PNNL

Derek Dixon is a chemical engineer on the Material Development and Testing team under the Radiological Materials group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where his current research includes the study and operation of scaled melters for vitrifying nuclear wastes or waste simulants. He received his BS and MS degrees in chemical engineering from the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at Washington State University. 

• Glass melters
• Nuclear waste glass
• Vitrification

MS in chemical engineering, Washington State University

BS in chemical engineering, Washington State University

• The American Ceramics Society: Glass & Optical Materials and Nuclear Materials & Systems Divisions

2024

• Asmussen R.M., C.E. Bagwell, D.R. Dixon, L.R. Hare, S.K. Johansen, C.D. Johnson, and P.D. Meyer, et al. 2024. Nitrate and Nitrite at Hanford - From Tanks to Natural Attenuation. PNNL-35629. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Nitrate and Nitrite at Hanford - From Tanks to Natural Attenuation
• Dixon D.R., J.B. Lang, M.A. Hall, R.K. Brown, D.A. Cutforth, W.C. Eaton, and R.A. Peterson. 2024. Vitrification of Hanford Tank 241-AN-107 Waste and Equivalent Simulant. PNNL-36470. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Vitrification of Hanford Tank 241-AN-107 Waste and Equivalent Simulant
• Oshiro J.M., V. Gervasio, J. Crum, B.J. Riley, J. Reiser, M. Snyder, and D.R. Dixon, et al. 2024. "Glass Formulation and Lab-Scale Testing of Glasses Designed for In-Can Melter and In-Container Vitrification of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium Aqueous Polishing Raffinate Waste." Journal of Nuclear Materials 597, no. _:Art. No. 155102. PNNL-SA-193734. doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155102

2023

• Dixon D.R., J.B. Lang, M.A. Hall, R.K. Brown, D.A. Cutforth, W.C. Eaton, and J. Marcial, et al. 2023. Vitrification of Hanford Tank 241-AP-105 Waste at 7 M Na and Equivalent Simulant. PNNL-34766. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Vitrification of Hanford Tank 241-AP-105 Waste at 7 M Na and Equivalent Simulant
• Rigby J., D.R. Dixon, J. Klouzek, R. Pokorny, P.J. Thompson, A. Scrimshire, and A.A. Kruger, et al. 2023. "Alternative reductants for foam control during vitrification of high-iron High Level Waste (HLW) feeds." Journal of Non-crystalline Solids 608. PNNL-SA-178033. doi:10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2023.122240
• Skerratt-Love K.L., J.L. George, A. Bell, F. Sweeney, D.A. Cutforth, C.E. Lonergan, and D.R. Dixon, et al. 2023. "The effects of phosphorus pentoxide additions on the thermal, rheological and structural properties of sodium borosilicate glass." Journal of Non-crystalline Solids 600. PNNL-SA-170708. doi:10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2022.121999

2022

• Dixon D.R., M.A. Hall, J.B. Lang, D.A. Cutforth, C.M. Stewart, and W.C. Eaton, et al. 2022. "Retention analysis from vitrified low-activity waste and simulants in a laboratory-scale melter. " Ceramics International 48. PNNL-SA- 162455. doi:10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.08.102.
• Dixon D.R., A.M. Westesen, M.A. Hall, C.M. Stewart, J.B. Lang, D.A. Cutforth, and W.C. Eaton, et al. 2022. Vitrification of Hanford Tank Wastes for Condensate Recycle and Feed Composition Changeover Testing. PNNL-32344 Rev 1. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Vitrification of Hanford Tank Wastes for Condensate Recycle and Feed Composition Changeover Testing
• Dixon D.R., J.B. Lang, M.A. Hall, C.M. Stewart, D.A. Cutforth, W.C. Eaton, and J. Marcial, et al. 2022. Vitrification of Hanford Tank 241-AP-101 Waste and Simulant. PNNL-33600. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Vitrification of Hanford Tank 241-AP-101 Waste and Simulant
• Rigby J.C., D.R. Dixon, D.A. Cutforth, J. Marcial, J. Klouzek, J. Klouzek, and R. Pokorny, et al. 2022. "Melting behaviour of simulated radioactive waste as functions of different redox iron-bearing raw materials." Journal of Nuclear Materials 569. PNNL-SA-169343. doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153946

2021

• Lee S., D.A. Cutforth, D. Mar, J. Klouzek, J. Klouzek, P. Ferkl, and D.R. Dixon, et al. 2021. "Melting rate correlation with batch properties and melter operating conditions during conversion of nuclear waste melter feeds to glasses." International Journal of Applied Glass Science 12, no. 3:398-414. PNNL-SA-155022. doi:10.1111/ijag.15911

2020

• Dixon D.R., D. Kim, M.J. Schweiger, C.M. Fischer, C.D. Lukins, and P.R. Hrma. 2020. "Off-Gas Rhenium Capture and Recovery in a Laboratory-Scale Melter." Nuclear Engineering and Design 367. PNNL-SA-148887. doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2020.110782

2019

• Appel C.J., J. Klouzek, J. Klouzek, N. Jani, S. Lee, D.R. Dixon, and P.R. Hrma, et al. 2019. "Effect of sucrose on foaming and melting behavior of a low-activity waste melter feed." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 102, no. 12:10.1111/jace.16675. PNNL-SA-143422. doi:10.1111/jace.16675

2018

• Jin T., J. Chun, D.R. Dixon, D. Kim, J.V. Crum, C.C. Bonham, and B.J. Vanderveer, et al. 2018. "Melter Feed Viscosity during Conversion to Glass: Comparison between Low-Activity Waste and High-Level Waste Feeds." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 101, no. 5:1880-1891. PNNL-SA-127329. doi:10.1111/jace.15352

2017

• Dixon D.R., D.A. Cutforth, B.J. Vanderveer, M.J. Schweiger, and P.R. Hrma. 2017. "Effect of Silica Particle Size of Nuclear Waste-to-Glass Conversion - 17319." In Proceedings of the 34rd Annual Waste Management Conference (WM 2017): Education & Opportunity in Waste Management, March 5-9, 2017, Phoenix, Arizona, 4, 2734-2745. Tempe, Arizona:Waste Management Symposia, Inc. PNNL-SA-122292.
• Hujova M., R. Pokorny, J. Klouzek, D.R. Dixon, D.A. Cutforth, S. Lee, and B.P. McCarthy, et al. 2017. "Determination of Heat Conductivity of Waste Glass Feed and its Applicability for Modeling the Batch-to-Glass Conversion." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 100, no. 11:5096-5106. PNNL-SA-127403. doi:10.1111/jace.15052
• Lee S., P.R. Hrma, R. Pokorny, J. Klouzek, B.J. Vanderveer, D.R. Dixon, and S.A. Luksic, et al. 2017. "Effect of melter feed foaming on heat flux to the cold cap." Journal of Nuclear Materials 496. PNNL-SA-124642. doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.09.016

2016

• Dixon D.R., M.J. Schweiger, S. Lee, J.S. Heilman-Moore, and P.R. Hrma. 2016. "Effect of Feed Composition on Cold-Cap Formation in Laboratory-Scale Melter." In Annual Waste Management Symposium (WM2016), March 6-10, 2016, Phoenix, Arizona, 2, 1384-1391; Paper No. 16336. Tempe, Arizona:Waste Management Symposia, Inc. PNNL-SA-114378.

2015

• Dixon D.R., M.J. Schweiger, B.J. Riley, R. Pokorny, and P.R. Hrma. 2015. "Cold-Cap Temperature Profile Comparison between the Laboratory and Mathematical Model." In Annual Waste Management Symposium (WM 2015), March 15-19, 2015, Phoenix, Arizona, 2, 1553-1566. Tucson, Arizona:Waste Management Symposia, Inc. PNNL-SA-106678.
• Dixon D.R., M.J. Schweiger, B.J. Riley, R. Pokorny, and P.R. Hrma. 2015. "Temperature Distribution within a Cold Cap during Nuclear Waste Vitrification." Environmental Science & Technology 49, no. 14:8856-8863. PNNL-SA-108118. doi:10.1021/acs.est.5b00931

2014

• Dixon D.R., M.J. Schweiger, and P.R. Hrma. 2014. "Characterizing a High-Level Waste Cold Cap via Elemental and Structural Configuration." In Waste Management Symposia (WM 2014), March 2-6, 2014, Phoenix, Arizona. Tucson, Arizona:WM Symposia, Inc. PNNL-SA-99526.
• Riley B.J., M.J. Schweiger, D. Kim, W.W. Lukens, B.D. Williams, C. Iovin, and C.P. Rodriguez, et al. 2014. "Iodine Solubility in Low-Activity Waste Borosilicate Glass at 1000 °C." Journal of Nuclear Materials 452, no. 1-3:178-188. PNNL-SA-100866. doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.04.027

2013

• Dixon D.R., M.J. Schweiger, and P.R. Hrma. 2013. "Effect of Feeding Rate on the Cold Cap Configuration in a Laboratory-Scale Melter." In WM Symposia 2013: International Collaboration and Continuous Improvement, February 24-28, 2013, Phoenix Arizona, Paper No. 13362. Tucson, Arizona:WM Symposia. PNNL-SA-91996.