Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Albert J Dietrich

Edward Jean Lahoda

David C Grant

Robert D Burack

Leland L Learn

Arthur W Ott

August J Friedrich

Soil comprising small soil particles, clay and silt particles, humus, fine vegetation, and contaminated with soluble or insoluble radioactive species is treated by first introducing an aqueous extracting solution comprising a mixture of sodium and potassium carbonate (or bicarbonate), or ammonium carbonate (or bicarbonate) into the soil to solubilize and disperse the radioactive species into solution. The extracting solution has a pH greater than or equal to about 7.5. Contaminated fine vegetation then is separated from the soil and extracting solution. Next, an acid like hydrochloric acid is introduced into the soil. The acid is added in an amount sufficient to lower the pH of the extracting solution at which point desirable organic material will substantially precipitate or coagulate from the extracting solution. The cleansed soil particles, including organic matter, is separated from the contaminated extracting solution. Radioactive species are then removed from the extracting solution, which then may be reused.

Method for remediating soil containing radioactive contaminants

A method for removing contaminated resin particles from soils. The method entrains the resin particles and fines from the soil, which, due to the difference in specific gravity between resin and soil particles, results in a significant disparity between particle size of the entrained resin and the entrained fines. This, in turn permits the fines to be screened from the resin and the larger soil particles, which have not been entrained, to settle out from the mixture.

Method for decontaminating soil containing resins

The invention comprises a method for conducting a decontamination solution into a nuclear steam generator for radioactively decontaminating the nuclear steam generator. The invention also comprises controlling the level of the decontamination solution in the heat exchange tubes of the nuclear steam generator in a manner to raise and lower, sequentially, the level of the decontamination solution in the tubes so as to replenish the decontamination solution in the tubes and to carry away the radioactive contaminates.

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North Huntingdon, PA, United States of America

Albert J Dietrich