Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Robert Grigat

Karl-Heinz Kleinschroth

Dietmar Bege

Klaus Blinn

Johann Lisson

An apparatus for treating ion-exchange resin includes a disk mill having a plurality of disks including corundum for comminuting the ion-exchange resin. Reliable temporary storage or final storage even of coarse-grained ion-exchange resin from a nuclear plant is made possible by reduction of the swelling capacity.

Apparatus for treating ion-exchange resin

A process for treating radioactive waste in the form of contaminated powdery ionic exchange resin to make it suitable for final storage by reducing its volume as much as possible, includes mechanically dewatering the ion exchange resin. The dewatered ion exchange resin is mixed with a calcium compound. The mixture is dried at temperatures of up to 120.degree. C. and preferably about 50.degree. C. to 60.degree. C., and at a pressure of from 120 to 200 hPa, until a residual moisture content of less than 10% of the mass of the mixture is reached. The dry mixture is thermally treated at a pressure below atmospheric pressure by heating up to a temperature of from at least 120.degree. C. to at most 190.degree. C. The ion exchange resin thereby loses its water absorption and swelling capability. Ion exchange resins treated in this manner are processed with cement or bitumen to form blocks that are suitable for final storage.

Growing community of inventors

Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany

Robert Grigat