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US 9,437,336 B2Granted
Isotope-specific separation and vitrification using ion-specific media
AssigneeKurion, Inc.
InventorMark S. Denton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses, processes and methods for the separation, isolation, or removal of specific radioactive isotopes from liquid radioactive waste, these processes and methods employing isotope-specific media (ISM). In some embodiments, the processes and methods further include the vitrification of the separated isotopes, generally with the ISM; this isotope-specific vitrification (ISV) is often a step in a larger scheme of preparing the radioactive isotopes for long-term storage or other disposition. A variety of ISM are disclosed.
Claims21
A method for processing radioactive waste comprising:
- separating radioactive waste material into liquid waste with radioactive isotopes and solid waste;
- passing the liquid waste with radioactive isotopes through an inlet line of an ion exchange column through a dip tube oriented in a generally vertical direction within the ion exchange column, wherein the liquid waste is dispersed throughout the ion exchange column by a distribution ring attached to the dip tube and suspended within the ion exchange column in a generally horizontal orientation, wherein the distribution ring comprises a plurality of distribution holes that direct the liquid waste in a downward direction towards a bottom end of the ion exchange column, and wherein the dispersed liquid waste is pushed through media contained within the ion exchange column for capturing one or more of the radioactive isotopes from the liquid waste;
- pushing the liquid waste with a reduced amount of the radioactive isotopes out of the ion exchange column through an outlet line;
- and
- vitrifying the media and captured radioactive isotopes contained in the ion exchange column into a glass matrix wherein the dip tube and the distribution ring are both encased within the glass matrix.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.