Refractory wettability and surface tension of several nuclear waste glass simulants

This study evaluates the wetting behavior and surface tension of seven simulant nuclear waste glasses intended for production at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Sessile droplets of glass pellets heated up to ∼1000 °C on Monofrax® K-3 refractory and platinum substrates were imaged and analyzed to determine contact angles. Surface tension was calculated using computational thermodynamics and compared with published correlations, ranging from 237 to 340 mN/m. The results align with literature findings on surface tension of glass and provide valuable insights to augment our understanding of the vitrification process at the WTP. The data obtained are intended for use in computational fluid dynamics models to simulate refractory corrosion, which is a key factor in the degradation of furnace linings.