PNNL

Abstract

An efficient waste-glass melter with a sustained, high-volume glass throughput will allow a smaller vitrification facility, a shorter lifecycle, and glass with a higher concentration of waste. The vitrification process of two feeds that exhibited different rates of conversion was studied using thermal analyses, including evolved gas analysis with volume-expansion monitoring. Quantitative X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were performed on quenched samples. The difference in the melting rates was attributed to different melt viscosities at the temperature at which the melt interfaces the cold cap. It was suggested that low viscosity destabilizes foam under the cold cap, thus enhancing the rate of melting.