Patent ID: 11085270

Abstract:
In-situ vitrification of hazardous waste occurs within human-made caverns. The human-made caverns may be located at distal (terminal) ends of substantially vertical wellbores and the human-made caverns may be located within deep geological rock formations, that are located at least two thousand feet below the Earth's surface. The hazardous waste that is vitrified into glass within such human-made caverns may be radioactive. The vitrification within a given human-made cavern is accomplished by at least one heater that operates according to a predetermined heating and cooling profile. During vitrification the heater may be reciprocated up and down to introduce currents into the waste liquid for uniform temperature dispersion. The heater may be removable, reusable, single use, and/or disposable. Cold caps and/or insulating blankets may be used over a given layer of vitrified waste product within the given human-made cavern. Heater weights, mixing vanes, and/or downhole sealing packer may also be used.