PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF SPINEL SETTLING IN HIGH- LEVEL WASTE GLASS

A two-dimensional unsteady mathematical model of particle settling in high-viscosity liquid is presented. To verify this model by laboratory experiments, the settling of monodisperse alumina particles in a model liquid was observed. The alumina particles had similar sizes as spinel crystals, the viscosity of the model liquid was close to that of a high-level waste glass, and the density difference between alumina and the model liquid was also close to the density difference between spinel and molten glass. The field equations of the mathematical model were solved for the initial and boundary conditions corresponding to the laboratory arrangement. The comparison of the mathematical description with laboratory experiments is the first step in the verification procedure of the model for spinel settling during high-level waste vitrification