CFD Modeling of Thermal Effects of Nuclear Waste Vitrification Processes

The Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) at Hanford, WA will vitrify nuclear waste stored at the DOE Hanford facility. The vitrification process will take place in two large concrete buildings where the glass is poured into stainless steel canisters or containers and allowed to cool. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used extensively to calculate the effects of the heat released by molten glass as it is poured and cooled, on the HVAC system and the building structure. CFD studies of the glass cooling in these facilities were used to predict canister temperatures, HVAC air temperatures, concrete temperatures and insulation requirements, and design temperatures for canister handling equipment and instrumentation at various stages of the process. These predictions provided critical input in the design of the HVAC system, specification of insulation, the design of canister handling equipment, and the selection of instrumentation.Copyright © 2006 by ASME