Cementation of

Radioactive Waste

www.nukemgroup.com
CEMENTATION
OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE

Introduction
Cementation is one of the most • The cemented product is chemi-
commonly used methods for condi- cally and biochemically stable.
tioning radioactive wastes. It • All forms of waste can be either
provides a cost-effective solution for incorporated in a cement matrix or
encapsulation of various kinds of encapsulated by grout.
radioactive waste into a solid, safe
form suitable for long term storage. NUKEM offers five different mixing
techniques: High Performance
The main advantages of cementation
are: In-Drum Mixer, Lost Stirrer In-Drum
Mixer, Slant Batch Mixer, High Shear
• Simple, low-temperature process.
Mixer and High Throughput
• Well proven technology.
Continuous Mixer.
• The cemented product is not com-
bustible and has good thermal
stability.

Overview on Characteristics of Mixing Techniques

High Per- Lost Stir- High
Slant High
formance rer In- Throughput
Batch Shear
In-Drum Drum Continuous
Mixer Mixer
Mixer Mixer Mixer
Throughput
••• •• ••• ••• ••••
Rate
Suitable for
Portable •••• •••• •• •• •••
Unit
Variable
•••• •• •••• •••• N/A
Batch Size
Product
•••• •• ••• •••• •
Quality 1
Suitable for
Grout • •• •••• •••
Preparation
Easy De-
con- •••• •••• ••• ••• •
tamination
• low, •• high, ••• very high, •••• excellent
1
Compressive Strength, Leach Rate

NUKEM Technologies GmbH 1

2007
High Performance In-Drum Mixer
The High Performance In-Drum
Mixer is a combination of planetary
mixer with double helical mixer. The
mixing elements are in the form of
two counter-rotating cylindrical heli-
ces. This design ensures high shear
dispersion and compensates all
torque forces that might be transmit-
ted to the drum. Intimate mixing is
accomplished by having the mixing
unit assembly revolving in a plane-
tary motion so that the rotating heli-
cal blades sweep the entire circum-
ference of the drum. The mixing
elements are raised from the drum
by a vertical lift. After separation, the
mixing elements drain into the drum.
If maintenance is required the
blades can be cleaned with a hand
held vibrator after curing of the resi-
due. As an alternative, it is possible
to decontaminate them in place by
rotating them in decontamination
solution.

Process Description

Fig. 1 Simplified Flow Sheet of the In-Drum Mixer

2 NUKEM Technologies GmbH

2007
A waste storage drum, prefilled with
cement or a mixture of cement and
dry additives appropriate to the ce-
mentation recipe is placed onto the
roller conveyor. The roller conveyor
transfers the drum beneath the
docking hole of the mixer box/cell.
Here, the docking device lifts the
drum and seals the rim to the mixer
box/cell. After the liquid waste filling
tube is directed into the drum the
first portion of waste is metered into
the drum. This portion constitutes a
third of the total waste quantity for
one drum for a given cementation
recipe.
The mass flow is measured by a
Coriolis flow meter, integrated and
counted electronically. When the
point is reached, the waste flow is
shut off automatically. Usually, the
drum is filled up to 95% of its height
after the first portion of waste is
added. The first mixing cycle now
takes place. The mixer-unit assem-
bly is lowered into the drum, down to
approximately one third of its depth.
The mixing elements revolve for a
few minutes and bring the level of
waste/cement down. The drum is
then ready to receive the second
portion of waste. This portion, as
well as the third portion, is treated in
the same way as the first.
Application
NUKEM's High Performance In-
Drum Mixer has been used success-
fully in a series of permanent and
mobile applications. The flow sheet,
shown in Figure 1, is applicable to
both applications.
For permanent installation the High
Performance In-Drum Mixer is
arranged in-side a hot/warm cell.
Depending on the radiation level,
the machinery will be operated by
remote manipulators or hands-on
through gloves fitted on the cell. An
example of such arrangement is
given in figure 2 and 3. These fig-
ures show a facility, that is owned
and operated by the Research Cen-
ter Karlsruhe, Germany. Auxiliary
equipment is arranged in the build-
ing around the cell to suite the spe-
cific requirements of the client.
The mobile unit as described below,
is called DEWA. It represents a
movable hot/warm cell containing
the High Performance In-Drum
Mixer.

While mixing the third portion of

waste, the mixing elements are sub-
mersed down within of a few centi-
meters of the bottom and rotated at
a higher speed than before. This
ensures the highest achievable
homogeneity of the grout. This high
degree of homogeneity ensures the
product quality is very high. Com-
pressive strength and leach rate will
achieve be at their optimum values.

NUKEM Technologies GmbH 3

2007
 Fig. 2 In-Drum Mixer arranged
inside a Hot-Cell

Fig. 3 Operator Filling the Drum

with Liquid Waste
4 NUKEM Technologies GmbH
2007
Mobile Solidification Unit DEWA
The DEWA is an assembly of simple,
robust and reliable components. The
method of operation is simple. The
cementation process takes place in
the waste container itself; the cement
is filled in beforehand. There is no
requirement for the transportation of
the binding agent or for its metering
in the area where the radioactive
material is handled.
Tests have shown that the physical
properties - such as compressive
strength and leach rates - of the
products obtained are excellent. The
products meet the regulations for
final disposal. The dose rates are
within the required limits. The final
products contain no free water.
The DEWA solidification unit does
not make high demands regarding
the wastes to be solidified. The
wastes must merely be pumpable.
They may contain up to 25% boric
acid, and up to 35% dry matter. As to
cementation, it is unimportant
whether the wastes to be solidified
are high or low activity. However, the
level of radioactivity requires a suit-
able container for shielding.
The DEWA cementation unit is
shipped to the point of use on a flat-
bed trailer. The unit unloads by self-
action using its telescopic legs,
which are swung in position and than
run out. For setting up, a 6 m by 3.3
m foot print with a loading capacity of
0.09 N/mm² and total height of
4.53 m is required.
The unit consists of a cube-shaped
frame in which the steel-shielded
hot/warm cell is arranged. There is
an operating platform with a control
panel and a roller conveyor for the
transportation of the drums to be
NUKEM Technologies GmbH
2007
filled. The drum docking device joins
the drum to the cell where the waste
is metered in and the content of
drum is mixed. The cell accommo-
dates the High Performance In-Drum
Mixer, an ultrasonic level sensor, the
hand held vibrator for cleaning, a line
for ash supply, if required, and the
exhauster with HEPA filter system. A
swivelling lid covers the docking hole
in the bottom of cell. The container,
pre-filled with cement, is carried to
the roller conveyor by a forklift and is
clamped to the docking hole. The
liquid waste is then transferred in
portions by a Coriolis quantity meter
and homogeneously mixed with the
cement. The mixing process can be
observed through lead glass win-
dows. The closing of the container
takes places on the roller conveyor.
If the wastes are low activity it is
done manually. If the activity is
higher, lid closure is performed by
remote control.
The plant can also deal with solid
wastes. In this case the drum, which
is about half filled with waste material
(e.g. powder, granules etc.), is trans-
ported to the cell’s opening as be-
fore. Cement is now added dry or
mixed with water. In all other re-
spects, the procedure is similar to
that described above. Contaminated
parts that cannot be compacted (filter
candles, small parts) can also be
placed in drums and treated likewise.
The DEWA can handle all types of
drums licensed by the authorities.
The type of drum chosen depends
on the level of activity and the par-
ticular qualities of the waste to be
disposed of.
The dimensions of the DEWA unit in
working position are shown in
Figure 4.
5
Operating experience
Since the start of operations with the
DEWA unit, several campaigns of
solidification of radioactive wastes
have been carried out at the BWR at
Gundremmingen, Germany and at
the PWRs at Biblis, Germany and
Neckarwestheim, Germany. Includ-
ing the foreman, a team of three to
four operators was needed. Depend-
ing on the local conditions, the set-
ting-up times ranged from 1 to 2
days. The availability reached 95%
not considering the delays caused by
the plant. Filter aid sludge, precipi-
tated slurries, decontamination efflu-
ents and evaporator concentrates
with activities between 3.7 E +09
Bq/m³ and 1.85 E +11 Bq/m³ have
been solidified. The performance of
the unit depends on the specific ac-
tivity of the wastes, the resulting
Lost Stirrer In-Drum Mixer
The lost stirrer technique was
employed by NUKEM to develop a
very highly sophisticated, portable
unit that provides a high throughput
as well as ease of operability. This
unit is called MOWA. Although
designed to be portable, NUKEM
also used the MOWA-baseline to
build a permanent Lost Stirrer In-
Drum Mixer facility.
Mobile Waste Conditioning Plant
MOWA
The MOWA system (Fig. 5 and 6)
features all the advantages of a
compact plant, as it can be shipped
and stored in a 20 ft-ISO-container.
It has a high waste throughput,
deals with drums of several sizes (<
100-400 litre) and different shielding.
The MOWA is able to process con-
centrates and sludge as well as
granular resin with a high specific
activity.
6 NUKEM Technologies GmbH
shielding requirements and on the
dry substance content. A volume to
1.8 - 2.2 m³ per day can be solidified
in externally shielded 200 l drums
and a volume of 3.6 - 4.6 m³ per day
can be solidified if using internally
shielded 400 l drums. The massive
steel and lead shielding of the unit
and the largely remote handling of
the containers ensures that the ac-
cumulated dose received by the crew
remained low. While processing slur-
ries with an activity of about 1.48 E
+10 Bq/m³ with a nuclide distribution
of 14% Cs-134, 33%Cs-137, 36%
Co-60, and 5% Mn-54, the measured
dose rates were < 3 m Rem/hr at the
wall surface and < 0.35 m Rem/hr at
the operator’s position. The average
dose rate was less than 10 m Rem
per day and per person.
Facility Description
The MOWA, as depicted in Figure 5
and Figure 6, consists basically of
two dosing and mixing positions for
waste disposal drums, an accessible
sealed cell with the dosing devices
for sludge, concentrates and granu-
lar resins and the two hydraulic units
for the drives of the in-drum-stirrers.
All parts are skid-mounted. The
MOWA is equipped with a PLC for
automatic operations and a mobile
control panel. Heavy lead shielding
on the equipment containing radio-
active materials and steel shielding
at the mixing positions reduce the
radiation exposure of the staff to a
minimum (less than
10 m Rem/h at the surface of the
plant while treating granular resin
with 3.7 E +13 Bq/m³). The disposal
drums can be equipped with addi-
tional shielding, if necessary.
2007
 Figure 4: Mobile Cementation Unit DEWA

NUKEM Technologies GmbH

2007 7
Fig. 5 Layout of the Mobile Waste Conditioning Plant

8
NUKEM Technologies GmbH
2007
 Fig. 6 Mobile Waste Conditioning Plant MOWA

9 NUKEM Technologies GmbH

2007
 slot sieve base to drain the excess
Process Description water. The resin is then pumped with
The waste is drawn into MOWA exactly the excess water required for
metering system by vacuum or fed cementation into the drum in the
by an external pump. From here the same manner as sludge. After being
waste is transferred into the cement sealed remotely, the waste drum is
pre-filled drums by means of a pump. replaced by a new one.
Mixing of the binding agent with the
waste takes place in these drums Technical Data
during feeding. They are equipped Overall Dimensions:
with the lost-stirrer. The displaced air Length 5700 mm
is released through HEPA-filters. The Width 2220 mm
waste disposal drums are fitted with Height 2180 mm
a second cover, located below the Weight approx. 22,000 kg
upper rim. The connections for waste
feeding, air outlet and the lost stirrer Throughput:
are grouped on this intermediate - Sludge/Concentrate: up to 10 m³
cover. Thus, the entire mixing proc- per shift
ess takes place within an enclosed - Bead Resin: up to 2 m³ per
system, avoiding the spread of con- shift
tamination. Controls: PLC, with mo-
The two dosing and mixing locations bile control
are stocked alternately with drums. panel Electrical
While one drum is mixing, the other Power Load: 2 x 63 A, 380 V
one is changed. This improves the Utilities: Water, 6 bar
throughput of MOWA significantly. (for potential
Ion exchange resin is prepared for flush of radio-
cementation by adjusting the stipu- active system)
lated water to resin ratio. This is
done in the resin metering pot. The Staff Required: 1 Foreman and
resin metering pot is equipped with a 2 Operators

Slant Batch Mixer

The Slant Batch Mixer (Fig. 7) is
successfully installed at several
Waste Treatment Centers (WTC).
NUKEM set up these mixers with
extensive auxiliary systems to facili-
tate all the cementation tasks of a
WTC. Auxiliary systems such as a
resin dewatering unit, ash transfer
.
and metering system are also avail-
able with NUKEM's other mixers.
The description of the Slant Batch
Mixer along with its auxiliary sys-
tems of a WTC is intended to be an
example of NUKEM's system design
capability

NUKEM Technologies GmbH 10

2007
 Fig. 7 Slant Batch Mixer

11 NUKEM Technologies GmbH

2007
Pre-treatment of Liquid Radioac-
tive Waste
Pre-treatment of liquid, inorganic
waste is carried out in NUKEM's
enhanced evaporator facility
(see NUKEM Brochure: Concentra-
tion of Evaporator Concentrates).
The salt content in evaporator con-
centrates is usually in the range of
20% by weight. Direct cementation
of this waste would result in a final
product with a salt content of
approx. 10% by weight. The en-
hanced concentration process gen-
erates a highly concentrated prod-
uct, a so-called Super-Concentrate.
Its salt content is between 500 and
700 g/l. In order to obtain a high
quality cemented product, chemical
addition will occasionally be required
prior to cementation, e.g. in cases of
high borate content.
Process Description
A simplified flow diagram is shown
in Fig. 8.
The radioactive waste enters the
cementation facility in various ways:
• Waste, which can be forwarded
by pump (like waste solutions or
radioactive sludge), is received
in a liquid waste receiving tank.
• Super-concentrates from the
concentration facility are re-
ceived
directly by gravity flow in a me-
tering tank for solutions.
• Ion exchange resin with water
are transferred hydraulically and
NUKEM Technologies GmbH
2007
received under pressure in the
resin receiver tank. There, ex-
cess carrier water is separated
by means of built-in slot sieve fil-
ters. This water is returned to the
transport vessel.
• Ashes entering the cementation
facility, are held in adequate con-
tainers. These containers are
emptied into the metering pot for
ashes within the transfer box.
• The solids to be encapsulated
(for example compacted solid
waste) are put in the long-term
storage container before entering
the cementation facility. The re-
maining free space is usually
more than 50% of the container
volume.
The cement powder is delivered in a
conventional silo-truck and unloaded
into a cement-silo. From there it is
transferred into the cement-metering
tank. Any additives required, such
as concrete super-plastifier, con-
crete retarder, filling material or lime
are weighed on a scale and put into
the additive tank. Processing is
preferable in a campaign featuring
similar types of waste. For example,
liquid waste is mixed with cement
and the mixture is poured into a
storage container. The filled con-
tainer is transported to a buffer store
where curing takes place and the
container is further prepared for
long-term storage.
12
 Legend
(Please refer to Fig. 8 Cementation Facility Flow Sheet)
1 Resin mixture receiving tank
2 Agitator
3 Resin mixture transfer pump
4 Liquid waste receiving tank
5 Agitator
6 Liquid waste transfer pump
7 Metering tank for solutions or resin mixtures
8 Agitator
9 Heating
10 Slant mixer
11 Storage container
12 Roller conveyor
13 Vibrating equipment
14 Pump
15 Filter
16 Ash transfer box
17 Drum tilting device
18 Elevator
19 Filter
20 Filter
21 Ash metering tank
22 Cellular wheel
23 Vibrating conveyor
24 Additive weighing equipment
25 Additive tank
26 Cement metering tank
27 Cellular wheel
28 Vibrating conveyor
29 Filter
30 Cement-silo

13 NUKEM Technologies GmbH

2007
 Fig. 8 Cementation Facility Flow Sheet

NUKEM Technologies GmbH 14

2007
Example 1:
Cementation of Super-
Concentrate
An empty storage container is placed
under the mixer discharge tube on a
vibrator that is a part of the roller
conveyer. The Super-concentrate is
delivered by gravity to the solutions
metering tank. The sole function of
the metering tank is for weight con-
trol of the liquid part of a mixer-load.
The weighed solution is then trans-
ferred by gravity into the slant mixer
and the mixer is started.
An alternative to this technique is the
metering of all by a Coriolis flow me-
ter with electronic integrator. This is
the state of the art method. The re-
quired quantity of cement is deliv-
ered to the rotating slant mixer by
means of a rotary valve and a vibrat-
ing conveyor. The metering of the
cement is automatically controlled by
weight reduction in the cement-
metering tank. After a predetermined
mixing time (approx. 30 min.), the
cemented product is discharged into
the storage container.
During filling of the storage container
with the cemented product, the ves-
sel can be vibrated in order to im-
prove the cement distribution in the
container. The storage container will
usually be filled up to 95% of its
volumetric capacity. The filled stor-
age container lid is then remotely
installed and the container trans-
ported to buffer storage for curing.
After curing, the lid is remotely
sealed behind shielding.
Example 2:
Cementation of Waste Solutions
The quantity of waste solution
needed, as stipulated by the cemen-
tation recipe, is transferred from the
liquid waste receiving tank to the so-
NUKEM Technologies GmbH
2007
lutions metering tank by a pump. The
rest of the procedure including feed
of possible additives is identical to
the cementation of Super-
Concentrates.
Example 3:
Cementation of Ion-Exchange
Resin along with Super-
Concentrate
The ion-exchange resins are em-
bedded in cement together with Su-
per-concentrate. This combined ce-
mentation provides a homogeneous
final product. The resin is mixed with
the residual water by an agitator in
the resin receiving tank. It is then
transferred by a pump into the solu-
tions or resin metering tank. The
transfer is stopped when the stipu-
lated weight of resin is achieved. In
the metering tank the batch is stirred
by an agitator in order to maintain
the fluidity of the resin mixture. The
requisite amount of Super-
concentrate is now added to the
resin in the same manner as de-
scribed in Example 1. The metered
mixture of resin and Super Concen-
trate is transferred by gravity into the
slant mixer and the mixer is turned
on.
The additives, stipulated by cemen-
tation recipe, are delivered via the
additive tank and the vibrating con-
veyor to the rotating slant mixer. The
cement feed, the mixing procedure
and the filling of the storage con-
tainer are as described in
Example 1.
Example 4:
Cementation of Ashes
Ashes from an incinerator facility are
usually cemented with the scrubber
solution. The quantity of solution re-
15
quired by cementation recipe is fed Cementation of ashes
by gravity from the solutions meter- Composition of the cemented
ing tank into the slant mixer. Ashes product
are forwarded by means of a rotary Content of ashes: 30%
valve and the ash vibrating conveyor. Water/cement ratio: 0.7
The rest of procedure is identical to
the cementation of waste solutions.
Technical Data
Cementation Recipes Batch Size: 200 to 500 litre
In order to ensure and optimize the cemented prod-
properties of product, each form of uct
waste has to be cemented with its Throughput: 3,400 kg to
own recipe. To achieve this, it is nec- 8,500 kg/8 h
essary to know the composition of shift
waste to be cemented. Depending
Salt Load: up to 30% wt
on the waste composition, the best
Resin Load: up to 10% wt
matching recipe will be chosen from
NUKEM's cementation database. If
The waste load depends on the
the waste form deviates significantly
chemical composition of the liquid
from waste form in the Cementation
waste and on quality related re-
Database, laboratory tests will clarify
quirements for the cemented product
or confirm missing or uncertain rec-
and its packaging.
ipe data. The recipes given below
are examples only, and will be con-
Product Quality:
firmed by laboratory tests with actual
Leach rate for Cs: 10 -2 g/cm² day
waste material.
(calculated as average per year)
Compression Strength: 10 N/mm²
Example of Recipes for Reference:
Homogeneous distribution of activity
Cementation of Super-Concentrates
Total salt content: 600 ± 100 g / l
Density: approx. 1450
kg/m³
Salt content in the
cement matrix: 25% wt
Water/cement ratio: 0.55

Common cementation of ion ex-

change resin and Super-Concentrate
Composition of the cemented product

Content of salt: 14%

Content of dry resin: 3%
Water/cement ratio: 0.7

16
NUKEM Technologies GmbH
2007
High Shear Mixer
The High Shear Mixer is a batch
mixer, operated to obtain a colloidal
cement slurry. NUKEM uses this
slurry to grout packed solid waste
items. Another field of application is
the preparation of cap grout, to seal
the surface of cemented liquid waste
in drums or boxes. The design of the
High Shear Mixer ensures that the
highest possible quality of grout is
achieved.
High Throughput Continuous Mixer
The continuously operating screw
mixer (Figure 9) provides a high
throughput. One or more dry compo-
nents are continuously fed to the
mixer where liquid waste or water is
added.
Fig. 9 High Throughput Continuous Mixer
NUKEM Technologies GmbH
2007
Usually, the mixer and its auxiliary
facilities are arranged outside of the
area where radioactive materials are
handled. There the inactive grout is
prepared and transferred by pump
into the hot/warm cell where the
drums or boxes are waiting to be
grouted.
The High Shear Mixer can also be
used for homogeneous cementation
of radioactive waste.
After a relatively short residence time
in the mixing zone, the mixture is
poured in drums or other containers
for final disposal.
Throughput: 3 m³/h
Space envelope
required: 3 x 3.6 x 1.5 m
17
References
Scope of supply Client Putting in
operation
in
1 Planning and delivery of 2 liquid Jiangsu Nuclear Power Cor- 2006
radioactive waste solidification poration,
systems PR China
(1000 litre drums)
2 In-drum cementation facility NAVY, PR China 2003
(200 litre drums)
3 In-drum cementation facility CIAE, PR China 2002
(200 litre drums)
4 Cementation plant with slant Sarubeshatomenergostroi, 2002
mixer for Waste Treatment Cen- Russia (Atomenergoexport) /
tre Balakovo NPP
5 Cementation plant with slant SE a. s./ Bohunice NPP, 1999
mixer for Waste Treatment Cen- Slovakia
tre
6 In-drum cementation Facility Nuclear Power Institute of 1999
(200 litre drums) China, PR China
7 In-drum cementation facility Qin Shan NPP, PR China 1998
(200 litre drums)
8 Design of cementation plant with Chmelnitzki NPP, Ukraine 1996
slant mixer for Waste Treatment
Centre at Chmelnitzki NPP
9 Upgrade of the existing mobile Paks NPP, Hungary 1996
waste cementation plant
10 Design of cementation plant as Kola NPP, Russia 1994
part of the treatment facility for
liquid radioactive waste and res-
ins
11 Upgrade of the existing mobile Nucleco, Italy 1994
waste cementation plant
12 Basic engineering of a cementa- Novovoronezh NPP, Russia 1993
tion plant for radioactive waste
and resins in the frame of the
TACIS-91/93 program, project
1.6 ‘Radioactive Waste Treat-
ment’
13 Mobile waste cementation plant NIKEX, Hungary 1991
(MOWA) for Paks NPP

18 NUKEM Technologies GmbH

2007
14 Stationary cementation plant Uranium enrichment plant 1986
Gronau, Germany

15 Mobile waste cementation plant Nucleco, Italy 1985

(MOWA)
16 Mobile waste cementation plant Studsvik, Sweden 1985
(MOWA)
17 Stationary cementation plant Fairy Engineering, UK 1984
18 Mobile cementation unit MOWA KFA, Germany 1980
19 Mobile waste cementation plant Transnuklear, Germany 1978
(MOWA)
20 Mobile waste cementation plant Transnuklear, Germany 1977
(DEWA)

NUKEM Technologies GmbH 19

2007
NUKEM Technologies GmbH
Industriestr. 13
63755 Alzenau
Germany
T +49 (0) 6023 9104
F +49 (0) 6023 911188
E info@nukem.de
 Cementation of
Radioactive Waste

www.nukemgroup.com