Design of A Model of Liquid Feeder to an Incinerator of Hazardous Waste and its Optimization from the Cooling Point of View: Part I
Abstract
A series of articles aimed at the cooling of the liquid radioactive waste feeder into the incinerator space optimization. The first part of the article offers a theoretical analysis of radioactive waste and the possibilities of its incineration. It also deals with the heat transfer within the waste feeder by means of the criterion equations for the transverse flow around the pipe at an angle, thanks to which the required mass flow of the cooling medium is determined.
Keywords
Download Options
Introduction
A significant amount of waste is produced in the energy industry. These wastes are divided into several types according to the possibility of their further processing. For example, common waste can be recovered for energy or stored, and hazardous waste must be disposed of. A specific branch of the energy industry is nuclear energy. Radioactive waste is generated during the operation of a nuclear power plant. Safe storage of this waste is spatially and financially demanding. For this reason, volume reduction of radioactive waste is necessary before its further processing.
Some types of radioactive waste can be burned in an incinerator to minimize its volume. The resulting radioactive ash is then safely stored for a long time. The incinerator is equipped with a dowtherm and ionex feeder. It is necessary to effectively cool this feeder to maintain the limited working temperature of the ionex and thereby ensure problem-free operation.
Conclusion
Although the positive benefits of nuclear energy for mankind are undeniable, for its safe operation, proper management of the waste generated during the production of electricity is essential. The disposal of radioactive waste is possible by various methods that are constantly being developed and made more efficient. Using the criterion equations, it is possible to determine the heat transfer coefficients and subsequently determine the heat flow by convection and radiation during the cooling process of the liquid radioactive waste feeder to the incinerator. Knowing the total heat flow is essential for the next steps in the process of optimizing the feeder cooling through numerical simulations, which will be covered in Part II. In the calculations, the worst possible scenario was considered, when the cooling water reaches up to 20 °C. When using cooling water at lower temperatures, it would be possible to consider a lower mass flow, which makes it possible to achieve financial savings in the area of treatment and transport of cooling water.