is selected from the group comprising zirconium acetate, zirconium acetate/citric acid, zirconium nitrate/citric acid and zirconium acrylamide. 21. A process according to any one preceding claim wherein said sintered oxide includes at least some zirconium oxide formed directly as a result of dissolution of said zirconium-based metal . 22. A process according to any one of preceding claims 1 to 5 or 7 or 8 wherein at least the zirconium oxide is mixed with a freeze-castable sol. 23. A process according to claim 22 wherein the zirconium oxide is mixed with a silica sol or a zirconia sol and is solidified by freeze-casting to form a solid, handleable article which is then sintered. 24. A process according to claim 23 wherein the article is frozen at a temperature in the region of -50 Q C. 25. A process according to either claim 23 or claim 24 wherein the article is thawed and dried prior to sintering. 26. A process according to any one of preceding claims 22 to 25 wherein zircon filler powder is added to the mixture of the sol and the zirconium oxide. 27. A process according to any one of preceding claims 9 to 26 wherein the sintering temperature is in the region of 1400°C. 28. A process according to any one preceding claim wherein the zirconium oxide article is hot pressed to densify. 29. A process according to any one preceding claim wherein additional metal oxides are added to stabilise the chemical phases of the sintered article. 30. A waste encapsulating medium comprising sintered zirconium oxide having also at least fission products contained therein. 31. A process for the disposal of nuclear waste comprising at least zirconium-based metal, the process comprising the steps of converting said zirconium-based metal to an oxide form and sintering said oxide to produce an article. 32. A process for the disposal of nuclear waste comprising the steps of converting at least zirconium- based metal into an oxide according to any one of preceding claims 1 to 29 and storing said oxide.

Inventors: HOBBS JEFFREY WILLIAM, LAWSON SIMON, PARKES PETER, HOBBS, JEFFREY, WILLIAM, LAWSON, SIMON, PARKES, PETER
Applicants: BRITISH NUCLEAR FUELS PLC, HOBBS JEFFREY WILLIAM, LAWSON SIMON, PARKES PETER, HOBBS, JEFFREY, WILLIAM, LAWSON, SIMON, PARKES, PETER
Application year: 1996
Main classification: G21F9
IPC codes: C04B35, G21F9