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Argonne scientists are adapting a 30-year-old technology to new uses to help with waste disposal at a U.S. Department of Energy production facility.
The Chemical Technology Division has successfully tested a new solvent-extraction process that could help decontaminate the many millions of gallons of high-level waste now stored in underground tanks at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.
This process, called CSSX (for caustic-side solvent extraction), is one of several under consideration for use at the Savannah River facility. CSSX will separate the radioactive isotope cesium-137 from the extremely saline liquid present in the tanks. Once removed, cesium would be incorporated into a glass waste form for disposal in a geologic repository.
The key technology in the CSSX process is a multistage centrifugal contactor, a materials separation device. Over the last three decades, Argonne researchers have applied various designs of this device to many different problems concerning disposal of liquid radioactive waste.
Over the last year, working with scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Chemical Engineer Ralph Leonard (CMT) and his group modified an Argonne-designed centrifugal contactor to perform the solvent extraction.
"This was truly a team effort," Leonard said, "and many of them were working on other projects at the time. Staff from CMT, Central Shops, the Analytical Chemistry Lab, all pitched in to make this project happen."
The team easily achieved the cesium decontamination factor of 40,000 required by the Savannah River Site's application. In fact, a pilot-plant-scale contactor running the CSSX process produced a decontamination factor of almost 100,000.
The decontamination factor is the amount of undesirable material present before extraction divided by the amount present after extraction. Thus, a decontamination factor of 100,000 means that all but one part in 100,000 was removed.
The Argonne multistage centrifugal contactor is recognized as the state-of-the-art system for solvent extraction. Argonne researchers have led the field in separation processes, with special strength in solvent extraction chemistry and equipment.
When operated with an appropriate solvent, the contactor is able to quickly and efficiently recover transuranic elements and fission products like cesium from radioactive waste. The Argonne centrifugal contactor, unlike others, can be easily modified to handle different solvent compositions, is easy to scale up, can be remotely operated and maintained, has low construction and operating costs, and most importantly, requires relatively little solvent.
"The reduced need for solvent is particularly critical in the CSSX application since the major component of the solvent, a calixarene, is very expensive," Leonard said. "However, by combining it with the high efficiency and throughput of the Argonne contactor, the system has proved to be extremely cost-effective."
Argonne centrifugal contactors have already demonstrated their effectiveness in several Department of Energy facilities, including the Hanford Site, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, and the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.
-- Joe Harmon
DeWayne Cecil and Jaromy Green of the United Sates Geological Survey will present "Global Ice-Core Research: Understanding and Applying Environmental Records of the Past" at Argonne-West Wednesday, Feb. 28.
The two-hour seminar will begin at 9 a.m. in the Laboratory and Office Building Conference Room.
Cecil and Green will discuss research and exploration techniques used for studying isotopes in glacial ice. By studying isotopes that are globally archived in glacial ice, valuable information can be obtained that chronicles past climatic conditions and could potentially provide a basis for modern global climatic change research. The results have broad implications for humankind's impact on the environment over the past 300 years and in the future.
The first seminar in this new series was held Jan 18. CMT Division Director Dave Lewis and CMT Associate Director Jim Miller spoke about "Energy Perspectives: Global Security, Economics, Environment." The seminar included an overview of CMT's programs, including battery and fuel cell research.
Mark Jones has been appointed Argonne's General Counsel and will direct the laboratory legal functions.
Previously, Jones was senior vice president and general counsel for U.S. Water L.L.C., a joint venture between Bechtel and United Utilities, where he directed legal and human resources functions. While at U.S. Water, Jones negotiated the largest government contract in the company's history (more than $270 million in revenues), which required a number of legal innovations.
Before that, Jones held a series of progressively more responsible positions for Union Pacific and its various subsidiaries and affiliates. While at Union Pacific, Jones coordinated the legal and political aspects of siting hazardous waste facilities and the remediation of environmental contamination. Jones was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for his efforts in environmental areas.
Before Union Pacific, Jones was engaged in private practice at Fulbright & Jaworski, where he worked with biotechnology developers and inventors to raise funding to commercialize their technologies.
"I am very proud to be a part of Argonne National Laboratory and look forward to ensuring that our clients, particularly the scientists and the U.S. Department of Energy, receive innovative, proactive and effective legal services," Jones said.
Jones received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas.
Bill Luck, who had been acting general counsel, has been promoted to the position of assistant general counsel.
A luncheon commemorating Women's History Month will be held Thursday, March 15, at The WestCoast Hotel in Idaho Falls, where awards honoring contributions to the advancement of women in the workplace will be given.
The Seventh Annual Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory Woman of the Year Award, will honor an INEEL woman who has made significant contributions not only in her career field, but also in her community.
The second award, the Fourth Annual Federal Women's Program Recognition Award, will honor an INEEL employee (man or woman) who has made contributions in the promotion and advancement of women in the workplace.
Nominations can be made for any full-time INEEL employee including DOE-Idaho, BBWI, and any INEEL-related contractor wishing to participate. Nomination forms are available from Shelly Havlovick (RPS) at ext. 3-7653 or Gaylene Flores (ERA) at ext. 3-7523. Nominations must be returned by Friday, Feb. 23, to Havlovick at MS 6000. For more information, call Brenda McMurtrey, the Federal Women's Program Manager, at (208) 526-5966.
The awards are sponsored the Department of Energy-Idaho Operations Office Federal Women's Program, BBWI's Diversity Initiatives Department and Argonne-West's Office of Diversity.
Developing a realistic spending plan to help individuals reach personal financial goals is the aim of the Argonne Credit Union's "Building a Better Budget" workshop, to be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Lisle/Naperville Hilton Hotel.
The two-hour workshop will also cover ways to get out and stay out of debt. Members and non-members are welcome to attend.
The Lisle/Naperville Hilton is at 3003 Corporate West Drive, Lisle. Call ext. 2-5800 for reservations and directions.
Upcoming workshops include:
Tuesday, March
20 -- "Retirement Investment Strategies," noon-1 p.m. at the Argonne-East
Building 213 Cafeteria.
Wednesday,
April 25th -- "First Time Home Buyer," 7-9 p.m. at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville.
All members are welcome to attend the Argonne Credit Union's 51st annual meeting on Wednesday, March 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria.
There will be a buffet dinner and door prizes. The meeting will include presentations on last year's accomplishments, financial statements, and the election of new board members.
Reservations are required to attend; call ext. 2-5800.
A common ingredient found in many over-the-counter weight-control and cold remedies is the subject of a warning by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA is taking steps to remove phenylpropanolamine from all drug products and has requested that drug companies stop marketing products containing it.
"Employees should check their medicine chests for such products and discard them," said Argonne Medical Director Francis Strehl, M.D.
Yale University School of Medicine researchers found an association between phenylpropanolamine use and stroke in women. The risk of stroke is very low, but the FDA recommends that consumers not use any products that contain the compound.
For more information, see the Web page at http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/default.htm or call the FDA information line at (888) 463-6332.
The Guest House will celebrate Mardi Gras with special menus on Friday, Feb. 23, Monday, Feb. 26, and Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 5-9 p.m.
The menus will include Cajun classics like red beans and rice, jambalaya and fried catfish.
All employees and their guests are welcome to join the Chemistry Division's Valentine's Day Run Wednesday, Feb. 14, at noon.
The three-mile run and two-mile walk will start at the lobby of Argonne-East's Building 200. There will be valentine refreshments and a raffle at the finish. The run is sponsored by the Argonne Running Club.
Argonne's retirement vendors will send representatives to Argonne-East to meet with employees to answer their questions about retirement plans and retirement plan assets.
To schedule an appointment, call the number listed below. Appointments are for one-half hour each.
Fidelity --
Tuesday, March 6 and 20. Call (800) 642-7131.
TIAA-CREF --
Tuesday, March 20, and Wednesday, March 21. Call (800) 842-2005.
Prudential
(1/2-day sessions) -- Wednesdays, March 7, 14 and 21. Call (847) 619-3519.
