|
Q1:
Synroc has been around for 25 years, why hasn't it
been successful?
Ans: Synroc was chosen by US
Department of Energy to immobilize surplus weapons
plutonium in the US and Russia (although with the
change in US government this option is in
suspension, highlighting the political nature of the
industry). It was chosen because it had several
major advantages over glass.
The original
synroc formulation was designed for high-level waste
(HLW) from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel,
but many countries, including the US, don’t
reprocess their waste. At the time decisions on HLW
waste forms were made in the early 1980s
borosilicate glass was chosen because it was the
most technically mature technology. Since then
synroc technology has matured, its advantages over
glass in many areas confirmed, and a wide range of
synroc formulations developed to cope with a diverse
range of radioactive waste streams. This claim was
validated by selection of synroc for the plutonium
immobilization program in late 90s (as mentioned
above).
Only a small
proportion of HLW waste around the world has been
immobilized because of ongoing debate among
stakeholders. Implementation takes political will
and is a slow process. More recently, tailored
synroc waste forms have been developed targeting
problematic tank and legacy waste streams that are
difficult to incorporate in glass. In many instances
the processing of these problematic wastes has often
been delayed in favor of processing simpler waste
streams.
Top
Q2:
What are the benefits of synroc technology?
Ans: synrocANSTO
technology is no more expensive than glass; indeed
the benefits of this technology can save billions of
dollars compared with glass. In combination with our
waste form design chemistry it produces waste forms
with higher waste loadings and better chemical
durability.
The process
technology is flexible, much more so than Joule
melting, and has much lower off-gas emissions,
enabling it to be used for a wide range of waste
streams. The technology synroc uses is mature, has
been used at a large industrial scale and in the
nuclear industry.
Top
Q3:
If it's aimed at problematic waste streams, can it
solve the really big waste issues?
Ans:
Higher waste loadings and reduced off-gas emissions
enable billion dollar savings to be achieved via the
use of tailored waste forms for a wide range of
wastes.
synrocANSTO
technology is suitable for an extremely diverse
range of nuclear waste, however in view of major
current investment in glass technology for HLW most
pronounced savings are for wastes difficult to
incorporate in glass.
Nuclear wastes that can not be
readily handled by glass are often viewed as
intractable. Synroc offers a superior immobilization
solution to these intractable nuclear waste issues.
Top
Q4: Why
was synroc developed in Australia?
Ans: The concept
was invented in Australia and its superior
performance and global potential was recognised by
the Australian Government.
Australia is part of the nuclear
fuel cycle as a major uranium exporter. Synroc
offers solutions to back-end challenges of the fuel
cycle and demonstrates Australia’s role as a
responsible member of the international nuclear
community.
Top
Q5:
Compared to glass, it sounds really complicated?
Ans: The
technology is no more complicated than glass,
although it is much more flexible in terms of the
types of waste it can accommodate. The processes are
widely used in industry and have been demonstrated
at scale in nuclear applications.
Top
Q6:
But it's only a small and front-end part of the
bigger issue? What advantages does it really have?
How would we deploy?
Ans: The waste
form is the key component of the immobilization
process. It determines the type of nuclear waste
that can be immobilized, how well the waste is
locked up, and ultimately the number of disposal
canisters required (waste loading).
synrocANSTO waste forms
offer overall cost and processing schedule savings
worth billions of dollars via higher waste loadings,
better chemical durability, more processing
flexibility and lower off-gas emissions.
synrocANSTO technology
can be implemented via either retrofiting or custom
building a waste processing facility using
technology proven in the nuclear industry.
Top
Q7:
Who have you worked with in the US? What will they
say about synroc when I call them?
Ans: We have
worked closely with a range of US DOE laboratories
including: LLNL, SRS, PNNL, INEEL, ANL-W. ANSTO is a
good partner, with a strong technical foundation.
Top
Q8:
What real advantages does synroc have? Why and for
whom?
Ans: Significant cost and schedule savings,
with a reduction in risk and off-gas emissions.
These are achieved by using waste form and process
technologies that give superior immobilization
performance with respect to factors such as
increased waste loading and chemical durability.
Top
Q9:
Where is the best bang for my buck if I use synroc?
Ans: Savings are most apparent for wastes
difficult to immobilize in glass, such as INEEL HLW
calcines & sodium bearing liquid waste, pure and
impure plutonium and other actinide waste streams,
as well as niche wastes, such as those containing
technetium, cesium and strontium.
Top
Q10:
Why is synrocANSTO a good partner?
Ans: ANSTO, an
Australian government nuclear science and technology
organisation, has over 25 years experience in the
development of low-risk, reduced-cost, tailored
ceramic and glass-ceramic waste forms.
synrocANSTO’s unique
capabilities position it as a global leader in
tailored waste forms. They include:
-
Extensive experience in waste
form immobilization design;
-
Integrated process development,
and
-
Waste form characterization.
Top
|
