Re: Compactors for radioactive waste

["Dale E. Boyce" <dale@radpro.uchicago.edu>]

Roger Granlund from Penn State gave a talk a couple of years
ago at the Big Ten RSO's meeting.  They were using a drum heater to
soften carboys.  As I remember they were getting a large volume
reduction by just melting the carboys until they sagged.
I believe they had to insulate the drum and were using heat
lamps to provide the heat.  Commercially manufactured drum
heaters are available that strap to the side of the drum.
A mix of laboratory plastics might not collapse completely
with heat.

It might make a mess if the temperatures were not right but
heating a drum before compacting might work.  Anyone want to
gamble fouling up their compactor?  You certainly wouldn't want
to fully melt the plastc if you were going to compact.  

Dale E. Boyce
dale@radpro.uchicago.edu