Thermal volume reduction of radioactive wastes

A technology of radionuclide and waste, which is applied in the direction of radioactive purification, educts, and production of combustible gases, etc., and can solve the problems of inability to co-process waste streams, etc.

Pending Publication Date: 2019-11-08
ATKINS ENERGY GLOBAL SOLUTIONS LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Another disadvantage is that they are often unable to co-process different waste streams such as dry active waste (DAW), spent ion exchange resin (IER), etc.

Method used

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  • Thermal volume reduction of radioactive wastes
  • Thermal volume reduction of radioactive wastes
  • Thermal volume reduction of radioactive wastes

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0148] In this example, a thermal volume reduction process was tested using a dehydrated ion exchange resin (IER) feed and an IER slurry feed to determine how the different feeds affect the process. The dehydrated IER feed had a water content of about 55% and was fed into the fluidized bed reactor using a screw extruder without a die. The IER slurry feed had a water content of about 85% and was fed into the fluidized bed reactor using a peristaltic pump. The diameter of the fluidized bed reactor was 15 inches.

[0149] The IER slurry feed was tested in a single run. Testing the dehydrated IER feed was tested in two runs where the feed rate for the second run was 50% higher than that for the first run. The test results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0150] Table 1 - IER Feed Options: IER Slurry vs. Dewatered IER

[0151]

[0152] The data show that feeding dehydrated IER to a fluidized bed reactor provides at least two advantages. First, it allows for a significant reduc...

example 2

[0154] In this example, the thermal volume reduction process was tested using different feed compositions to determine how they affected the process. The feed compositions tested were: (1) IER slurry feed; (2) dry active waste (DAW) feed; (3) a mixture of DAW and IER (DAW and IER were mixed before entering the fluidized bed reactor) and (4) continuously co-feeding DAW and IER into the fluidized bed reactor (DAW and IER are fed separately into the reactor). Feed 1 was fed into the fluidized bed reactor by pumping, and feeds 2-4 were fed into the fluidized bed reactor by screw feeding using an extruder without a die. The test results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0155] Table 2 - Feed Composition Comparison

[0156]

[0157] The data show that processing the DAW and IER together provides at least two advantages. First, it does not require any char addition during steady state operation. This reduces the cost of the process and minimizes the negative impact of waste volume...

example 3

[0159] In this example, the ability to successfully feed dry active waste (DAW) into a fluidized bed reactor of a thermal volume reduction process was tested. The conventional method of adding DAW to a fluidized bed reactor is to mix it with water to form a slurry and then add the slurry to the reactor. Water acts as a coolant to prevent the DAW from reacting before entering the fluidized bed reactor. This test was performed to determine if DAW could be fed into the reactor without being in slurry form.

[0160] Connect the screw extruder to the fluidized bed reactor using a feed adapter set. The feed adapter assembly extended 13.5 inches through the wall of the fluidized bed reactor, which consisted of a metallic outer wall and an inner refractory lining. The housing of the feed adapter device includes internal fluid passages through which a coolant fluid is circulated to cool the device. Coolant fluid was supplied at a temperature of -3°C and circulated at a rate of 5 gpm...

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PUM

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Abstract

A method for thermal volume reduction of waste material contaminated with radionuclides includes feeding the waste material into a fluidized bed reactor, injecting fluidizing gas into the fluidized bed reactor to fluidize bed media in the fluidized bed reactor, and decomposing the waste material in the fluidized bed reactor. A system for thermal volume reduction of the waste material includes oneor more of a feedstock preparation and handling system, a fluidized bed reactor system, a solids separation system, and an off-gas treatment system. The method and system may be used to effectively reduce the volume or radioactive wastes generated from the operation of nuclear facilities such as nuclear power plants including wastes such as spent ion exchange resin, spent granular activated carbon, and dry active waste. The majority of the organic content in the waste material is converted into carbon dioxide and steam and the solids, including the radionuclides, are converted into a waterlessstable final product that is suitable for disposal or long-term storage.

Description

Background technique [0001] Long-term storage and / or disposal of radioactive waste is expensive. One way to reduce costs and make better use of available storage and disposal space is to reduce the volume of radioactive waste. Most radioactive waste includes large amounts of non-radioactive material, especially organic matter. This material can be removed and / or converted to a more dense form to reduce the volume of waste. [0002] Heat treatment is one of the best ways to reduce the volume of waste. This treatment can reduce the volume of waste to levels unattainable using other methods. A common heat treatment method is incineration. Incineration has been used for the volume reduction of the municipal waste industry for decades. [0003] Unfortunately, incineration has many disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the reaction is performed at high temperatures in an oxygen-rich environment, which promotes the formation of dioxin and furan compounds, which are subject to...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): G21F9/14G21F9/12
CPCG21F9/30G21F9/14G21F9/32G21F9/06C10J2200/158C10J2300/0906C10J2300/0946C10J2300/0976C10J2300/0983C10J3/463C10J2300/1606Y02P20/143G21F9/12
Inventor 思考特·D·浦耳刘璐蒂莫西·米尔纳
Owner ATKINS ENERGY GLOBAL SOLUTIONS LLC
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