Method and apparatus for decontaminating substances contaminated with radioactivity

Abstract

A method and apparatus for decontaminating a substance contaminated with radioactivity, in particular, shot blasting grit contaminating with radioactivity. The method comprises: contaminated substance washing the substance to be decontaminated with chelate liquid; draining the chelate liquid; raising the temperature of the substance to a level not lower than the boiling point of a solvent by means of hot air; supplying the solvent to the substance and rapid by vaporizing the solvent; removing the remaining chelate fluid liquid by the force of the vaporization and draining and drying the substance. The apparatus comprises: a decontamination vessel rotatable in a main vessel which has a spray device, the decontamination vessel having a multitude of pores in its outer periphery; a solvent supply device communicating with the spray device and a solvent filtering device communicating with the main vessel, provided in a way to allow circulation of liquid; a purifying device for obtaining a rinse solvent; a chelate liquid supply device in communication with the spray device; a chelate liquid filtering device connected with the main vessel and communicating with the chelate supply device; an electrolytic processing device for regenerating the chelate liquid and communicating with the chelate liquid supply device; and a hot air supply device communicating with the main vessel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.