RICHLAND, Wash.- The first batch of glass beads were recently poured into a melter at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) on the Hanford site ahead of future operations to convert radioactive and chemical waste to a form that can be disposed of safely.
“This is a proud time for our Hanford team as we have established a molten glass pool in our first melter,” said Brian Vance, Hanford Site Manager.
The glass forming beads called frit were poured into the melter, which was then heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. A total of about 40,000 pounds of frit will be added to the melter to create a 31-inch deep pool as part of the vitrification process according to a press release from the Department of Energy.
The waste will then be mixed with the glass-forming material and poured into stainless steel containers to be disposed of at the Integrated Disposal Facility.
Two 300-ton melters are essential to the vitrification process of turning tank waste into glass according to Energy’s press release.
“Our team is excited about furthering our progress in achieving continuous melter operations,” said Brian Hartman, the WTP project director and senior vice president for Bechtel.
