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Total life cycle costs (TLCCs), including disposal costs, of thermal, nonthermal and enhanced nonthermal systems were evaluated to guide future research and development programs for the treatment of mixed low-level waste (MLLW) consisting of RCRA hazardous and low-level radioactive wastes. In these studies, nonthermal systems are defined as those systems that process waste at temperatures less than 350°C. Preconceptual designs and costs were developed for thirty systems with a capacity (2927 I b s h ) to treat the DOE MLLW stored inventory (approximately 236 million pounds) in 20 years in a single, centralized facility. The same waste throughput and profile were used for all systems to allow a comparison of the results of the system studies. A limited comparison of the studies' results is presented in this paper. Sensitivity of treatment costs with respect to treatment capacity, number of treatment facilities, and system availability were also determined.The major cost element is operations and maintenance (O&M), which is 50 to 60% of the TLCC for both thermal and nonthermal systems. Energy costs constitute a small fiaction (4%) of the TLCCs. Equipment cost is only 3 to 5% of the treatment cost (i.e., TLCCs vithout disposal) indicating that process selection and R&D hnding should promote improved performance, reliability, and technical risk to minimize operations and maintenance labor rather than be based on the capital cost of the technology.Evaluation of subsystem costs demonstrate that receiving and preparation is the highest cost subsystem at about 25 to 30% of the TLCC for both thermal and nonthermal systems.These studies found no cost incentives to use nonthennal or hybrid (combined nonthermal treatment with stabilization by vitrification) systems in place of thermal systems. However, there may be other incentives including fewer air emissions and less local objection to a treatment facility. Building multiple treatment facilities to treat the same total mass of waste as a single facility would increase the total treatment cost significantly, and improved system availability decreases unit treatment costs by 17% to 30%. INTRODUCTIONFrom 1993 to 1996, the Department of Energy, Environmental Management, Office of Science and Technology (OST), has sponsored a series of systems analyses to guide its fkture research and development (R&D) programs for the treatment of mixed low-level waste (MLLW) consisting of RCRA hazardous and low-level radioactive waste. The technologies were evaluated as part of a total treatment system capable of processing MLLW to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Land Disposal Restrictions (LDRs). The first study, Integrated Thermal Treatment Systems (ITTS) -Phase 1, evaluated relatively mature thermal treatment technologies (Reference 1). This study was extended to Phase 2 in which more innovative thermal treatment technologies were evaluated (Reference 2). As a result of a technical review (Reference 3) of the ITTS studies, a similar study of nonthermal systems, known a...

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Portions of this document may be illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. N O T I C E This report was prepared. as an account of work sponsored by*the United Government. Neither the United States nor the United States Atomic Energy of their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontact , makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any nsibility for %e accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any inf product or process disclosed, or. represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. HANFORD ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT LAB Richland, Washington operated by wdDco CORPOR~TION A Subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Corporation for the United States Atomic Energy Commission Under Contract No. AT(45-1)-2 I70 HEDL-TME 71-123 STATUS OF ELECTROLYTIC DISSOLUTION FOR LMFBR FUELS AUGUST 1971 u c-1 0 Chemica I Separations Processes for Plutonium and Uranium. .