Permanent disposal of radioactive particulate waste

Abstract

A cartridge for the permanent storage and disposal of radioactive particulate waste composed of a liquid impervious casing enclosing a waste storage region provided with a ferromagnetic matrix made of steel wool, together with inlet and outlet conduits suitably associated with the waste storage region to enable a liquid containing such waste material to be conducted through the matrix while the particulate waste is adhered thereto under the influence of a magnetic field and the remaining liquid filtrate is expelled from the cartridge, and to then permit an encapsulating material, such as a resin-catalyst mixture, to be introduced into the waste storage region to completely fill that region. The cartridge is temporarily connected into a system including remotely controllable valves and conduits for permitting the liquid containing waste material to be introduced into the cartridge while the liquid component thereof is removed to a storage container, and the encapsulating material to be then introduced into the waste storage region, followed by direct insertion of the cartridge into a drum which can be subsequently sealed and permanently stored, all of this occurring in a fully mechanized and remote manner which does not require the exposure of any operating personnel to significant radiation dose.