Westinghouse Electric Corporation

William E Briggs

Bruce R Sewter

Anthony J Prisco, Jr

Matthew A Kirchner

Arthur M Bonneau

Gary L Archer

Thomas A Jarvis, Sr

Larry E Godfrey

Keith E Trendler

Anthony J Prisco

Both an apparatus and method for water washing garments and removing radioactive contaminates therefrom without the generation of liquid effluents is disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises a washing machine unit having a wash water inlet, a rinse water inlet and an outlet conduit, and a hydraulically closed wash water system. The was water system in turn includes a reservoir of filtered and demineralized water connected to the wash water inlet, a particulate filter unit connected to the outlet conduit for removing particulate impurities from the wash water discharged through the conduit, and a water polisher connected between the particulate filtration unit and the reservoir for supplying the reservoir with filtered and demineralized and chemically purified water. To conserve surfactants and suspension agents added to the wash water in the washing machine unit, the wash water system further includes a diverter conduit connected between the filtration unit and the wash water inlet of the washing machine unit. The apparatus further has a hydraulically closed rinse water system which likewise includes a particulate filtration unit, as well as a water polisher. The apparatus avoids the generation of radioactive liquid effluents by trapping substantially all of the radioactive nucleides in disposable, cartridge-type filter elements that are used in the filtration unit of the wash water system. Moreover, the use of polished water in both the wash and rinse water systems renders the resulting water wash more effective.

Water wash method for cleaning radioactively contaminated garments

A method for cleaning a solvent which may conatin hazardous particulate material which comprises liquid and vapor portions which are being recirculated in a closed system. Suspended particulate material is filtered out of the liquid. Dissolved particulate material is removed by distilling the liquid. The vapor is condensed and combined with the clean liquid. A portion of the vapor is recirculated. The solvent may be cleaned and recirculated continuously.

Method for recovering solvent

Both an apparatus and method for water washing garments and removing radioactive contaminates therefrom without the generation of liquid effluents is disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises a washing machine unit having a wash water inlet, a rinse water inlet and an outlet conduit, and a hydraulically closed wash water system. The wash water system in turn includes a reservoir of filtered and demineralized water connected to the wash water inlet, a particulate filter unit connected to the outlet conduit for removing particulate impurities from the wash water discharged through the conduit, and a water polisher connected between the particulate filtration unit and the reservoir for supplying the reservoir with filtered and demineralized and chemically purified water. To conserve surfactants and suspension agents added to the wash water in the washing machine unit, the wash water system further includes a diverter conduit connected between the filtration unit and the wash water inlet of the washing machine unit. The apparatus further has a hydraulically closed rinse water system which likewise includes a particulate filtration unit, as well as a water polisher. The apparatus avoids the generation of radiocative liquid effluents by trapping substantially all of the radioactive nucleides in disposable, cartridge-type filter elements that are used in the filtration unit of the wash water system. Moreover, the use of polished water in both the wash and rinse water systems renders the resulting water wash more effective.

Water wash apparatus for cleaning radioactively contaminated garments

A method for cleaning a solvent which may contain hazardous particulate material which comprises liquid and vapor portions which are being recirculated in a closed system. Suspended particulate material is filtered out of the liquid. Dissolved particulate material is removed by distilling the liquid. The vapor is condensed and combined with the clean liquid. A portion of the vapor is recirculated. The solvent may be cleaned and recirculated continuously. An apparatus for cleaning a solvent which comprises liquid and vapor portions which are being recirculated in a closed system. The apparatus comprises a cleaning chamber in which solvent may be used to remove hazardous particulate material from an article. Filters remove suspended particulate material from the liquid. A still removes dissolved particulate material. The clean liquid solvent is conveyed by a conduit to a holding chamber. Means are provided for removing the solvent vapor from the chamber and returning a portion of it to the holding chamber and recirculating a portion of it to the cleaning chamber. The apparatus operates continuously as the article is being cleaned.

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Delran, NJ, United States of America

William E Briggs