Concentrate treatment system

A process for treating a liquid or aqueous wastestream consisting of at least one of a group of wastes consisting of radioactive concentrate fluid, historic waste and other forms of environmental or hazardous waste or radwaste;

• and converting the wastestream into at least one of two selected forms consisting of a form which is evaporated to a solidified form which can be safely discharged to an industrial or plant facility and an aqueous form which can be safely discharged to the environment;
• said process comprising the steps, designated as Roman numerals:
• I, II, III, IV and V, of:
• (I) oxidizing the wastestream via addition of an oxidant to the wastestream such that any existing chelant material, or substance contained in the wastestream is rendered non-effective as a chelant of metals or destroyed, and the wastestream is rendered subject to, or permissive of, precipitation of cobalt and other metals and release of isotopes for removal or ion exchange;
• (II) mixing the wastestream with at least one target Sorbent material such that isotopes are removed from the wastestream;
• (III) separating the wastestream into Solid and Liquid components;
• (IV) treating the wastestream by Selective Ion exchange (IX), and
• (V) final processing, wherein at least one step is chosen from a group consisting of:
• (Va) discharging the wastestream in said aqueous form, and
• (Vb) drying of a resulting wastestream having dissolved solids to Dry Solids, as said solidified form;
• wherein, step (I) is an Oxidation or Ozone Oxidation step, further comprising the substeps of:
• communicating the wastestream from a stored location through a first hydrocyclone, whereat a solids partition of the wastestream is conveyed to a solids collection tank, and a remaining part of the wastestream is conveyed to a recycle oxidation vessel for processing therein,
• conveying the wastestream after processing in the recycle oxidation vessel to a pH and temperature measurement area and ORP measurement station, and
• transferring at least part of the wastestream to a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger communicating with an eductor supply feed and an ozone eductor and mixing equipment through which the wastestream is communicated to an oxidation return line back in recycle to the recycle oxidation vessel, said oxidation return line further communicating with and being contemporaneously served by a chemical injector;
• wherein, step (II) is a Sorption or Powder Sorbent isotope removal step, further comprising the substeps of:
• marshaling at least a part of the remaining wastestream not being transferred to the heat exchanger, and transferring the remaining wastestream to a sorbent treatment area,
• selecting at least one sorbent substance to remove at least one subject target element or isotope forming a part of the wastestream transferred lo the sorbent treatment area, adding the at least one sorbent substance selected to the sorbent treatment area and mixing it therewithin. and coordinating at least one further substep selected from a group comprising repeating the selecting at least one sorbent substance until sufficient time has passed to absorb the target element or isotope forming a part of the wastestream, and recycling the wastestream transferred to the sorbent treatment area until sufficient time has passed to absorb the target element or isotope forming a part of the wastestream, wherein said at least one sorbent substance is selected from a group consisting of powdered, granular, or liquid ionic flocculent and other forms of sorbents;
• communicating the wastestream from the sorbent treatment area to a second hydrocyclone, wherein at least a portion of the wastestream is separated out to a solid material and wherein, between the sorbent treatment area and the second hydrocyclone communicating a first recycle line to the sorbent treatment area, when selected, of a portion of the wastestream chosen not to pass through the second hydrocyclone,
• transferring the solid material from the second hydrocyclone to the solids collection tank, and transferring the remaining wastestream from the second hydrocyclone to a filter unit, and wherein, between the second hydrocyclone and the filter unit communicating a second recycle line to the sorbent treatment area, when selected, of a portion of the wastestream chosen not to pass through the filter unit.

A process for treating a liquid or aqueous wastestream when internally enclosed within a treatment environment, the wastestream consisting of at least one of a group of wastes consisting of radioactive concentrate fluid, historic waste and other forms of environmental or hazardous waste or radwaste;

• and converting the wastestream into at least one of two selected forms including a form which is evaporated to a solidified form which can be safely discharged to an industrial or plant facility, and an aqueous form which can be safely discharged to the environment, said process comprising the steps of:
• (I) oxidizing the wastestream through a factor of pH adjustment such that any existing chelant material, or substance thereof, is rendered non-effective as a chelant of metals or destroyed, whereby pH is lowered and rendered unchanging and CO2 is produced, and the wastestream is rendered subject to or permissive of, by virtue of the absence of binding chelant, precipitation of cobalt and other metals and release of isotopes for removal or ion exchange;
• (II) mixing the wastestream with at least one target Sorbent material such that isotopes are removed from the wastestream;
• (III) separating the wastestream into Solid or Liquid components;
• (IV) treating the wastestream by Selective Ion exchange (IX);
• and
• (V) final processing, wherein at least one step is chosen from a group consisting of:
• (Va) discharging the wastestream in said aqueous form, and
• (Vb) drying of a resulting wastestream having dissolved solids to Dry Solids, as said solidified form;
• wherein, step (I) is an Oxidation or Ozone Oxidation step, further comprising the substeps of:
• communicating the wastestream from a stored location through a first hydrocyclone, whereat a solids partition of the wastestream is conveyed to a solids collection tank, and a remaining part of the wastestream is conveyed to a recycle oxidation vessel for processing therein,
• conveying the wastestream after processing in the recycle oxidation vessel to a pH and temperature measurement area and ORP measurement station, and
• transferring at least part of the wastestream to a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger communicating with an eductor supply feed and an ozone eductor and mixing equipment through with the wastestream is communicated to an oxidation return line back in recycle to the recycle oxidation vessel, said oxidation return line further communicating with and being contemporaneously served by a chemical injector;
• wherein, step (II) is a Sorption or Powder Sorbent isotope removal step, further comprising the substeps of:
• marshaling at least a part of the remaining wastestream not being transferred to the heat exchanger, and transferring the remaining wastestream to a sorbent treatment area,
• selecting at least one sorbent substance to remove at least one subject target element or isotope forming a part of the wastestream transferred to the sorbent treatment area, adding the at least one sorbent substance selected to the sorbent treatment area and mixing it therewithin, and coordinating at least one further substep selected from a group comprising repeating the selecting at least one sorbent substance until sufficient time has passed to absorb the target element or isotope forming a part of the wastestream, and recycling the wastestream transferred to the sorbent treatment until sufficient time has passed to absorb the target element or isotope forming a part of the wastestream, wherein said at least one sorbent substance is selected from a group consisting of powdered, granular, or liquid ionic flocculent and other forms of sorbents;
• communicating the wastestream from the sorbent treatment area to a second hydrocyclone, wherein at least a portion of the wastestream is separated out to a solid material, and wherein, between the sorbent Treatment area and the second hydrocyclone communicating a first recycle line to the sorbent treatment area, when selected, of a portion of the wastestream chosen not to pass through the second hydrocyclone,
• transferring the solid material from the second hydrocyclone to the solids collection tank, and transferring the remaining wastestream from the second hydrocyclone to a filter unit, and wherein, between the second hydrocyclone and the filter unit communicating a second recycle line to the sorbent treatment area, when selected, of a portion of the wastestream chosen not to pass through the filter unit.

A process for treating a liquid or aqueous wastestream comprising at least one of a group of wastes consisting of radioactive concentrate fluid, historic waste and other forms of environmental or hazardous waste or radwaste product from a nuclear facility;

• inherently containing when present, without specific addition, chelant and organics;
• and
• converting the wastestream into at least one of two selected forms including a form which is a solidified form for safe disposal and an aqueous form which can be safely discharged to the environment, the process comprising the steps designated as Roman numerals:
• I, II, III, IV and V, of:
• (I) ozone oxidizing the wastestream through temperature mediated ozonation in a temperature range of from about 55 degrees F., or about 12.7 degrees C., to about less than or equal to about 65 degrees F., or about 18.3 degrees C., such that any existing chelant chemical compound or organic substance contained in the wastestream is rendered non-effective as a chelant of metals or destroyed thereby releasing the metals into ionic form for treatment in the process with the steps II, III, IV and V:
• (II) mixing the wastestream with at least one target Sorbent material such that isotopes are removed from the wastestream;
• (III) separating the wastestream into Solid and Liquid components;
• (IV) treating the wastestream by Selective Ion exchange (IX);
• and
• (V) final processing, wherein at least one step is chosen from a group consisting of:
• (Va) discharging the wastestream in said aqueous form, and
• (Vb) drying of a resulting wastestream having dissolved solids to Dry Solids, as said solidified form;
• and
• wherein at least one substep is chosen from a group, when the wastestream contains C-14, consisting of:
• in step (II), further comprising adding as a part of the mixing at least one substance selected from a group of substances consisting of a) CaCl2, b) Ca(NO3)2 and c) other soluble calcium salts,
• prior to step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated at a vacuum up to about 28 in. Hg., and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (II),
• after step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated at a vacuum up to about 28 in. Hg,;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (II),
• prior to step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated through a degassifier with vacuum;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (I),
• after step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated through a degassifier with vacuum;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert to a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (II),
• just prior to the final processing step (V), placing the resulting wastestream in a monitoring tank where the wastestream can be analyzed for isotopic content, and
• in the drying step (Vb) the wastestream is brought to a temperature range of greater than or equal to about 100 degrees C. to a temperature of less than or equal to about 240 degrees C.;
• and
• wherein, chelant and organics when present, being one or more of a group consisting of EDTA, citric acid, LOMI solution, and other chelants.

A process for treating a liquid or aqueous wastestream, when internally enclosed within a treatment environment substantially eliminating foam generated during processing, the wastestream consisting of at least one of a group of wastes consisting of radioactive concentrate fluid, historic waste and other forms of environmental or hazardous waste or radwaste product from a nuclear facility;

• inherently containing, without specific addition to said process, chelant and organics;
• and converting the wastestream into at least one of two selected forms including a form which is evaporated to a solidified form which can be safely discharged to an industry or plant facility, and an aqueous form which can be safely discharged to the environment, said process comprising the steps of:
• (I) ozone oxidizing the wastestream through a factor of pH adjustment and temperature mediated ozonation such that any existing said chelant and organics thereof are rendered non-effective as a chelant of metals or destroyed, whereby pH of the wastestream is lowered and rendered unchanging and CO2 is produced, and the wastestream is rendered subject to or permissive of, by virtue of the absence of any existing binding chelant, treatment by the following steps (II), (III), (IV) and (V);
• a temperature range of the ozone oxidizing being in a range of from about 55 degrees F. or about 13 degrees C. to less than or equal to about 80 degrees F. or about 27 degrees C.;
• (II) mixing the wastestream with at least one target Sorbent material such that isotopes are removed from the wastestream;
• (III) separating the wastestream into Solid and Liquid components;
• (IV) treating the wastestream by Selective Ion exchange (IX);
• and
• (V) final processing, wherein at least one step is chosen from group consisting of:
• (Va) discharging the wastestream in said aqueous form, and
• (Vb) drying of a resulting wastestream having dissolved solids to Dry Solids, as said solidified form;
• wherein at least one substep is chosen from a group, when the wastestream contains C-14, consisting of:
• the process being subject to control through eliminating foam generated during processing;
• and, wherein, further including adding an anti-foaming agent to a recycle oxidation vessel in step (I),
• in step (II), further comprising adding as a part of the mixing at least one substance selected from a group of substances consisting of a) CaCl2, b) Ca(NO3)2 and c) other soluble calcium salts,
• prior to step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated at a vacuum up to about 28 in. Hg., and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (I),
• after step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated at a vacuum up to about 28 in. Hg.;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (II),
• prior to step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated through a degassifier with vacuum;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (I),
• after step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated through a degassifier with vacuum;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (II),
• just prior to the final processing step (V), placing the resulting wastestream in a monitor tank where the wastestream can be analyzed for isotopic content, and in the drying step (Vb) the wastestream being brought to a temperature range of greater than or equal to about 100 degrees C. to a temperature of less than or equal to about 240 degrees C.

A process for treating a liquid or aqueous wastestream, the wastestream comprising at least one of a group of wastes consisting of radioactive concentrate fluid, historic waste and other forms of environmental or hazardous waste or radwaste product from a nuclear facility;

• inherently containing when present, without specific addition to said process, chelant and organics;
• and converting the wastestream into at least one of two selected forms including a form which is evaporated to a solidified form which can be safely discharged to an industrial or plant facility, and an aqueous form which can be safely discharged to the environment, said process comprising the steps of:
• (I) ozone oxidizing the wastestream using a recycle oxidation vessel having incoming and outgoing lines and a recirculation loop, through a factor of pH adjustment and temperature mediated ozonation such that any existing said chelant and organics thereof, are rendered non-effective as a chelant of metals or destroyed, whereby pH is lowered and rendered unchanging and a CO2 gas is produced, and the wastestream is rendered subject to or permissive of, by virtue of an absence of binding chelant, treatment of cobalt and other metals isotopes by following steps (II), (III), (IV) and (V), a temperature range of the ozone oxidizing being m a range of from about 55 degrees F. to less than or equal to about 80 degrees F.;
• (II) mixing the wastestream with at least one target Sorbent material such that isotopes are removed from the wastestream;
• (III) separating the wastestream into Solid and Liquid components;
• (IV) treating the wastestream by Selective Ion exchange (IX);
• and
• (V) final processing, wherein at least one step is chosen from group consisting of:
• (Va) discharging the wastestream in said aqueous form, and
• (Vb) drying of a resulting wastestream having dissolved solids to Dry Solids, as said solidified form, the drying being done in an environment where the pH is from about 12 to about 13;
• and
• wherein at least one substep is chosen from a group, when the wastestream contains C-14, consisting of:
• an antifoaming agent being used for decreasing a presence of a foam volume in the presence of, and generated by, a gas during the use of the loop for recirculation of the recycle oxidation vessel, the process being subject to control through eliminating foam generated during processing;
• and, wherein, further including adding an anti-foaming agent to the recycle oxidation vessel in step (I),
• in step (II), further comprising adding as a part of the mixing at least one substance selected from a group of substances consisting of a) CaCl2, b) Ca(NO3)2 and c) other soluble calcium salts,
• prior to step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated at a vacuum up to about 28 in. Hg., and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (I),
• after step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated at a vacuum up to about 28 in. Hg.;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (II),
• prior to step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated through a degassifier with vacuum;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (I),
• after step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated through a degassifier with vacuum;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in the following step (II), just prior to the final processing step (V), placing the resulting wastestream in a monitor tank where the wastestream can be analyzed for isotopic content, and
• in the drying step (Vb) the wastestream being brought to a temperature range of greater than or equal to about 100 degrees C. to a temperature of less than or equal to about 240 degrees C.

A process for treating a liquid or aqueous wastestream comprising at least one of a group of wastes consisting of radioactive concentrate fluid, historic waste and other forms of environmental or hazardous waste or radwaste product from a nuclear facility;

• inherently containing when present, without specific addition, chelant and organics;
• and converting the wastestream into at least one of two selected forms including a form which is a solidified form for disposal and an aqueous form which can be safely discharged to the environment, the process comprising the steps of:
• (I) ozone oxidizing the wastestream where a temperature is maintained through adjustment in a range of from about 20 degrees C. to about 25 degrees C., a pH is maintained through adjustment in a range of from about 11 to about 12, and, wherein, an ORP in a range of from about +500 mV to about +1000 mV indicates that chelant oxidation processing and chelant destruction is occurring, and wherein the ozone oxidizing is adjusted through treatment with anti-foaming substances;
• such that any existing chelant chemical compound or organic substance contained in the wastestream is rendered non-effective as a chelant of metals or destroyed thereby releasing the metals into ionic form for treatment as follows,
• (II) mixing the wastestream with at least one target Sorbent material such that isotopes are removed from the wastestream;
• (III) separating the wastestream into Solid and Liquid components;
• and
• (IV) final processing, wherein at least one step is chosen from a group consisting of:
• (IVa) discharging the wastestream in said aqueous form, and
• (IVb) drying of a resulting wastestream having dissolved solids to Dry Solids, as said solidified form;
• and
• wherein at least one substep is chosen from a group, when the wastestream contains C-14, consisting of:
• in step (II), further comprising adding as a part of the mixing at least one substance selected from a group of substances consisting of a) CaCl2, b) Ca(NO3)2 and c) other soluble calcium salts,
• prior to step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated at a vacuum up to about 28 in. Hg., and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (I),
• after step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated at a vacuum up to about 28 in. Hg.;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in the following step (II),
• prior to step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated through a degassifier with vacuum;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (I),
• after step (I), lowering the pH of the wastestream to a pH range of about 5 to about 7, and rendering a wastestream processing environment such that it can be evacuated through a degassifier with vacuum;
• and returning the pH to a level to reconvert a boric acid volume in the wastestream to a sodium borate volume, so that any dissolved boric acid/sodium borate is not removed in step (II),
• just prior to the final processing step (IV), placing the resulting wastestream in a monitor tank where the wastestream can be analyzed for isotopic content, and
• in the drying step (IVb) the wastestream being brought to a temperature range of greater than or equal to about 100 degrees C. to a temperature of less than or equal to about 240 degrees C.