US 5,745,861 A · Method for treating mixed radioactive waste

Abstract

Mixed radioactive wastes, such as those that include a radioactive component and a dissolved salt component, are treated by directing the waste through at least one ion-exchange medium that binds at least a portion of the radioactive component. A liquid discharge stream from which the radioactive component has been separated, and which includes the dissolved salt component, is directed into a molten bath that causes at least a portion of at least one dissolved salt component of the liquid discharge stream to be reductively vaporized and thereby form at least one vaporized product. A gaseous discharge stream is generated by the molten bath that includes at least one vaporized product. In one specific embodiment, the mixed radioactive waste includes radioactive cesium as the radioactive component and sodium nitrate as the dissolved salt component.

Claims53

Dependent claims

A method for treating a mixed radioactive waste that includes a radioactive component and a dissolved salt component, comprising the steps of:

a) directing the waste through at least one ion-exchange medium that binds at least a portion of the radioactive component, thereby forming a liquid discharge stream that includes the dissolved salt component;
and
b) directing said liquid discharge stream into a molten bath that causes at least a portion of at least one dissolved salt component of the liquid discharge stream to be reductively vaporized and thereby form a gaseous discharge stream that includes at least one vaporized product.

A method for treating a radioactive waste that includes a radioactive component, a metal component, and a dissolved salt component, comprising the steps of:

a) settling the radioactive waste to form a supernate layer that includes the radioactive component and the dissolved salt component, and a sludge layer that includes the heavy metal component;
b) directing the supernate layer through at least one ion-exchange medium that binds at least a portion of the radioactive component, thereby form a liquid discharge stream that includes the dissolved salt component;
c) directing said liquid discharge stream into a first molten bath, said first molten bath causing at least a portion of at least one dissolved salt component of the liquid discharge stream to dissociate and form at least one dissociation product, whereby a gaseous discharge stream is formed that includes at least one said dissociation product;
and
d) directing said sludge layer into a second molten bath, whereby at least a portion of the metal component vaporizes and is discharged from second molten bath.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for treating mixed radioactive waste

Life of this patent

Method for treating mixed radioactive waste

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims53