Freeze-drying technology: A separation technique for liquid nuclear materials

Freeze-drying technology (FDT) has been around for several decades as a separation technology. Most commonly, FDT is associated with the processing of food, but the largest industrial-scale use of FDT is in the pharmaceutical industry. Through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with BOC Edwards Calumatic, we are demonstrating the feasibility of FDT as a waste minimization and pollution prevention technology. This is a novel and innovative application of FDT. In addition, we plan to demonstrate that the freeze-dried residue is an ideal feed material for ceramic stabilization of radioactive waste and excess fissile material. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of FDT for the separation of complex radioactive and nonradioactive materials, including liquids, slurries, and sludges containing a wide variety of constituents in which the separation factors are >10{sup 8}. This is the first application of FDT in which the condensate is of primary importance. Our focus is applying this technology to the elimination of radioactive liquid discharges from facilities at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and within the U.S. Department of Energy complex; however, successful demonstration will lead to nuclear industry-wide applications.