Waste Engineering

The Waste Engineering & Process Inventory Mass Balance group researches and develops comminution processes, sampling strategies and statistical material balance technologies aiming to provide the waste material in the form and quantity required for developing and monitoring the downstream waste stabilization processes. Fragmentation of the radioactive waste impacts on the fineness of the waste, the homogeneity of the size distribution and the generation of micro-fractures; three characteristics of the waste that are carefully monitored during the waste engineering process considering the significant impact they have on the contaminants extraction efficiency and re-storage stability of the waste. Health and safety issues, mainly related to radioactive and toxic dust emissions and the presence of metals scrap in the waste, are of primary concern in developing these processes. Process footprint reduction including a minimal manipulation of the waste stream is the key design parameter.

Process contaminant inventory is another significant issue considering the high toxicity of the contaminant and the heterogeneity distribution of the contaminants within the waste matrix; comprehensive methodologies are developed based on Gy’s sampling theory (1979), its variant proposed by D. François-Bongarçon (2002) and the material balance data adjustment techniques (1985) that were developed in the 80’s for assessment, diagnostic and improvement of process measurement estimates in the mineral processing industry. Sampling models, calibration algorithms, and custom-designed version of the statistical material balance algorithms are developed for the highly complex treatment processes of the radioactive waste.