Method and system for flushing radionuclides from resin packed columns

Abstract

A radionuclide waste extraction method includes directing a waste stream from an upstream section of a main waste path to a waste stream input end of an anion exchange column, where the waste stream includes uranium and a target radionuclide, the anion exchange column containing an anion exchange resin, where the anion exchange resin is coupled to the waste stream input end of the anion exchange column. A cation exchange column containing a cation exchange resin is fluidly coupled to the anion exchange column downstream of the anion exchange column, and a rinse preparation tank is fluidly coupled to the anion exchange column. The method further includes adsorbing uranium from the waste stream onto an anion exchange resin, directing the waste stream from the anion exchange column into a cation exchange column, adsorbing radionuclides onto the cation exchange resin, removing the waste anion exchange resin from the anion exchange column, and removing uranium from the waste stream from the cation exchange column. And directing fresh anion exchange resin from the rinsed preparation tank to the anion exchange column.

Description

[0001] Statement on federally funded research and development

[0002] This disclosure was developed with government support under contract number DE-NA0004010 granted by the U.S. Department of Energy. The government holds certain rights in this disclosure. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for extracting radionuclides from waste materials (e.g., waste radionuclides generated in medical isotope production processes). Background Technology

[0004] Current technologies for nuclear waste separation include solvent-based extraction, often referred to as solvent extraction or liquid-liquid extraction. Solvent extraction is a separation technique in which an organic phase containing an extractant is contacted with an aqueous phase containing metal ions. After mixing, the metal ions are transferred from the aqueous phase to the organic phase. Despite industrial reliance, solvent extraction exhibits several drawbacks, including challenges associated with phase separation, the formation of heavy or “third” phases, and the generation of significant amounts of hazardous organic waste. From an environmental management perspective, the process presents particular challenges due to its reliance on hazardous aromatic organic solvents. Many commercial waste transporters have low tolerance for the presence of benzene or other aromatic hydrocarbons in solidified waste.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for improved methods and systems for nuclear waste separation, such as those for nuclear waste separation in medical isotope production processes. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for extracting radionuclide waste includes: guiding a waste stream from an upstream section of a main waste path to a waste stream inlet of an anion exchange column, wherein: the waste stream contains uranium and one or more target radionuclides; the anion exchange column contains anion exchange resin; a cation exchange column containing cation exchange resin is fluidly connected to the anion exchange column along the main waste path and positioned downstream of the anion exchange column; and a rinsing preparation tank is fluidly connected to the anion exchange column. The method further includes: adsorbing uranium from the waste stream onto the anion exchange resin contained in the anion exchange column; guiding the waste stream from the anion exchange column to the cation exchange column; adsorbing one or more target radionuclides onto the cation exchange resin contained in the cation exchange column; removing waste anion exchange resin from the anion exchange column; and guiding fresh anion exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank to the anion exchange column.

[0007] The second aspect includes the method of the first aspect, wherein one or more target radionuclides include strontium-90 and cesium-137.

[0008] The third aspect includes the method of the first or second aspect, wherein the anion exchange resin includes the initial adsorption capacity, and the waste anion exchange resin includes 85% or less of the initial adsorption capacity.

[0009] The fourth aspect includes the method of any of the foregoing aspects, further comprising guiding a waste stream from a cation exchange column to a column effluent tank, wherein the waste stream entering the column effluent tank contains less than 0.04 curies per cubic meter of strontium-90 and less than 1 curie per cubic meter of cesium-137.

[0010] The fifth aspect includes the method of any of the foregoing aspects, further comprising, before removing the waste anion exchange resin: guiding elution acid into the anion exchange column to desorb uranium from the anion exchange resin in a first elution acid wash, thereby forming a uranium waste stream; and after the first elution acid wash, guiding the waste stream from the upstream section of the main waste path into the anion exchange column and adsorbing uranium onto the anion exchange resin.

[0011] The sixth aspect includes the method of the fifth aspect, and further includes guiding the uranium waste stream from the anion exchange column along a waste removal path to the column effluent tank, wherein the waste removal path extends from the anion exchange column around the cation exchange column to the column effluent tank.

[0012] The seventh aspect includes the method of the fifth aspect, and further includes guiding the uranium waste stream from the anion exchange column along the removal path to a secondary collection tank, and guiding the waste stream from the cation exchange column to a column effluent tank.

[0013] The eighth aspect includes the method of any one of the fifth to seventh aspects, which, after the first elution acid wash and before the removal of the waste anion exchange resin, further includes: guiding the elution acid into the anion exchange column to desorb uranium from the anion exchange resin in the second elution acid wash; and after the second elution acid wash, guiding the waste stream from the upstream section of the main waste path into the anion exchange column and adsorbing uranium onto the anion exchange resin.

[0014] The ninth aspect includes the method of any one of the fifth to eighth aspects, and further includes: performing at least three elution acid washes before removing the waste anion exchange resin and guiding the fresh anion exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank to the anion exchange column.

[0015] The tenth aspect includes a method comprising any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein removing waste anion exchange resin from an anion exchange column comprises: stopping the flow of waste stream from the upstream section of the main waste path to the waste stream inlet of the anion exchange column; and guiding the waste anion exchange resin from the anion exchange column to a waste resin tank; and simultaneously, while the flow of waste stream from the upstream section of the main waste path is stopped, guiding fresh anion exchange resin from a rinsing preparation tank to the anion exchange column; and after guiding fresh anion exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank to the anion exchange column, the method further comprises restoring the flow of waste stream from the upstream section of the main waste path to the waste stream inlet of the anion exchange column.

[0016] The eleventh aspect includes a method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the rinsing preparation tank is fluidly connected to the cation exchange column, and the method further includes: removing waste cation exchange resin from the cation exchange column; and guiding fresh cation exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank to the anion exchange column.

[0017] The twelfth aspect includes a method of any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the rinsing preparation tank is a first rinsing preparation tank, and the method further includes: removing waste cation exchange resin from the cation exchange column; and guiding fresh cation exchange resin from a second rinsing preparation tank into the cation exchange column.

[0018] The thirteenth aspect includes the method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein: the waste stream in the upstream segment of the main waste path contains 1 g / L or more of uranium; and the uranium contained in the waste stream in the upstream segment of the main waste path is at least 500 times the uranium level of both Strontium-90 and Cesium-137.

[0019] According to the fourteenth aspect of this disclosure, the waste extraction system includes: an anion exchange column containing anion exchange resin and fluidly connected to an upstream section of a main waste path; a cation exchange column containing cation exchange resin and fluidly connected to the anion exchange column along the main waste path, wherein the anion exchange column is upstream of the cation exchange column; a column-type effluent tank positioned downstream of the anion exchange column and the cation exchange column; a rinsing preparation tank fluidly connected to the anion exchange column; and a radiation shielding system positioned between both the anion exchange column and the cation exchange column and the rinsing preparation tank, wherein the radiation shielding system forms a radiation barrier between both the anion exchange column and the cation exchange column and the rinsing preparation tank.

[0020] The fifteenth aspect includes the waste extraction system of the fourteenth aspect, wherein the rinsing preparation tank is fluidly connected to the anion exchange column via an anion exchange resin input path, and the rinsing preparation tank is fluidly connected to the cation exchange column via a cation exchange resin input path.

[0021] The sixteenth aspect includes the waste extraction system of the fourteenth aspect, wherein the rinsing preparation tank is a first rinsing preparation tank, and the waste extraction system includes a second rinsing preparation tank fluidly connected to a cation exchange column, wherein the first rinsing preparation tank contains fresh anion exchange resin, and the second rinsing preparation tank contains fresh cation exchange resin.

[0022] The seventeenth aspect includes the waste extraction system of any one of aspects fourteen through sixteen, and further includes an elution acid source fluidly connected to an anion exchange column.

[0023] The eighteenth aspect includes the waste extraction system of the seventeenth aspect, wherein the anion exchange column includes: a waste stream inlet and an elution inlet, both located at a first end of the anion exchange column, wherein the waste stream inlet is fluidly connected to the upstream section of the main waste path and the elution inlet is fluidly connected to an elution acid source; and a waste stream outlet and an elution outlet, both located at a second end of the anion exchange column, wherein the elution outlet is fluidly connected to a waste removal path and the waste stream outlet is fluidly connected to a cation exchange column.

[0024] The nineteenth aspect includes the waste extraction system of the eighteenth aspect, wherein the waste removal path extends from the anion exchange column, bypassing the cation exchange column, to the column effluent tank.

[0025] The twentieth aspect includes the waste extraction system of the eighteenth aspect, wherein the waste removal path extends from the anion exchange column to the secondary collection tank.

[0026] These features and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in light of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and are not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments will be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein the same structures are indicated by the same reference numerals, and wherein:

[0028] Figure 1 A waste extraction system including a rinsing preparation tank is schematically depicted according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0029] Figure 2 A waste extraction system comprising a rinsing preparation tank and a secondary collection tank, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein, is schematically depicted.

[0030] Figure 3 A waste extraction system comprising two rinsing preparation tanks is schematically depicted according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0031] Figure 4 A waste extraction system comprising two rinsing preparation tanks and a secondary collection tank, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein, is schematically depicted; and

[0032] Figure 5 The illustration schematically depicts a container housed according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. Figures 1 to 4 The ion exchange resin in the anion exchange column and cation exchange column of any of the multiple waste extraction systems. Specific Implementation

[0033] Referring generally to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of this disclosure relate to a waste extraction system and method for removing target radionuclides from waste streams (e.g., waste streams generated during medical isotope production processes, such as molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production processes). The waste streams include various radionuclides, such as uranium-235 (U-235), cesium-137 (Cs-137), and strontium-90 (Sr-90). The waste extraction system includes an anion exchange column containing anion exchange resin and a cation exchange column containing cation exchange resin. The anion exchange column and cation exchange column are fluidly coupled to a main waste path such that the waste stream passes through the anion exchange column and cation exchange column and reaches a column-type effluent tank for final treatment.

[0034] An anion exchange column is positioned upstream of the cation exchange column along the main waste path, such that the waste stream passes through the anion exchange column before passing through the cation exchange column. The anion exchange resin contained in the anion exchange column is configured to selectively adsorb the primary radionuclide, such as uranium, and the cation exchange resin contained in the cation exchange column is configured to selectively adsorb one or more target radionuclides, such as Cs-137 and Sr-90. The anion exchange column provides a method for removing the primary radionuclide from the waste stream such that the waste stream passing through the cation exchange column contains a minimum amount of the primary radionuclide. This allows one or more supporting adsorption columns to remove other target radionuclides, such as Cs-137 and Sr-90, from the waste stream, even if the amount of other target radionuclides present in the initial waste stream is less than that of the primary radionuclide.

[0035] During operation, the primary radionuclide exists in the initial waste stream with a higher mass than other target radionuclides. Therefore, the anion exchange resin reaches its maximum adsorption capacity faster than the cation exchange resin. In view of this, the waste extraction system also includes a rinsing preparation tank fluidly coupled to the anion exchange column, thereby facilitating the efficient replacement of fresh anion exchange resin in the anion exchange column by rinsing transport. The waste extraction system also includes a radiation shielding system positioned between both the anion and cation exchange columns and the rinsing preparation tank, allowing the rinsing preparation tank to be reloaded during operation of the waste extraction system while minimizing radiation exposure at the rinsing preparation tank. Embodiments of the waste extraction system and methods for extracting radionuclide waste using the waste extraction system will now be described, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the figures to refer to the same or similar parts whenever possible.

[0036] Now for reference Figures 1 to 4 The illustration shows a waste extraction system 100 according to several illustrative embodiments. The waste extraction system 100 includes a container for anion exchange resin 112 (… Figure 5 The anion exchange column 120 and the cation exchange resin 116 contain anion exchange column 120 and cation exchange resin 116. Figure 5 The cation exchange column 130 is used for the production facility. Anion exchange columns 120 and 130 are fluidly coupled to a main waste path 160, which includes one or more pipes, conduits, or other fluid delivery mechanisms to facilitate the flow of waste from the production facility through anion exchange columns 120 and 130, to a column effluent tank 150, and ultimately to a waste tank 152. One or more pumps 180 are coupled to the main waste path 160 to help generate fluid flow within it. In one example operation, an upstream section 162 of the main waste path 160 fluidly connects the waste extraction system 100 to the production area of ​​the medical isotope production facility, and the waste flow includes radionuclide waste generated by the medical isotope production process.

[0037] Anion exchange column 120 and cation exchange column 130 are located between and fluidly coupled to the upstream section 162 of the main waste path 160 and the column effluent tank 150. In operation, a waste stream containing radionuclide waste enters the waste extraction system 100 along the upstream section 162 of the main waste path 160 (e.g., the initial waste stream). Anion exchange column 120 is fluidly coupled to and located upstream of the cation exchange column 130 along the main waste path 160. In operation, the waste stream passes through the anion exchange column 120 and then along the main waste path 160 through the cation exchange column 130. In operation, anion exchange resin 112, contained in anion exchange column 120, adsorbs primary radionuclides, such as uranium (e.g., U-235), from the waste stream, thereby reducing the amount of primary radionuclides in the waste stream entering cation exchange column 130. Then, cation exchange resin 116, contained in cation exchange column 130, adsorbs one or more target radionuclides, such as Cs-137 and Sr-90, from the waste stream.

[0038] The column effluent tank 150 is fluidly connected to the main waste path 160 and receives the modified waste stream (i.e., a waste stream with reduced amounts of Cs-137 and Sr-90) from the cation exchange column 130. In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As depicted, the column effluent tank 150 is also connected to a strip waste pathway 170, which extends from the anion exchange column 120 to the column effluent tank 150, such that the modified waste stream from the cation exchange column 130 is mixed with the main radionuclide waste stream from the anion exchange column 120 in the column effluent tank 150, as described in more detail below. In other embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, column effluent tank 150 is fluidly connected to main waste path 160, and secondary collection tank 154 is fluidly connected to waste removal path 170, such that modified waste stream from cation exchange column 130 reaches column effluent tank 150, and main radionuclide waste stream from anion exchange column 120 reaches secondary collection tank 154.

[0039] Waste container 152 is fluidly connected to column effluent tank 150 via waste container segment 166 of main waste path 160. Waste in column effluent tank 150 can be guided along waste container segment 166 to waste tank 152 for final treatment and off-site removal. This final treatment may include solidifying the resulting waste with concrete to form solidified final waste, which may be present in waste tank 152. In some embodiments, column effluent tank 150 and waste tank 152 have the same volume, for example, a volume in the range of 25 gallons to 75 gallons, such as 50 gallons. In other embodiments, column effluent tank 150 and waste tank 152 have different volumes and may include volumes in the range of 25 gallons to 75 gallons. The waste received by column effluent tank 150 and waste tank 152 contains a lower level of radioactivity than the initial waste stream after the target radionuclide is removed using waste extraction system 100. In fact, the target radionuclides contribute a disproportionate amount to the total radioactivity in the initial waste stream. For example, Cs-137 is a gamma-emitting nuclide, and therefore, it is desirable to minimize the amount of Cs-137 in the resulting waste. Adsorbing the target radionuclides, such as Cs-137 and Sr-90, allows these target radionuclides to be processed separately from the rest of the waste, for example, in a minimized volume sealed in concrete.

[0040] By removing the primary radionuclide from the waste stream at the anion exchange column 120, the cation exchange column 130 can adsorb other target radionuclides more efficiently and effectively. Not wishing to be theoretically limited, the primary radionuclide (e.g., uranium) present in the initial waste stream will be adsorbed (along with one or more target radionuclides) by the cation exchange resin 116 in the cation exchange column, and a large relative amount of target radionuclides may cause the cation exchange resin 116 to reach its adsorption limit before removing the desired amount of target radionuclides. For example, the initial waste stream may contain uranium at a g / L level at least 500 times, such as at least 750 times, at least 1000 times, at least 1250 times, at least 1500 times, at least 2000 times, or multiples within a range having any two of these values ​​as endpoints. In some embodiments, the initial waste stream may contain uranium at a g / L level that is at least 500 times, for example at least 750 times, at least 1000 times, at least 1250 times, at least 1500 times, at least 2000 times, or a multiple of the g / L level of any individual radionuclide of barium, cerium, lanthanum, molybdenum, neodymium, palladium, praseodymium, rubidium, rhodium, ruthenium, samarium, yttrium, and zirconium, or within a range having any two of these values ​​as endpoints. Furthermore, uranium may constitute 40% to 60% of the total radioactive nuclide mass in the initial waste stream by mass.

[0041] In some embodiments, the initial waste stream contains 1 g / L or more of uranium, such as 1.5 g / L, 2 g / L or more, 2.5 g / L or more, 3 g / L or more, and values ​​within a range having two of these values ​​as endpoints. While Cs-137 and Sr-90 are referred to as target radionuclides in the embodiments described herein, other target radionuclides may be present in the waste stream and adsorbed by cation exchange resin 116. For example, other target radionuclides that may be present in the waste stream and adsorbed by cation exchange resin 116 include barium, cerium, cesium, lanthanum, molybdenum, sodium, neodymium, palladium, plutonium, praseodymium, rubidium, rhodium, ruthenium, samarium, strontium, yttrium, zirconium, actinium, or combinations thereof. Furthermore, it should be understood that embodiments in which radionuclides other than uranium are predominant radionuclides are contemplated.

[0042] Still referencing Figures 1 to 4 The anion exchange column 120 includes: a waste stream inlet 123 and an elution inlet 124, both located at a first end 121 of the anion exchange column 120; and a waste stream outlet 125 and an elution outlet 126, both located at a second end 122 of the anion exchange column 120. The waste stream inlet 123 is fluidly connected to an upstream segment 162 of a main waste path 160, and the waste stream outlet 125 is fluidly connected to an inter-column segment 165 of the main waste path 160. In some embodiments, the first end 121 of the anion exchange column 120 is opposite to the second end 122 of the anion exchange column 120, and the first end 121 is above the second end 122 of the anion exchange column 120. This orientation facilitates gravity-assisted flow of the waste stream through the anion exchange column 120. Gravity-assisted flow reduces the pumping pressure and power required to flow the waste stream through the anion exchange column 120. Gravity-assisted flow also maximizes the contact between the anion exchange resin 112 and the waste stream, thereby maximizing the adsorption of the primary radionuclide. The anion exchange column 120 also includes a resin inlet 127 and a resin outlet 128. The resin inlet 127 is fluidly connected to the rinsing preparation tank 140 (e.g., via anion exchange resin inlet path 142) via anion exchange resin inlet path 142. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Rinse preparation tank 140 or Figure 3 and Figure 4 The first rinsing preparation tank 140a). The resin output end 128 is fluidly connected to the waste resin tank 156 through the anion exchange resin output path 157.

[0043] The cation exchange column 130 includes a waste stream inlet 134 and a waste stream outlet 135. The waste stream inlet 134 is located at a first end 131 of the cation exchange column 130, and the waste stream outlet 135 is located at a second end 132 of the cation exchange column 130. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first end 131 of the cation exchange column 130 is opposite to the second end 132, and the first end 131 is above the second end 132. This orientation facilitates gravity-assisted flow of the waste stream through the cation exchange column 130. Gravity-assisted flow can reduce the pumping pressure and pumping power required to flow the waste stream through the cation exchange column 130. Gravity-assisted flow can also maximize the contact between the cation exchange resin 116 and the waste stream, thereby maximizing the adsorption of the target radionuclide. Although a single cation exchange column 130 is depicted, it should be understood that additional cation exchange columns may be included to adsorb additional amounts of the target radionuclide. For example, although not shown, a second cation exchange column is considered, which is positioned along the main waste path 160 between the cation exchange column 130 and the column effluent tank 150, and is fluidly connected to the cation exchange column 130 and the column effluent tank 150 via an additional inter-column section 165 and a pump 180.

[0044] In some embodiments, the cation exchange column 130 further includes a resin inlet 137 and a resin outlet 138. The resin inlet 137 is fluidly connected to a rinsing preparation tank (e.g., via a cation exchange resin inlet path 144). Figure 1 and Figure 2 Rinse preparation tank 140 or Figure 3 and Figure 4 The second rinsing preparation tank 140b). The resin outlet 138 is fluidly connected to the waste resin tank 156 via the cation exchange resin outlet path 159. Although in Figures 1 to 4 In the depicted embodiment, the cation exchange column 130 is coupled to the rinsing preparation tank 140, but embodiments in which only the anion exchange column 120 is coupled to the rinsing preparation tank 140 are also contemplated. In practice, the anion exchange resin 112 requires replacement more frequently than the cation exchange resin 116. The cation exchange column 130 can be operated for a sufficiently long period without using the rinsing preparation tank 140.

[0045] Waste resin tank 156 can also be fluidly connected to waste tank 152 via resin waste path 190, such that waste resin removed from anion exchange column 120 and cation exchange column 130 can be directed to waste tank 152, for example, by using gate pump 182. Waste resin can be directed to waste tank 152 along resin waste path 190 for final treatment and off-site removal. This final treatment may include solidifying the waste resin, either separately from or together with the resulting waste, with concrete to form solidified final waste, which can be present in waste tank 152.

[0046] Still referencing Figures 1 to 4 The elution inlet 124 of the anion exchange column 120 is fluidly connected to the elution path 172, which extends from the elution acid source 175 to the elution inlet 124. The elution outlet 126 is fluidly connected to the waste removal path 170. One or more pumps of the pumps 180 may be fluidly connected to the waste removal path 170 to help facilitate fluid flow in the waste removal path 170. In operation, the elution acid can be directed to the anion exchange column 120 through the elution inlet 124. The elution acid flows through the anion exchange column 120 and undergoes elution rinsing to remove impurities from the anion exchange resin 112 ( Figure 5 The primary radionuclide (e.g., uranium) is desorbed, thus forming a primary radionuclide waste stream (e.g., uranium waste stream). This primary radionuclide waste stream can be guided from the anion exchange column 120 through the elution outlet 126 to the waste removal path 170, where the uranium waste stream is guided to the column effluent tank 150. Figure 1 and Figure 3 ) or secondary collection tank 154 ( Figure 2 and Figure 4 ).

[0047] exist Figure 1 and Figure 3 In this embodiment, the waste removal path 170 extends from the anion exchange column 120 to the column effluent tank 150, and provides a fluid path from the anion exchange column 120 to the column effluent tank 150, while bypassing the cation exchange column 130. In other embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 The depicted waste removal path 170 extends from the anion exchange column 120 to the secondary collection tank 154 and provides a fluid path for flowing the removed primary radionuclides to the secondary collection tank 154 for collection and possible reuse. In embodiments where the waste extraction system 100 is part of a medical isotope production facility, the collected primary radionuclides (e.g., uranium) can be used to generate additional medical isotopes and subsequently processed by the waste extraction system 100 as part of a waste stream. Figures 1 to 4In each embodiment, the primary radionuclide waste stream bypasses the cation exchange column 130 by flowing through the waste removal path 170, thereby allowing the cation exchange column 130 to adsorb other target radionuclides, such as Cs-137 and Sr-90, present in the initial waste stream at levels below those of the primary radionuclide. In other words, the waste removal path 170 provides a path for the primary radionuclide removed from the initial waste stream by the anion exchange column 120 to reach the storage location without passing through the cation exchange column 130.

[0048] Refer again Figures 1 to 4 One or more flushing pumps 182 may be fluidly coupled to anion exchange resin inlet path 142, cation exchange resin inlet path 144, anion exchange resin outlet path 157, and cation exchange resin outlet path 159 to help facilitate the transfer of fresh resin to anion exchange column 120 and / or cation exchange column 130, and to facilitate the removal of waste resin from anion exchange column 120 and / or cation exchange column 130. The flushing pump 182 may include any pump configured to pump a combination of solids and liquids, such as a slurry pump. The anion exchange resin 112 contains fresh resin before the waste stream is directed into the anion exchange column 120. As used herein, “fresh resin” means anion exchange resin (e.g., anion exchange resin or cation exchange resin) containing at least 95% of its initial adsorption capacity. In practice, in some embodiments, “fresh resin” includes at least 99% of its initial adsorption capacity, and in some embodiments, it may include 100% of its initial adsorption capacity. After anion exchange resin 112 adsorbs the primary radionuclide and undergoes elution and acid washing, it does not recover to its initial adsorption capacity. After each subsequent elution and acid washing, the percentage of its initial adsorption capacity recovered is less than the percentage after the previous elution and acid washing. After several elution and acid washing cycles, the adsorption capacity of anion exchange resin 112 is no longer sufficiently effective to adsorb the primary radionuclide from the waste stream.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As depicted, the rinsing preparation tank 140 is fluidly connected to both the anion exchange column 120 and the cation exchange column 130. For example, the rinsing preparation tank 140 is fluidly connected to the anion exchange column 120 via anion exchange resin inlet path 142 and to the cation exchange column 130 via cation exchange resin inlet path 144. As depicted, in some embodiments, the anion exchange resin inlet path 142 and the cation exchange resin inlet path 144 are each connected to the rinsing preparation tank 140 via a shared path segment 143. The shared path segment 143 is connected to the anion exchange resin inlet path 142 and the cation exchange resin inlet path 144 via a directional valve 145, which selectively directs fresh resin to either the anion exchange column 120 or the cation exchange column 130. In other embodiments, the anion exchange resin inlet path 142 and the cation exchange resin inlet path 144 are each directly connected to the rinsing preparation tank 140. The rinsing preparation tank 140 can be selectively filled with fresh anion exchange resin 112 or fresh cation exchange resin 116. In operation, after fresh resin has been guided from the rinsing preparation tank 140 to one of the anion exchange columns 120 or 130, the rinsing preparation tank 140 can be refilled with either anion exchange resin 112 or cation exchange resin 116, depending on which of the anion exchange columns 120 or 130 will need to be replenished next.

[0050] In other embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 The depicted waste extraction system 100 includes multiple rinsing preparation tanks, such as a first rinsing preparation tank 140a fluidly connected to anion exchange column 120 via anion exchange resin inlet path 142 and a second rinsing preparation tank 140b fluidly connected to cation exchange column 130 via cation exchange resin inlet path 144. The first rinsing preparation tank 140a may be filled with fresh anion exchange resin 112, and the second rinsing preparation tank 140b may be filled with fresh cation exchange resin 116. In operation, fresh anion exchange resin 112 can be introduced from the first rinsing preparation tank 140a into the anion exchange column 120 along the anion exchange resin inlet path 142, for example, using a rinsing pump 182, and fresh cation exchange resin 116 can be introduced from the second rinsing preparation tank 140b into the cation exchange column 130 along the cation exchange resin inlet path 144, for example, using a rinsing pump 182.

[0051] Refer again Figures 1 to 4Each rinsing preparation tank 140 includes one or more loading openings 141 for loading fresh resin into the rinsing preparation tank 140 and for introducing a pretreatment acid (e.g., sulfuric acid) into the rinsing preparation tank 140. The pretreatment acid contains a pH similar to that of the initial waste stream (e.g., within 1 unit). For example, the pretreatment acid may include sulfuric acid with a pH of 1. However, it should be understood that other acids can be used as pretreatment acids. For example, the acid used to pretreat anion exchange resin 112 may have a lower pH than the acid used to pretreat cation exchange resin 116. By lowering the pH, anion exchange resin 112 and cation exchange resin 116 are more suitable for adsorbing radionuclides. The pretreated anion exchange resin 112 and cation exchange resin 116 form a slurry, which reduces the difficulty of pumping each resin separately into anion exchange column 120 and cation exchange column 130. When anion exchange resin 112 and cation exchange resin 116 come into contact with certain materials (e.g., acids, water, or other resin media), their dimensions may expand. Therefore, by pretreating anion exchange resin 112 and cation exchange resin 116, resin swelling can be considered when filling anion exchange column 120 and cation exchange column 130, thereby ensuring that anion exchange column 120 and cation exchange column 130 can be filled in a reasonable and efficient manner. Furthermore, pretreating anion exchange resin 112 and cation exchange resin 116 places the resins in a chemical form most suitable for adsorbing radionuclides from waste streams. For example, anion exchange resin 112 may be placed in its chloride form (Cl-) during pretreatment, and cation exchange resin 116 may be placed in its sodium form (Na+) during pretreatment.

[0052] Still referencing Figures 1 to 4The waste extraction system 100 also includes a radiation shielding system 110, positioned between both the anion exchange column 120 and the cation exchange column 130 and the rinsing preparation tank 140. In operation, the radiation shielding system 110 forms a radiation barrier between both the anion exchange column 120 and the cation exchange column 130 and the rinsing preparation tank 140. The radiation shielding system 110 may include lead, titanium, aluminum, concrete, or combinations thereof. It should be understood that the radiation shielding system 110 may include any known or undeveloped radiation shielding material or combination thereof. Positioning one or more rinsing preparation tanks 140 behind the radiation shielding system 110 allows the pretreatment and loading of the anion exchange resin 112 and the cation exchange resin 116 to be carried out at a radioactively shielded location relative to the waste stream containing radionuclides. Therefore, a radioactive barrier can be positioned between personnel loading and pretreating fresh anion exchange resin 112 and the cation exchange resin 116 and the waste stream containing radionuclides. In some embodiments, the radiation shielding system 110 is a room or compartment housing one or more rinsing preparation tanks 140 within the waste extraction system 100. In other embodiments, the radiation shielding system 110 is a room or compartment housing the components of the waste extraction system 100, and radioactive waste flows into and through the waste extraction system 100, the components of which include anion exchange columns 120 and cation exchange columns 130.

[0053] Now for reference Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of the anion exchange column 120 and the cation exchange column 130 is depicted. Figure 5 As depicted, in some embodiments, anion exchange resin 112 comprises a plurality of anion exchange resin beads 114, and cation exchange resin 116 comprises cation exchange resin beads 118. The average diameter of the anion exchange resin beads 114 and the cation exchange resin beads 118 is in the range of 200 micrometers to 1000 micrometers, for example, in the range of 400 micrometers to 800 micrometers, such as 400 micrometers, 425 micrometers, 450 micrometers, 475 micrometers, 500 micrometers, 525 micrometers, 550 micrometers, 575 micrometers, 600 micrometers, 625 micrometers, 650 micrometers, 675 micrometers, 700 micrometers, 725 micrometers, 750 micrometers, 775 micrometers, 800 micrometers, or any range having any two of these values ​​as endpoints.

[0054] In some embodiments, anion exchange resin 112 and cation exchange resin 116 are each polymer-based resins. Anion exchange resin 112 may comprise a weakly basic anion exchange resin or a strongly basic anion exchange resin. Cation exchange resin 116 may comprise a strong acid cation exchange resin. Anion exchange resin 112 and cation exchange resin 116 have a combination of porosity and chemical functionalities, where porosity contributes to adsorption capacity and chemical functionalities contribute to selectivity. Furthermore, compared to uranium, cation exchange resin 116 has a preference for adsorbing Cs-137 and Sr-90, and therefore cation exchange resin 116 is effective in cation exchange column 130, while compared to Cs-137 and Sr-90, anion exchange resin 112 has a preference for adsorbing uranium, and therefore anion exchange resin 112 is effective in anion exchange column 120. An exemplary anion exchange resin 112 includes Amberlite. TM Resin and DIAON TM Resin. Exemplary cation exchange resin 116 includes SACMP (strong acid cation macroporous polystyrene) resin (e.g., SACMP (manufactured by ResinTech Inc.) and AMP-PAN (ammonium molybdenum phosphate polyacrylonitrile) resin.

[0055] In some embodiments, the adsorption capacity of cation exchange resin 116 for Cs-137 is within the following range: from 100 mg / g to 200 mg / g, for example, from 125 mg / g to 175 mg / g, such as 105 mg / g, 110 mg / g, 115 mg / g, 120 mg / g, 125 mg / g, 130 mg / g, etc. mg / g, 135mg / g, 140mg / g, 145mg / g, 150mg / g, 153mg / g, 155mg / g, 157mg / g, 160mg / g, 165mg / g, 170mg / g, 175mg / g, 180mg / g, 185mg / g, 190mg / g, 195mg / g, 200mg / g, or values ​​within a range having any two of these numbers as endpoints. In some embodiments, the adsorption capacity of cation exchange resin 116 for Sr-90 is in the range of 0.1 mg of Sr-90 (i.e., 0.1 mg / g) to 1 mg / g per gram of cation exchange resin 116, for example, in the range of 0.15 mg / g to 0.5 mg / g, such as 0.15 mg / g, 0.2 mg / g, 0.25 mg / g, 0.3 mg / g, 0.35 mg / g, 0.4 mg / g, 0.45 mg / g, 0.5 mg / g, 0.55 mg / g, 0.6 mg / g, 0.65 mg / g, 0.7 mg / g, 0.75 mg / g, 0.8 mg / g, 0.85 mg / g, 0.9 mg / g, 0.95 mg / g, 1 mg / g, or a value within a range having any two of these numbers as endpoints. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the anion exchange resin 112 has an adsorption capacity for uranium (e.g., U-235) in the range of 85 mg of uranium (i.e., 85 mg / g) per gram of anion exchange resin 112 to 165 mg / g, for example, in the range of 115 mg / g to 140 mg / g, such as 85 mg / g, 90 mg / g, 95 mg / g, 100 mg / g, 105 mg / g, 110 mg / g, 115 mg / g, 120 mg / g, 125 mg / g, 130 mg / g, 135 mg / g, 140 mg / g, 145 mg / g, 150 mg / g, 155 mg / g, 160 mg / g, 165 mg / g, or values ​​within a range having any two of these numbers as endpoints.

[0056] Refer again Figures 1 to 5A method for extracting radionuclide waste using waste extraction system 100 will now be described. First, the method includes guiding a waste stream from an upstream segment 162 of a main waste path 160 into an anion exchange column 120. Next, the method includes adsorbing a primary radionuclide (e.g., uranium) from the waste stream onto anion exchange resin 112 contained in the anion exchange column 120. In operation, the waste stream enters the anion exchange column 120 through waste stream inlet 123, the anion exchange resin 112 contained in the anion exchange column 120 adsorbs the primary radionuclide present in the waste stream, and removes the primary radionuclide from the waste stream. Then, the waste stream exits the anion exchange column 120 through waste stream outlet 125, the waste stream having a lower level of the target radionuclide present in the waste stream than when it entered the anion exchange column 120, and flows into a cation exchange column 130. For example, the anion exchange resin 112 contained in the anion exchange column 120 adsorbs 85% or more of the target radionuclides present in the waste stream, such as 86% or more, 87% or more, 88% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 91% or more, 92% or more, 93% or more, 94% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, 99% or more, or a value within a range having any two of these numbers as endpoints.

[0057] Next, the method includes guiding a waste stream (e.g., a modified waste stream) from an anion exchange column 120 into a cation exchange column 130, for example, along the intercolumn section 165. In operation, the waste stream (e.g., the modified waste stream) enters the cation exchange column 130 through the waste stream inlet 134, and the cation exchange resin 116 contained in the cation exchange column 130 adsorbs target radionuclides, such as Sr-90 and Cs-137, present in the modified waste stream. In embodiments comprising more than one cation exchange column 130, the modified waste stream is then guided into an additional cation exchange column. In operation, the cation exchange resin 116 contained in the cation exchange column 130 (and any additional cation exchange columns) adsorbs 85% or more of one or more target radionuclides initially present in the waste stream (e.g., in the waste stream present in the upstream segment 162 of the main waste path 160), such as 85% or more of Strontium-90 and Cesium-137 present in the modified waste stream, for example, 90% or more, 92% or more, 94% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, 99% or more, 99.5% or more, 99.9% or more, or values ​​within a range having any two of these figures as endpoints.

[0058] The modified waste stream then exits the cation exchange column 130 through waste stream outlet 135 and enters the intercolumn section 165 of the main waste path 160. After exiting the cation exchange column 130, the waste stream can be directed to a second cation exchange column (e.g., in embodiments including two or more cation exchange columns) or a column effluent tank 150 (e.g., in embodiments including a single cation exchange column 130, such as...). Figures 1 to 4 (As depicted). In embodiments including a second cation adsorption column, once the reduced modified waste stream enters the second cation exchange column, the method includes adsorbing an additional amount of one or more target radionuclides present in the modified waste stream onto the cation exchange resin housed in the second cation exchange column.

[0059] Still referencing Figures 1 to 5 The method further includes removing the primary radionuclide from the anion exchange column 120 and guiding it along the waste removal path 170. This removal process may include guiding eluent (e.g., sulfuric acid) into the anion exchange column 120 to desorb uranium from the anion exchange resin 112, thereby forming a primary radionuclide waste stream. The eluent may be guided from the eluent source 175 along the elution path 172 and into the anion exchange column 120 through the elution inlet 124. One or more pumps of pumps 180 may be fluidly coupled to the elution path 172 to help facilitate the flow of the eluent in the elution path 172 and into the anion exchange column 120. During or after this first elution wash, the primary radionuclide waste stream may be guided from the anion exchange column 120 to the waste removal path 170, where it may be guided to the column effluent tank 150. Figure 1 and Figure 3 ) or secondary collection tank 154 ( Figure 2 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, for example, in Figure 2 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the primary radionuclide waste stream containing uranium desorbed from anion exchange resin 112 can be recycled back into the medical radioisotope production process. For example, when waste extraction system 100 is part of a medical isotope production facility, the uranium in the primary radionuclide waste stream can be used to generate additional medical isotopes, and then processed by waste extraction system 100 as part of the waste stream.

[0060] Following the first elution and acid washing, the method then includes resuming the flow of waste material from the upstream segment 162 of the main waste path 160 to the anion exchange column 120, and then to the cation exchange column 130, to adsorb additional primary radionuclides in the anion exchange column 120 and additional target radionuclides in the cation exchange column 130. Next, a second elution and acid washing may be performed to remove the adsorbed primary radionuclides from the anion exchange column 120, and the removed primary radionuclides may be directed to a column effluent tank 150 or a secondary collection tank 154. Additional cycles of adsorption of primary radionuclides in the anion exchange column 120 and target radionuclides in the cation exchange column 130 may be performed, followed by elution and acid washing until the anion exchange resin 112 becomes waste resin. As used herein, “waste resin” refers to an ion exchange resin (e.g., anion exchange resin or cation exchange resin) having an adsorption capacity equal to or less than a threshold percentage of its initial adsorption capacity. Waste resin may have an adsorption capacity of 90% or less of its initial adsorption capacity, such as 85% or less, 80% or less, 75% or less, 70% or less, 65% or less, 60% or less, or a value within a range having any two of these figures as endpoints. It should be understood that the threshold percentage of waste resin can vary depending on the target radionuclide and the overall composition of the waste stream.

[0061] The method then includes removing the spent anion exchange resin from the anion exchange column 120 and removing fresh anion exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank 140 (e.g., Figure 1 and 2 Rinse preparation tank 140 or Figure 3 and 4 The first rinsing preparation tank 140a) is guided into the anion exchange column 120. Removing waste anion exchange resin from the anion exchange column 120 includes stopping the flow of waste resin from the upstream section 162 of the main waste path 160 towards the waste flow inlet 123 of the anion exchange column 120, and guiding the waste anion exchange resin from the anion exchange column 120 into the waste resin tank 156, for example, along the anion exchange resin outlet path 157. Next, fresh anion exchange resin can be guided from the rinsing preparation tank 140 into the anion exchange column 120, while the flow of waste resin from the upstream section 162 of the main waste path 160 is stopped. After the fresh anion exchange resin is guided from the rinsing preparation tank 140 into the anion exchange column 120, the flow of waste resin from the upstream section 162 of the main waste path 160 to the waste flow inlet 123 of the anion exchange column 120 can be resumed. In some embodiments, at least three elution acid washes may be performed before removing the waste anion exchange resin and guiding the fresh anion exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank 140 to the anion exchange column 120.

[0062] In some embodiments, the method further includes removing spent cation exchange resin from the cation exchange column 130 and removing fresh cation exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank 140 (e.g., Figure 1 and Figure 2 Rinse preparation tank 140 or Figure 3 and Figure 4 The second rinsing preparation tank 140b) is directed to the cation exchange column 130. Removal of waste cation exchange resin from the cation exchange column 130 includes: stopping the flow of waste material to the waste flow inlet 134 of the cation exchange column 130, and directing the waste cation exchange resin from the cation exchange column 130 to the waste resin tank 156, for example, along the cation exchange resin outlet path 159. Next, fresh cation exchange resin can be introduced from the rinsing preparation tank 140 into the cation exchange column 130 while stopping the flow of waste material to the waste flow inlet 134 of the cation exchange column 130. After fresh cation exchange resin is introduced from the rinsing preparation tank 140 into the anion exchange column 120, the flow of waste material to the waste flow inlet 134 of the cation exchange column 130 can be resumed. Because the initial waste stream contains a higher percentage of the primary radionuclide compared to one or more target radionuclides, the anion exchange resin 112 of the anion exchange column 120 is replaced by more frequent rinsing than the cation exchange resin 116 of the cation exchange column 130, for example, by rinsing 2 times or more frequently, 3 times or more frequently, 4 times or more frequently, etc. In some embodiments, the method also includes guiding the waste resin received by the waste resin tank 156 along the resin waste path 190 to the waste tank 152 for final treatment and off-site removal. As noted above, the final treatment of the waste resin may be solidification with concrete.

[0063] exist Figure 1 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, at the column effluent tank 150, the modified waste stream from the cation exchange column 130 is mixed with the main radionuclide waste stream from the anion exchange column 120. Figure 2 and Figure 4In some embodiments, the column effluent tank 150 receives only the modified waste stream from the cation exchange column 130, as the primary radionuclide is directed to the secondary collection tank 154. In some embodiments, the method further includes guiding the waste received by the column effluent tank 150 (e.g., the resulting waste) along waste tank section 166 to waste tank 152 for final treatment and off-site removal. As noted above, the final treatment of the resulting waste can be solidified with concrete to form solidified final waste, which can be performed separately from or together with the solidification of the waste resin. This densifies the resulting waste, and the final waste contains a lower level of Curie per cubic meter than the resulting waste used to form the final waste. Furthermore, the radionuclide waste extraction method using the waste extraction system 100 described herein is effective in removing most of the target radionuclide, such that the final waste formed from the resulting waste retains a low level of radioactivity.

[0064] For example, the resulting waste may contain Sr-90 of less than 0.25 curies per cubic meter, such as less than 0.2 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.15 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.1 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.08 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.06 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.05 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.04 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.03 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.02 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.01 curies per cubic meter, or any value within a range having any two of these values ​​as endpoints. The resulting waste may also contain less than 10 curies per cubic meter of Cs-137, for example, less than 8 curies per cubic meter, less than 6 curies per cubic meter, less than 5 curies per cubic meter, less than 4 curies per cubic meter, less than 2 curies per cubic meter, less than 1 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.75 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.5 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.25 curies per cubic meter, less than 0.1 curies per cubic meter, or any value within a range having any two of these values ​​as endpoints. In some embodiments, the resulting waste contains less than 0.04 curies per cubic meter of Sr-90 and less than 1 curies per cubic meter of Cs-137. In some embodiments, the final dense waste contains less than 0.04 curies per cubic meter of Sr-90 and less than 1 curies per cubic meter of Cs-137.

[0065] Furthermore, the aforementioned Curie / cubic meter value in the resulting waste can be implemented using the waste extraction system 100 described herein in an embodiment, in which the initial waste stream (i.e., the waste stream passing through the upstream segment 162 of the main waste path 160) contains Sr-90 greater than 150 Curie / cubic meter, for example greater than 200 Curie / cubic meter, greater than 300 Curie / cubic meter, greater than 300 Curie / cubic meter, greater than 300 Curie / cubic meter, greater than 500 Curie / cubic meter, greater than 1000 Curie / cubic meter, greater than 2500 Curie / cubic meter, and greater than 5000 Curie / cubic meter. Sr-90, or any value within a range having any two of these values ​​as endpoints, and containing Cs-137 greater than 44 curies / cubic meter, such as greater than 50 curies / cubic meter, greater than 100 curies / cubic meter, greater than 250 curies / cubic meter, greater than 500 curies / cubic meter, greater than 800 curies / cubic meter, greater than 1000 curies / cubic meter, greater than 1500 curies / cubic meter, greater than 2000 curies / cubic meter, greater than 3500 curies / cubic meter, or Cs-137 with any two of these values ​​as endpoints.

[0066] As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “almost,” “roughly,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning consistent with common and accepted usage by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will understand that these terms are intended to allow for the description of certain features described and claimed, rather than limiting the scope of those features to precise numerical values ​​or idealized geometric forms provided. Therefore, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that non-substantial or irrelevant modifications or alterations to the described and claimed subject matter are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

[0067] As used herein, the term "connection" and its variations mean that two components are directly or indirectly connected to each other. Such a connection can be immovable (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). This connection can be achieved by directly connecting two components to each other, by connecting two components to each other using a single intermediate component and any additional intermediate components, or by connecting two components to each other using an intermediate component that is integrally formed with one of the two components as a single unit. If "connection" or its variations are modified by an additional term (e.g., direct connection), the general definition of "connection" provided above is modified by the common linguistic meaning of the additional term (e.g., "direct connection" means the connection of two components without any single intermediate component), resulting in a narrower definition than the general definition of "connection" provided above. Such a connection can be mechanical, electrical, optical, or fluid.

[0068] References to the position of elements (e.g., "top", "bottom", "above", "below") herein are used only to describe the orientation of the various elements in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the orientation of the various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and such variations are intended to be covered by this disclosure.

[0069] Although the accompanying drawings and descriptions may show a specific order of method steps, the order of these steps may differ from the order depicted and described unless otherwise stated above. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated above, two or more steps may be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously. For example, such variation may depend on the chosen software and hardware systems and the designer's choices. All such variations are within the scope of this disclosure. Similarly, the software implementation of the described methods can be implemented using standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to implement various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.

[0070] While specific embodiments have been shown and described herein, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, although various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described herein, these aspects need not be used in combination. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover all such changes and modifications within the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. A method for extracting radioactive nuclide waste, the method comprising: The waste stream is guided from the upstream section of the main waste path to the waste stream input end of the anion exchange column, wherein: The waste stream contains uranium and one or more targeted radioactive nuclides; The anion exchange column contains anion exchange resin; A cation exchange column containing cation exchange resin is fluidly connected to the anion exchange column along the main waste path and positioned downstream of the anion exchange column; and The rinsing preparation tank is fluidly connected to the anion exchange column; Uranium from the waste stream is adsorbed onto the anion exchange resin contained in the anion exchange column; The waste stream is directed from the anion exchange column to the cation exchange column; One or more target radionuclides are adsorbed onto the cation exchange resin contained in the cation exchange column; Remove the waste anion exchange resin from the anion exchange column; and Fresh anion exchange resin is guided from the rinsing preparation tank into the anion exchange column.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more target radionuclides include strontium-90 and cesium-137.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The anion exchange resin includes an initial adsorption capacity, and the waste anion exchange resin has an adsorption capacity of 85% or less of the initial adsorption capacity.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising guiding the waste stream from the cation exchange column to a column effluent tank, wherein, The waste stream entering the columnar effluent tank contains less than 0.04 curies per cubic meter of strontium-90 and less than 1 curie per cubic meter of cesium-137.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, before removing the waste anion exchange resin: The elution acid is directed into the anion exchange column to desorb uranium from the anion exchange resin in the first elution acid wash, thereby forming a uranium waste stream; as well as After the first elution and acid washing, the waste stream is guided from the upstream section of the main waste path to the anion exchange column, and uranium is adsorbed onto the anion exchange resin.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising guiding the uranium waste stream from the anion exchange column along the waste removal path to a column effluent tank, wherein, The waste removal path extends from the anion exchange column, bypassing the cation exchange column, to the column effluent tank.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising guiding the uranium waste stream from the anion exchange column along a removal path to a secondary collection tank, and guiding the waste stream from the cation exchange column to a column effluent tank.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein after the first elution and acid washing and before removing the waste anion exchange resin, the method further comprises: The elution acid is directed into the anion exchange column to desorb uranium from the anion exchange resin in a second elution acid wash; as well as After the second elution and acid washing, the waste stream is guided from the upstream section of the main waste path to the anion exchange column, and uranium is adsorbed onto the anion exchange resin.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: Before removing the waste anion exchange resin and guiding fresh anion exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank into the anion exchange column, at least three elution acid washes are performed.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Removing waste anion exchange resin from the anion exchange column includes: Stop the flow of the waste stream from the upstream section of the main waste path to the waste stream input end of the anion exchange column; and The waste anion exchange resin is guided from the anion exchange column to the waste resin tank; and While the flow of waste material from the upstream section of the main waste path is stopped, fresh anion exchange resin is guided from the rinsing preparation tank into the anion exchange column; and After guiding fresh anion exchange resin from the rinsing preparation tank into the anion exchange column, the method further includes restoring the flow of the waste stream from the upstream section of the main waste path to the waste stream input end of the anion exchange column.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The rinsing preparation tank is fluidly connected to the cation exchange column, and the method further includes: Remove the waste cation exchange resin from the cation exchange column; and Fresh cation exchange resin is guided from the rinsing preparation tank into the anion exchange column.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The rinsing preparation tank is a first rinsing preparation tank, and the method further includes: Remove the waste cation exchange resin from the cation exchange column; and Fresh cation exchange resin is guided from the second rinsing preparation tank into the cation exchange column.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The waste stream in the upstream segment of the main waste path contains 1 gram per liter or more of uranium; and The waste stream in the upstream section of the main waste path contains uranium at a g / L level that is at least 500 times the g / L levels of both strontium-90 and cesium-137.

14. A waste extraction system, comprising: An anion exchange column, which contains anion exchange resin and is fluidly connected to the upstream section of the main waste path; A cation exchange column containing cation exchange resin and fluidly connected to an anion exchange column along the main waste path, wherein the anion exchange column is upstream of the cation exchange column; A column-type effluent tank, wherein the column-type effluent tank is located downstream of the anion exchange column and the cation exchange column; A rinsing preparation tank, fluidly connected to the anion exchange column; and A radiation shielding system is positioned between the anion exchange column and the cation exchange column and the rinsing preparation tank, wherein the radiation shielding system forms a radiation barrier between the anion exchange column and the cation exchange column and the rinsing preparation tank.

15. The waste extraction system according to claim 14, wherein, The rinsing preparation tank is fluidly connected to the anion exchange column via an anion exchange resin input path, and the rinsing preparation tank is fluidly connected to the cation exchange column via a cation exchange resin input path.

16. The waste extraction system according to claim 14, wherein, The rinsing preparation tank is a first rinsing preparation tank, and the waste extraction system includes a second rinsing preparation tank fluidly connected to the cation exchange column, wherein the first rinsing preparation tank contains fresh anion exchange resin, and the second rinsing preparation tank contains fresh cation exchange resin.

17. The waste extraction system of claim 14 further includes an elution acid source fluidly connected to the anion exchange column.

18. The waste extraction system according to claim 17, wherein, The anion exchange column comprises: Both the waste stream inlet and the elution inlet are located at the first end of the anion exchange column, wherein the waste stream inlet is fluidly connected to the upstream section of the main waste path, and the elution inlet is fluidly connected to the elution acid source; and Both the waste stream output end and the elution output end are located at the second end of the anion exchange column, wherein the elution output end is fluidly connected to the waste removal path, and the waste stream output end is fluidly connected to the cation exchange column.

19. The waste extraction system according to claim 18, wherein, The waste removal path extends from the anion exchange column, bypassing the cation exchange column, to the column effluent tank.

20. The waste extraction system according to claim 18, wherein, The waste removal path extends from the anion exchange column to the secondary collection tank.

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