Systems and methods for removing particulates of a fissile material

A method of removing particulates of a fissile material, comprising:

• filtering an effluent gas containing the particulates of the fissile material by flowing the effluent gas through a first filter and a second filter of a system, the system including a conduit structure, the first filter, a first valve, the second filter, a second valve, a third valve, a fourth valve, and a blowback assembly, the conduit structure including a lower section, an intermediate section, and an upper section, the lower section defining an inlet flow path and a chute portion, the inlet flow path configured to receive the effluent gas containing the particulates of the fissile material, the chute portion configured to collect the particulates of the fissile material from the effluent gas, the intermediate section defining a first filtration path and a second filtration path, the upper section defining an outlet flow path, the first filter and the first valve disposed in the first filtration path of the conduit structure, the second filter and the second valve disposed in the second filtration path of the conduit structure, the first valve and the second valve configured to switch between a dual open state and a mixed open/closed state when filtering the particulates of the fissile material from the effluent gas, the first valve and the second valve being open during the dual open state to permit concurrent flows of the effluent gas through the first filtration path and the second filtration path, the third valve disposed in the first filtration path of the conduit structure and below the first filter, the fourth valve disposed in the second filtration path of the conduit structure and below the second filter, the third valve and the fourth valve configured to preclude any forward flow to the first filter and the second filter, respectively, when in a closed state, the third valve and the fourth valve being above the inlet flow path, the third valve and the fourth valve being adjacent to a lower most portion of the first filter and the second filter, respectively;
• alternately performing a blowback on the first filter and the second filter with the blowback assembly such that the blowback and the filtering do not occur simultaneously on a same one of the first filter and the second filter, the blowback assembly configured to supply a countercurrent flow of an inert gas as a purging gas to a closed one of the first filtration path and the second filtration path during the mixed open/closed state, one of the first valve and the second valve being open during the mixed open/closed state while the other of the first valve and the second valve being closed to permit the particulates of the fissile material on a corresponding one of the first filter and the second filter to be dislodged by the countercurrent flow of the purging gas;
• and
• collecting the particulates of the fissile material displaced during the blowback.