As a first stage of studies on the development of a fluidized bed incinerator for radioactive spent ion-exchange resins, the axial mixing characteristics of anion exchange resin beads and glass beads in a fluidized bed were investigated. The extent of axial solid mixing could be well characterized with a diffusion model and a global mixing index under various experimental conditions such as excess air velocities, size differences of particles and concentrations of resins. It was found that a certain extent of mixing of segregation was reached after 90 s. Axial diffusion coefficients are varing from 1 to 5㎠/s in this experimental ranges. The best conditions to incinerate anion resin beads with glass beads as bed materials in the gas-solid fluidized bed system, were 30wt% of resins in overall composition and excess air velocity over 8cm/s with glass beads having an averaged diameter of 320㎛.
[References]
Valkianien M, "Incineration of Ion Exchange Resins in Fluidized Bed," IAEA-R-2358-F, 1980
Wirster W, Lahner HJ, "Test with Ion Exchange Resins in the Incineration Facility of the KFA," Techniche Pruefgesellschaft Lehmann mbh, Berlin, 1983
Long SW, "The Incinerator of Lower Level Radioactive Waste," NUREG-1393, 1990