The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 22, 1999
Hui-Jun Won, Daejeon-Si, KR;
Byung-Gil Ahn, Daejeon-Si, KR;
Gye-Nam Kim, Daejeon-Si, KR;
Hoy-Sam Kwon, Chungju-Si, KR;
Chul-Yong Lee, Daejeon-Si, KR;
Chong-Hun Jung, Daejeon-Si, KR;
Byung-Jik Lee, Daejeon-Si, KR;
Won-Zin Oh, Daejeon-Si, KR;
Other;
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for electrokinetically decontaminating the soil contained in a radioactive waste drum are disclosed. The radioactively contaminated soil is put into drums, and the drums are carried to a temporary storage or to a disposal site. If the extremely low level radioactive soil is decontaminated rather than carrying the soil to the temporary storage or to a disposal site, and if the decontaminated soil is returned to the nature, then the limited storage capacity can be saved. Further, if a high level radioactive soil is treated to a low level one, and if thus a low level radioactive soil is stored in a storage, then the safety is improved. In the present invention, electrodes are buried into the contaminated soil contained in a radioactive waste drum, and a dc current is supplied, so that the radioactive nuclide and impurities can be removed by the electroosmosis and the electromigration. The anode includes: (1) at least 3 or more metal tubes made of titanium or zircaloy and having a diameter of 5 cm or less; (2) at least 6 or more metal rods made of stainless steel, titanium, or zircaloy; and (3) stainless steel sieves. The cathode is a tube made of carbon steel, stainless steel, or palladium, and has a diameter of 10 cm or less.