Ispectrum Magazine Ispectrum Magazine #14 | Page 29

V crystalline matrix, the amorphous one very often sustains unexplained reversing to aging results. The only ongoing experiment for assessing the aging of amorphous glass for HLW vitrification is underway in China and is currently in its 16th year of testing. itrification of radioactive high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in boron silicate glass is the primary technology used for encapsulating radioactive HLW. However, the model assumes certain critical assumptions for containment. A major assumption is that amorphous glass can stably sustain radioactive HLW with no significant degradation over time or release of radioactive materials. A key assumption for containment is based on the existence of ancient archeological glass artifacts and computer models for the boron silicate glass. H o w e v e r, the technical modelling assumptions to support computer simulation are based on some incomplete or ungrounded assumptions. The limited laboratory tests for glass aging (i.e. repeated heating and cooling) ignores the important point that, contrary to The glass vitrification process is based on forming glass boron silicate in an amorphous composition at a melting temperature of around 650 degrees. At such a temperature range, the glass matrix prevents evaporation of the selected radioisotopes (e.g. Cesium). The next step is to mix the melted amorphous boron silicate glass with solidified highly radioactive HLW in proportions of around 63% to 67% glass and 33% to 37% solid radioactive HLW material (some mixing issues remain unresolved). The hot 28