Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Other

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Aeg Westinghouse Transportation Systems

The Scientific Ecology Group. Inc.

Rwe Nukem Gmbh

Thomas S Snyder

Richard A Stoltz

Ernest D Lee

Edward Jean Lahoda

Umesh P Nayak

Laura J Ayers

Harry M Ferrari

Gregory F Boris

Herbert A Burgman

William R Gass

Richard J Beleski

Dwight F Goad

John F Jackovitz

Samuel A Worcester

Steven H Peterson

Alexander P Murray

Warren G Sisson

Timothy L Francis

Charles H Byers

George J Collins

David C Grant

Graham A Whitlow

David F McLaughlin

Thomas V Congedo

Dean C Westervelt

Michael C Skriba

Frank H Ruddy

James F Angelo, Ii

Edward J Croop

David Zuckerbrod

Bryan A Roy

George R Wagner

Edward Mitchell

Carol Lynn Kelly

Stefan Rosenberger

John Gregorie Wagner

Matthew Reed Cage

Martin D Nahemow

James H Wilson

Richard A Stolz

James T Pride

Martin Brownstein

James T Hallman

Lori West

Ellen V Gray

William H Carder

Chuck A Cooney

Darrell B Watkins

Kevin D Robbins

The present invention is for processing fluids, especially waste streams from nuclear power plants, and other fluid media that may be carrying valuable or useful substances, in order to collect the substances. The system uses sequential filtering and multiple passes to concentrate the substances, which allows the system to collect virtually all of the substances of interest to the user while reducing the volume of both the unwanted materials as well as the desired materials desired without affecting the purity of the fluid after processing. Additionally, the collected substances can be processed in-place, and without requiring any thermal processing prior to disposal of unwanted substances, or for the recovery and/or reuse of valuable substances.

Fluid conveyed material collection system

A method and system for processing waste dries and reforms a sludge stream of the waste with a first reformed effluent stream to produce a gas effluent stream and a solids effluent stream. The gas effluent stream is reformed further to produce the first effluent stream, which is then directed back to the sludge stream.

Integrated steam reforming operation for processing organic contaminated

A method and system for improved ion exchange chromatographic elemental separations of zirconium and hafnium elements and also, if desired, separations of the isotopes thereof from crude zirconium minerals by using improved crude aqueous zirconium (also containing hafnium) chloride feedstock solutions, aqueous chloride eluant solutions, cationic or anionic exchange resins, and reduced ion exchange chromatographic operating temperatures. The method and system of the invention provides improved crude aqueous zirconium chloride feedstock solutions by carbochlorinating zircon sand and hydrolyzing and dissolving the chlorination products under controlled conditions to substantially eliminate cross-polymerization of the carbochlorination products, which undesirably yield inseparable zirconium and hafnium co-polymers during hydrolysis, by inhibiting the hydrolysis exotherm and/or the free acid generation during hydrolysis.

Zirconium and hafnium separation in chloride solutions using continuous

The present invention provides for methods for on-line monitoring of a molten process phase to determine the extent of extraction of radioactive species from a waste metal contaminated with the radioactive species. The waste metal is mixed with an inorganic flux material in a furnace, wherein the flux material extracts the radioactive species from the waste metal. Periodically, a portion of the furnace composition is sampled from the furnace and separated into a molten flux phase and a molten metal phase. Either of these phases is then analyzed in its molten state to determine the extent of the extraction process.

Metal decontamination process and systems for accomplishing same

The present invention provides methods and processes for immobilizing and solidifying harmful heavy metal and radioactive species within a waste material. The processes of the present invention are also particularly advantageous for immobilizing and solidifying nitrate compounds with a waste material. One embodiment of the present invention is a method that can be carried out by admixing the waste material with cement and a complexant compound to form a grout admixture. Preferably, the complexant compound is an iron compound that can form a hydrated iron oxide in the presence of an aqueous solution. This grout admixture is then allowed to cure and solidify. The grout admixture is placed within a suitable containment vessel for final storage and disposal.

Process for solidification and immobilization of harmful waste species

A method and system for improved continuous ion exchange chromatographic elemental separations of zirconium and hafnium and also for isotopic separations thereof from crude zirconium minerals by using zirconium (also containing hafnium) sulfate feedstock solutions, sulfate eluant solutions, anionic exchange resins, and reduced ion exchange column operating temperatures. The method and system of the invention provides sulfate feedstock solutions by completely converting the carbochlorination products of zircon sand to sulfate solutions prior to feeding to the ion exchange chromatographic column. The method and system of the invention is performed in a continuously operating continuous annular chromatograph (CAC). Nuclear grade substantially purified zirconium and hafnium metals are produced.

Zirconium and hafnium separation in sulfate solutions using continuous

A method and apparatus for the partial or complete continuous separation of isotopes of gadolinium, especially high thermal neutron capture cross-section gadolinium isotopes, using continuous, steady-state, chromatography in which an ion exchange resin is the stationary phase, an aqueous solution of ions based on a mixture of gadolinium isotopes is the feed phase, and an aqueous acid eluant solution is the mobile phase. The method involves the mobile phase eluting or desorbing the gadolinium isotopic solute or ligand adsorbed on the stationary phase under conditions such that each of the various naturally occurring isotopes of gadolinium is primarily eluted in an elution volume distinct from the elution volumes of the other isotopes. In a preferred embodiment, the conditions are such that at least one of the elution volumes contains essentially only one isotope of gadolinium. The method is preferably conducted in a continuous, steady-state manner, and it is preferably conducted in a single operation in a continuous annular chromatograph (CAC).

Continuous, steady-state, chromatographic separation of gadolinium

A novel method for decontaminating radio-contaminated nickel comprising, in an electrorefining cell having a semi-permeable membrane, cathodically depositing substantially contaminant-free nickel from an alkaline solution containing electrolyte, nickel ions, and radioactive ions. Preferably, the electrolyte solution is ammonium sulfate maintained at a pH of least about 10 (as measured at cell temperature). The electrorefining methods of the invention eliminate the need for separate dissolving and plating tanks, and may be operated by a single power source. These methods are particularly useful for remediating nickel contaminated by technetium, uranium and actinide metals.

Electrochemical decontamination of radioactive metals by alkaline

A process for the partial or complete simultaneous separation of isotopes of erbium, especially high thermal neutron capture cross-section erbium isotopes, using continuous, steady-state, chromatography in which an ion exchange resin is the stationary phase, an aqueous solution of ions based on a mixture of erbium isotopes is the feed phase, and an aqueous acid eluant solution is the mobile phase. The process involves the mobile phase eluting or desorbing the erbium isotopic solute adsorbed on the stationary phase under conditions such that each of the various naturally occurring isotopes of erbium is primarily eluted in an elution volume distinct from the elution volumes of the other isotopes. In a preferred embodiment, the conditions are such that at least one of the elution volumes contains essentially only one isotope of erbium. The process is preferably conducted in a continuous, steady-state manner, and in particular is preferably conducted in a continuous annular chromatograph (CAC).

Chromatographic separation of erbium isotopes

The present invention provides an improved multilayered storage structure composite material. The composite contains a fibrous mat made from interwoven fibers, preferably metallic fibers, that is encased with a concrete-based mixture to form a mat layer. At least one concrete-based layer is also disposed within the composite, and this concrete-based layer preferably contains at least one shielding additive. The composite material is preferably formed into a containment vessel for the storage of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed waste materials.

Waste containment composite

Technetium-contaminated nickel is decontaminated by electrolytically dissolving nickel having a gross beta activity of at least about 74 Bq in a sulfuric acid solution having a pH between about 0.5 and 2.0. The applied voltage is from 2.0 v/cell to 5.0 v/cell for dissolving the nickel and contaminants while cathodically producing hydrogen gas. Technetium (+4) species in the acid solution is oxidized to the technetium (+7) species. The pH of the technetium-containing acid solution is adjusted to between 2.5 to 4.5. Particulates in the acid solution are filtered from the solution for reducing the gross beta activity of the acid solution to less than about 50 Bq/gm. Radioactive ions (including technetium complexes) are sorbed in an anionic exchanger and a cationic exchanger for reducing the gross beta activity of the acid solution to less than about 20 Bq/gm. After verifying the gross beta activity of the acid solution, the acid solution is either recycled or charged to a electrowinning step. Acid solution having an activity of more than about 20 Bq/gm is recycled to upstream of the anion exchanger and the cationic exchanger. Acid solution having a gross beta activity of less than about 20 Bq/gm is charged to the electrowinning step. Nickel is plated at a voltage of about 2 v/cell to about 6 v/cell while oxygen gas is anodically generated. The pH of barren metal acid solution from the electrowinning step is reduced to less than about 2 and the barren metal acid solution is recycled for dissolving additional contaminated nickel.

Decontamination of radioactive metals

Nickel (or other transition metal) contaminated with about 5 ppm technetium is decontaminated by dissolving the nickel and the technetium into an aqueous acid solution while introducing a graphite or activated carbon powder into the acid to immediately adsorb the dissolving technetium. The technetium-contaminated powder is separated from the aqueous acid solution and the nickel is then electrowon from the solution. The depleted acid solution is then recycled back to the dissolution step.

Transition metal decontamination process

An inorganic based strippable coating is provided for isolating hazardous materials. The coating is formed from a metal alkoxide material which undergoes a sol-gel reaction to form a metal oxide material. While the sol is still in a green state, the sol is applied to the surface to be protected. Any hazardous material such as nuclear contamination present on the surface is trapped within the matrix of the sol. The sol coating may be stripped from the surface while in a green state or may be allowed to harden. Once hardened, the sol forms a metal oxide coating which will deter the future accumulation of contamination.

Inorganic based strippable coatings for isolating hazardous materials

Technetium is separated from nickel by electro-refining contaminated nickel. Electrorefining controls the electrolyte solution oxidation potential to selectively reduce the technetium from the metallic feedstock solution from Tc(VII) to Tc(IV) forcing it to report to the anodic slimes and thereby preventing it from reporting to the cathodic metal product. This method eliminates the need for peripheral decontamination processes such as solvent extraction to remove the technetium prior to nickel electrorefining. These methods are particularly useful for remediating nickel contaminated by radio-contaminants such as technetium and actinides.

The invention is both a system and method for continuously separating heavier from lighter isotopes of a particular element, such as zirconium. The system comprises a housing, a column assembly rotatably mounted with respect to the housing which includes a plurality of vertically oriented separation cells arranged in a circle, each of which contains a packing material, both a feed electrolyte source and a barren electrolyte source, each of which has an outlet mounted in the housing for continuously introducing either a feed electrolyte or a barren electrolyte into each of the cells as they rotate past the outlets, and upper and lower electrodes disposed over the upper and lower ends of the separation cells for inducing the electromigration of the lighter zirconium ions toward the lower ends of each of the separation cells. A drain assembly disposed beneath the column assembly continuously collects isotopic enriched electrolyte from the bottom ends of the separation cells. The speed of rotation of the column assembly is coordinated with the rate of eluant flow through the cells so that the same segments of the annular tray of the drain assembly continuously collect eluant enriched in a particular type of zirconium isotope.

System and method for continuous separation of isotopes

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Oakmont, PA, United States of America

Thomas S Snyder