Other

Diversified Technologies Services, Inc.

Avantech, Inc.

Dennis A Brunsell

Larry E Beets

Charles E Jensen

John M Ehle

Zahra K Brunsell

William M Henning

One aspect of the invention provides a system for treating wastestream, particularly a liquid or aqueous radwaste, for safe disposal and, in final processing, converting it into one or both forms including an aqueous form for safe discharge to the environment and a solidified form for safe disposal. Another aspect provides the capacity to employ a step where a specific target element strategy can be set up synchronizing sorbent substance choices and multiple recycle options to remove target substances from wastestream as a part of its Sorption or Powder Sorbent Isotopic Reduction step (II). Other steps cooperate with Sorption step (II) including Oxidation (I) to inactivate or destroy existing chelants, Solid-Liquid separation (III), and Selective Ion Exchange (IV) to deliver the wastestream to final processing. Still further aspects of the invention address the recovery and safe handling of substances such as C-14 (C); and also address treating wastestream and removingC and water of hydration and forming dry solids for disposal, recycle or other use, such as, for example, granular, pellet or powder waste formation or product; and related special drying means for bringing this about.

Concentrate treatment system

One aspect of the invention provides a system for treating wastestream, particularly a liquid or aqueous radwaste, for safe disposal and, in final processing, converting it into one or both forms including an aqueous form for safe discharge to the environment and a solidified form for safe disposal. Another aspect provides the capacity to employ a step where a specific target element strategy can be set up synchronizing sorbent substance choices and multiple recycle options to remove target substances from wastestream as a part of its Sorption or Powder Sorbent Isotopic Reduction step (II). Other steps cooperate with Sorption step (II) including Oxidation (I) to inactivate or destroy existing chelants, Solid-Liquid separation (III), and Selective Ion Exchange (IV) to deliver the wastestream to final processing. Still further aspects of the invention address the recovery and safe handling of substances such as C-14.

A high radioactivity filter system is disclosed. The invention utilizes within a container substructure a filter employing a combination of specially selected filtration and ion exchange media and a structural design of equipment for substantially or totally providing and/or rendering Class A waste forms and preventing the formation of Class B, C and GTCC waste forms. The invention also provides both ion exchange and filtration of liquid radioactive wastestreams.

High radioactivity filter

In one aspect the invention provides a system for treating a wastestream, particularly a radwaste, for safe disposal and, in final processing converting it into one or both forms including an aqueous form for safe discharge to the environment and a solidified form for safe disposal. In another aspect the invention provides the capacity to employ a step where a specific target element strategy can be set up synchronizing sorbent substance choices and multiple recycle options to remove target substances from wastestream as a part of its Sorption or Powder Sorbent Isotopic Reduction step (II). Other steps cooperate with Sorption step (II) including Oxidation (I), Solid-Liquid separation (III), and Selective Ion Exchange (IV) to deliver the wastestream to final processing.

A Method and Device for solidification of waste liquids and fluids is disclosed, which is particularly well suited to processing radioactive waste fluids. Set forth is a receiving unit or subassembly for housing solidification agent, and one or more manifold units or subassemblies positioned within the receiving unit for providing waste fluid. The subassemblies operate in relation to each other to provide, position and mix solidification agent or polymer with waste fluid so that a dirt-like polymerized waste product is produced and positioned in the container for removal or later safe shipment or storage. Mathematical relationships, in preferred embodiments or aspects are utilized in determining number and sizing of manifold openings, and pressure of waste to be provided, to meet the requirements of waste fluids to be transported through these openings into the receiving unit.

Method and device for evaporate/reverse osmosis concentrate and other liquid solidification

Environmentally protective Method of treating an aqueous radioactive fluid (AF) in a nuclear reactor cycle or radwaste system to selectively capture or remove radioactive isotopes in a reduced quantitative package to minimize radwaste generated and revitalize neutron absorption capacity of nuclear reactor coolant by separately carrying away boron constituents, when Bis later added. The method includes: demineralizing the (AF) by rough ion exchange and lowering the pH of salts, boron and non-radioactive substances so that the boron can later pass through an RO; polishing by reverse osmosis; dividing the (AF) into a permeate liquid volume and a reject liquid volume, each having certain characteristics; recycling the reject liquid volume back into demineralizing step for removing generally most of the radioactive isotopes to generate a demineralizer effluent; and conveying the permeate liquid volume to the outside ambient environmental release point for liquid effluents of the (AF); dividing the demineralizer effluent into a further permeate liquid volume and a further reject liquid volume having certain characteristics; and conveying the further permeate liquid volume to the outside ambient environmental release point of the invention.

Method of rendering a radioactive and aqueous heat transfer liquid in a nuclear reactor to a reduced radwaste quantitative state and returning the remaining waste water volumes to an environmental release point for liquid effluents

Method of maximizing resin utilization and optimizing reverse osmosis performance to polish an aqueous or radwaste fluid. The method provides resin scavenging of targeted isotopes and exposes filter media and resin to a higher influent activity concentration to enable higher waste loading and longer life of resin while protecting downstream reverse osmosis system from high concentration of contaminants. An aqueous waste feedstream is processed through steps of filtering, demineralizing, and reverse osmosis; and the feedstream is separated into permeate and reject streams for recycling and evaluation, respectively. The permeate stream is recycled in ways that permit it to return to a supply area for recycle reuse or discharge. One of the steps in the invention reduces concentration of undesirable constituents in the reject stream which may adversely affect waste classification for packaging, shipping and disposal and protect personnel from radiation exposure by reducing the overall dose rate of the processed reject stream and reverse osmosis system.

Method of utilizing ion exchange resin and reverse osmosis to reduce environmental discharges and improve effluent quality to permit recycle of aqueous or radwaste fluid

A method in treating aqueous feedstream in diverse plant site environments is disclosed for improving filter flux rates, cleaning filter media and prolonging useful operative life of media. In preferred embodiments the method is provided with steps for contacting, reacting, pressurizing and equalizing ozone and feedstream within a central area or multiple areas and sustaining high pressure throughout the system to achieve qualitatively and quantitatively improved permeate products, and reject for recycle. The method and system provide an improved cleaning and processing system characterized by an ozone-concentrated, homogeneous single phase liquid conversion of a generated ozone gas mixture and a feedstream source containing organic and inorganic pollutants. The method improves and monitors ozone oxidizing power and reflecting ORP values, and provides further media cleaning and improved oxidation reactions for attack on pollutants on each cycle/recycle operation.

Method in treating aqueous waste feedstream for improving the flux rates, cleaning and the useful life of filter media

A rotating filter apparatus (10) has a stack of porous filter disks (22) attached to a vertical, rotatable hollow shaft (24) and located within a chamber (32), the shaft (24) having a plurality of openings (26) therein to the hollow bore of the shaft (24). Unfiltered fluid is introduced to the chamber (32) under pressure in a tangential entry port (34) in the same direction as disk (22) rotation. Clarified fluid passes through the disks (22) to form a filtrate that flows down the shaft (24), while the unfiltered fluid and the solid particles, or sludge, descend in the chamber (32) to a tapered section (18). Non-fluid transfer and fluid transfer seal assemblies (14, 20) comprise bearings (54, 102, 108), seals, and associated parts upon which the shaft is properly aligned, balanced, and centered. The seal assemblies (14, 20) include seals positioned about the shaft (24) to form a boundary that isolates the bearings (54, 102, 108) from the unfiltered fluid or filtrate. A seal seal coolant is circulated within the non-fluid and fluid transmitting seal assemblies (14, 20) against the seals on the side of boundary opposing the unfiltered fluid, and the pressure of the coolant is maintained above that of the pressure of the fluid in the chamber (32) to prevent transfer of unfiltered fluid across the seal faces at any time. The drive shaft (24) has a coupling (190) which has a male (192) and female (194) interlock for ease of assembly. The tapered section (18) incorporates baffles (196, 198, 199) which promote settling of the sludge in the tapered section (18).

Centrifugal filter apparatus

An apparatus for multiple fluid phase separation (10) includes a housing (12) having a second chamber (21) positioned above a first chamber (19). A plurality of filter disks (22) are mounted upon a rotatable vertical shaft assembly (24) in spaced stacked relation within the first chamber (19). The shaft assembly (24) includes a first interior channel (30) and a second interior channel (32). A bulk solution including two immiscible phases is introducted, under pressure, into the first chamber (19) through an entry pipe (33). The heavier phase is filtrated through the disks (22), enters the first interior channel (30), and is channelled to an exit port (32). Bulk solution having a reduced proportion of heavier fluid phase flows through radial openings (96) in the shaft assembly (24) located between the disks (22) into the second interior channel (32) and up into the second chamber (21). An interface is formed in the second chamber (21) between the lighter fluid phase and the remaining heavier phase by coalescence. The heavier phase migrates back to the first chamber (19) and the lighter phase exits the system at an outlet (36) in the second chamber (21).

Apparatus for multiple fluid phase separator

An apparatus for separating multiple phases of solids or fluids includes an exterior housing having an interior chamber. A plurality of porous filter disks is positioned within the interior chamber and have a common central passage. The disks are capable of rotating around the central passage. An inlet introduces at least one fluid phase with or without a solid phase into the interior chamber near the central passage of the disks. A centrifugal force is created within the interior chamber to form a pressure differential across the disks to draw the fluid through the disks away from the central passage, while propelling any solids present in the interior from the central passage toward the exterior housing. The fluid drawn through the disks is collected at the periphery of the disks.

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Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Dennis A Brunsell