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US 11,114,211 B2Granted
Helical screw ion exchange and desiccation unit for nuclear water treatment systems
AssigneeVeolia Nuclear Solutions, Inc.
InventorsJoshua Mertz, Ja-Kael Luey, Wes Bratton, Kenneth Schofield
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, processes, and apparatuses for treating radioactive waste, through systems designed to bind and dry radioactive media. In some of its various embodiments, the system includes at least one helical screw designed to receive and mix liquid wastes with ion exchange media, as well as convey the resulting slurry through one or more of a binding, dewatering, and drying/off-gassing region.
Claims16
An ion exchange media conveyance system comprising:
- an inclined housing including:
- a first end;
- a second end elevated relative to the first end, wherein the inclined housing is adjustable to change how elevated the second end is relative to the first end;
- a central shaft extending from the first end to the second end;
- a helical screw disposed in the inclined housing and rotatable about the central shaft, at least a portion of the helical screw including a ribbon screw;
- an ion exchange media inlet passage disposed in the housing nearer the first end than the second end, the ion exchange media inlet configured to introduce ion exchange media into the inclined housing;
- a water inlet passage disposed in the housing nearer the second end than the first end, the water inlet passage configured to introduce water into the inclined housing to form a slurry with the ion exchange media;
- an ion exchange media outlet passage defined in the housing nearer the second end than the water inlet passage, the ion exchange media outlet passage configured to discharge the ion exchange media from the inclined housing;
- a water outlet passage defined in the housing nearer the first end than the second end, the water outlet passage configured to discharge the water from the inclined housing;
- and
- a water recirculation line fluidly coupled to the water inlet passage and the water outlet passage, the water passing through the water recirculation line in a non-productive balancing mode, the balancing mode including the inclined housing placed in a balancing mode inclination and the helical screw rotating about the central shaft at a balancing mode speed and wherein the balancing mode inclination and the balancing mode speed cause the ion exchange media to tumble toward the first end of the inclined housing such that no ion exchange media is discharged via the ion exchange media outlet passage.
8 more elements
An ion exchange media conveyance system comprising:
- an inclined housing including:
- a first end;
- a second end elevated relative to the first end wherein the inclined housing is adjustable to change how elevated the second end is relative to the first end;
- a central shaft extending from the first end to the second end;
- a helical screw disposed in the inclined housing and rotatable about the central shaft, at least a portion of the helical screw including a ribbon screw;
- an ion exchange media inlet passage disposed in the housing nearer the first end than the second end, the ion exchange media inlet configured to introduce ion exchange media into the inclined housing;
- a water inlet passage disposed in the housing nearer the second end than the first end, the water inlet passage configured to introduce water into the inclined housing to form a slurry with the ion exchange media;
- an ion exchange media outlet passage defined in the housing nearer the second end than the water inlet passage, the ion exchange media outlet passage configured to discharge the ion exchange media from the inclined housing;
- a water outlet passage defined in the housing nearer the first end than the second end, the water outlet passage configured to discharge the water from the inclined housing;
- a water recirculation line fluidly coupled to the water inlet passage and the water outlet passage, the water passing through the water recirculation line in a non-productive balancing mode, the balancing mode including the inclined housing placed in a balancing mode inclination and the helical screw rotating about the central shaft at a balancing mode speed and wherein the balancing mode inclination and the balancing mode speed cause the ion exchange media to tumble toward the first end of the inclined housing such that no ion exchange media is discharged via the ion exchange media outlet passage;
- and
- a water quality sampling unit for monitoring water quality of water exiting the water outlet passage, wherein monitored water exiting the water outlet passage may be recycled to the ion exchange media conveyance system.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.