The invention relates to a method for producing rock wool and cast iron by melting a mixture of materials such as basalt, blast-furnace slag, coke and components necessary for melting, with an admixture containing alumina, said admixture making it possible to adjust the alumina content in order to obtain a rock wool having the following composition (as wt %): Al2O3: 18-22; SiO2: 40-50; CaO: 10-15; MgO: <10; FeO: <2; Na2O: <4; K2O: <2. The method includes the following operations: producing by melting a slag and a cast iron, separating the slag and the cast iron, and performing a fibring operation on the slag followed by a bonding operation in order to obtain the rock wool. According to the invention, at least one spent adsorbent and/or catalyst is used as an admixture, said catalyst containing alumina in Al2O3 form. Said adsorbent and/or catalyst preferably contains at least one metal, and said metal is retrieved in the cast iron.

Microspheres comprising a plurality of hollow microspheres, each of the plurality of hollow microspheres comprising a plurality of glass walls, and a plurality of hollow spaces, wherein the plurality of glass walls enclosing at least one of the plurality of hollow spaces, wherein the plurality of glass walls comprising a second glass, wherein the second glass comprising a processed first glass melt, wherein the processed first glass melt comprising a melt of a batch and a plurality of redox active group components capable of providing at least one of a plurality of redox reactions and a plurality of events in the second glass.

The present invention relates to a process and a facility for the continuous vitrification treatment of fibrous materials, and in particular of asbestos and/or of asbestos-containing materials.

According to the invention, this process comprises the following steps: a bath of molten glass at a temperature of 1300° C. to 1600° C. is prepared; introduced into said bath of molten glass are said fibrous materials and optionally melting additives chosen so that said bath has, after addition of these fibrous materials and melting additives, the following composition: SiO.sub.2: between 30% and 55% by weight; FeO: between 25% and 45% by weight; alkali and alkaline-earth metal oxides: between 15% and 25% by weight; an oxidizer and a fuel are injected under pressure into said molten bath by means of at least one lance, one end of which is immersed in said bath; said oxidizer being introduced in a molar amount greater than or equal to the molar amount of fuel needed to maintain the temperature of the bath between 1300° C. and 1600° C.; and the temperature of at least one portion of the molten glass is lowered so as to render it solid.

A sealing system for isolating the environment inside a vitrification container from the outside environment comprises a vitrification container with a lid. The lid comprises two or more electrode seal assemblies through which two or more electrodes may be operatively positioned and extend down through the lid into the vitrification container. The electrodes may move axially up and down through the electrode seal assemblies or lock into place. The electrode seal assemblies each comprise a housing having two halves with recessed ring grooves. Sealing rings with a split may be placed into the grooves. Gas galleries may be machined or cast into the housing such that they are adjacent to the ring grooves. The gas galleries distribute gas onto the external faces of the sealing rings causing a change in pressure resulting in the sealing rings compressing onto the electrodes and forming a seal.

A for melting batch material includes a furnace equipped with a submerged burner, a system for supplying the submerged burner with fuel gas and with oxidizer, a system for supplying the furnace with raw material including fragments of mineral wool below the surface of the molten batch materials, a system for supplying the furnace with raw material including a vertical duct for receiving raw material through its upper side and for conveying this raw material downward toward the molten batch materials. The duct receives the combustion flue gases originating from the furnace and conveys them upward through the raw material in the duct. A system supports the solid raw material in the duct and is positioned above the surface of the molten batch material and retains the solid raw material in the duct and lets descending molten raw material pass through to fall into the molten batch material.

The present invention provides a method for synergistically vitrifying medium and low-level radioactive glass fibers and combustible solid nuclear waste incineration ashes. According to the chemical composition characteristics of incineration ashes of combustible solid wastes such as glass fibers, cotton, plastic, rubber and absorbent paper produced during the operation of nuclear facilities, the present invention takes the glass fibers as a glass matrix of combustible waste incineration ashes and minimizes the addition of an additive by a combination in different proportions through a synergistic treatment method. A vitrified form provided by the present invention meets the requirements of uniformity, density, impact resistance, chemical durability and the like of radioactive waste vitrified forms.

Embodiments disclosed herein include methods and systems for melting or augmenting a melt rate of material in a melter using electromagnetic radiation with a frequency between 0.9 GHz and 10 GHz. In some examples, a power and/or frequency of radiation used may be selected so as to control a temperature of a cold cap in the melter while maintaining emissions from the melter below a threshold level. In this manner, examples described herein may provide for efficient and safe melting and vitrification of radioactive wastes.

The invention relates to a smoothing tool (3) configured for smoothing glass frit in a radioactive environment, in an induction-melting cold crucible. Smoothing tool (3) comprising a rod (30), a grid (50) configured to be in contact with glass frit (7) to be smoothed, and at least one vibrator (37, 55, 56) configured to make the grid (50) vibrate. The grid (50) is mechanically connected to the rod (30).

Various embodiments of the present disclosure can include at least one of a method, apparatus and system for the efficient melting of a feedstock to at least one of a molten and vitrified state to be used in a manufacturing system comprised of: a melter to which the feedstock is provided; and a heat recovery system configured to capture exhaust waste heat produced by the melter, wherein the heat recovery system transfers an energy recovered from the exhaust waste heat to pre-heat the feedstock provided to the melter.

Methods and systems for melting or augmenting a melt rate of material in a melter using electromagnetic radiation with a frequency between 0.9 GHz and 10 GHz. In some examples, a power and/or frequency of radiation used may be selected so as to control a temperature of a cold cap in the melter while maintaining emissions from the melter below a threshold level. In this manner, examples described herein may provide for efficient and safe melting and vitrification of radioactive wastes.