Waste Technology Process Engineering and Safety

The FAI Waste Technology mission is to provide technical bases and programmatic guidance for nuclear, chemical, and defense waste storage, processing and disposal, and facility decontamination & decommissioning (D&D). We create physically-based, best estimate analytical calculations, experimental results, and computer simulations for situations involving chemical reactions, heat and mass transfer, fire, explosion, and aerosol phenomena. We use literature, experimental data and our own laboratory results to guide our physical intuition, and seek graded-approach solutions using appropriate hand calculations and computer models.

Experimental Expertise

Chemical Reaction Rate Measurement

• Reaction, heatup, and pressurization rates, and explosive potential
• DIERS methodology for industrial application: Relief system design
• ChemiSens CPA202 - True Heat Flow Reaction Calorimeter
• Advanced Reactive System Screening Tool (ARSST)
• Vent Sizing Package 2 (VSP2)

Combustion & Aerosol Measurement

• Gas and vapor flammability limits
• Dust explosion & combined dust/gas
• Liquid pool burning ignition criteria
• Aerosol resuspension & entrainment
• Aerosol generation & PSD's

Analytical & Modeling Expertise

Facility Process & Safety Analysis

• FATE program for facility flow, heat transfer, and aerosol behavior:
  - HVAC and system responses
  - Fire and stratified-region analysis
  - Explosion and depressurization
• Facility applications/consequences:
  - Waste tank chemical reactions
  - Facility emissions and source terms for processes, accidents, and D&D
  - Fuel processing, shipping, and storage

Special Analysis Methods

• Aerosol generation, transport, deposition, and removal; Dose consequences
• CFAST, FDT, FATE, FRST for fires
• Chemical reaction propagation limits
• Chemical reaction rates, pressurization, radiolysis during waste storage
• Uranium metal/hydride pyrophoricity

For more information, please contact us.