Process and apparatus for processing resins

An apparatus for separating a mixture of cation and anion exchange resins comprising:

• a) a separator column including a resin entry, a carrier fluid entry, an upper region and a lower region;
• b) means for introducing said resin mixture at said resin entry into said separator column;
• c) an outlet for removing separated cation resin at said lower region of said separator column;
• d) an outlet for removing separated anion resin at said upper region of said separator column,
• wherein a separation zone is located between the cation resin outlet and the anion resin outlet, and
• e) means for providing carrier fluid with at least essentially laminar flow upon entry into the separator column, wherein the separator column is such that said carrier fluid maintains said at least essentially laminar flow in the separation zone between the cation resin outlet and anion resin outlet of said separator column, and
• a cleaning module for cleaning the resins before introduction to the separator column.

An apparatus for separating a mixture of cation and anion exchange resins comprising:

• a) a separator column including a resin entry, a carrier fluid entry, an upper region and a lower region;
• b) means for introducing said resin mixture at said resin entry into said separator column;
• c) an outlet for removing separated cation resin at said lower region of said separator column;
• d) an outlet for removing separated anion resin at said upper region of said separator column,
• wherein a separation zone is located between the cation resin outlet and the anion resin outlet, and
• e) means for providing carrier fluid with at least essentially laminar flow upon entry into the separator column, wherein the separator column is such that said carrier fluid maintains said at least essentially laminar flow in the separation zone between the cation resin outlet and anion resin outlet of said separator column,
• wherein one or both of the cation and anion exchange resins are radioactive and the separator is designed so as not to have dead-zones which could entrap the radioactive resins.