Solidification Project ReportAECL Whiteshell Labs-Pinawa, Manitoba

Deployment of Nochar PetroBond@Technology to Solidify HB-40 ReactorCoolant Oil At AECL Whiteshell Labs

Site Cost to ImplementNocharBaseline CostsLifecycleSavingsReturn on Investment

$274,000$675,000$401,000

910%

Benefits At-A-Glance

-SIMPLER AND CHEAPER: Implementation ofNochar technology is simpler to accomplish andless expensive than AECL's other altenatives,on-site or off-site incineration.

-TRANSPORTATION: In light of recent worldevents, reducing the need to transportradioactively contaminated material appearsmore appropriate than ever.

Pre-DeploymentWhiteshell Laboratories of Atomic Energy ofCanada, Ltd. in Manitoba successfully testedNochar solidification polymers, a DOE-proventechnology. Based on this test data, work planswere written to use Nochar PetroBond@to solidifycontaminated organic liquid waste from an earlyreactor system prototype. AECL obtainedregulatory approval to solidify and place the wasteinto long-term storage via stainless steelcontainers and concrete bunkers. This successresolved a significant waste issue and has nowsaved the site over $400,000 Can.

Description of SituationStored at the Whiteshell Laboratories in Manitoba,Canada, was an estimated 10,000 liters ofradioactively contaminated organic liquid, made up ofa mixture of used WR-1 reactor coolant (MonsantoHB-40 oil), xylene rinse solution, dielectric (EDM) fluid,vacuum pump oil and water. The drums storing thismaterial show evidence of leakage and the effects ofcurrent storage conditions, being subjected torepeated freeze-thaw cycles from the local climate. Insome cases, drums have swelled in size. Prior to theNochar deployment, AECL was having difficulty inobtaining a suitable transportation container for off-siteincineration, and on-site incineration in new facilitieswas prohibitively expensive.

With help from an EM-50 ASTD ROI project to deployNochar polymer technology, samples of this liquidwere successfully solidified using Nochar in May 2001.This testing was a government sponsored cooperativeproject and the first international endeavor. AECLthen requested regulatory approval to solidify andplace the waste into long-term storage, in lieu ofincineration.

Primary Value of ImprovementNochar solidification provided a long-term storagesolution instead of incineration and saved AECLsignificant costs. The technology also eliminated aneed to transport contaminated material across "ninternational border.

Proiect Success Summary~ Project was accomplished ahead of schedule, only 8 working days.~ Project was accomplished within budget and provided significant

cost savings as outlined on page (1) of this fact sheet.~ A specially modified paddle / ribbon mixer was adapted to the

project, which performed flawlessly~ Ninety Eight batches of waste were mixed which stabilized over

10,000 liters of radioactive organic liquid.~ Four specific polymer formulas were developed by Nocha.rlID

Corporation to address the exact characteristics of the waste, thusall aqueous, organic and chemical constituents were identified andsolidified efficiently.

~ Efficient polymer formulas and well designed mixing equipmentproduced highly successful solidification. Batches were stabilizingfor transfer into stainless steel B-25 boxes in as little as 9 seconds.

~ With the efficiency of the polymer, all work was completed withfew safety concerns and in an ALARA manner throughout.

~ Nochar PetroBond@stabilized the waste into a dense rubberymaterial almost upon contact with no possible evidence of freeliquid or easily spread contamination.

~ The custom designed mixing operation was able to produce a fluidslurry mixture as it entered the box and thus made use of everycubic inch of space.

~ Use of Nochar produced minimal expansion: maximum 20% withN960 and 10% with N910 polymers.

~ Solidified material receded back into the box over time, thusforming a more dense solidified mass and allowing additionalwaste to be deposited in the box as the mass "cured".

~ Solidification with Nocha.rlIDshowed 50% average reduction indose rates at contact with the disposal container, and significantreduction in loose contamination or the potential spread of it.

~ Nochar raw polymer was easy to transport to the mixer and handle,produced no IH or safety concerns, and only has a dust hazardwhen used in large quantities as outlined on the MSDS.

~ Nochar polymer technology allowed for large variations in un-treated waste characterization and analysis, thus still producing ahighly acceptable solidified waste form yet.

~ This application at ABCL Whiteshell proved Nochar polymers asa significant technology to be implemented throughout theIndustry for use in "safe store" long term nuclear waste storage.