Radioactive Waste Granulation Apparatus for Vitrification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for processing radioactive waste, such as cement hardening and polymer solidification, face issues like iron corrosion, wastewater generation, and complex procedures, making them unsuitable for nuclear power plants with limited space and requiring additional additives that complicate handling and mixing, while also posing pollution risks.
Innovation Solution
A granulation apparatus and method that includes a body frame with a hopper, feeder, stirrer, additive supply, and pellet press to convert radioactive waste into pellets with a lubricant, ensuring suitable hardness and friability, and a vitrification method that analyzes and models glass composition to create a stable vitrified solid suitable for nuclear power plant conditions and regulatory standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cement hardening is used to firm-process radioactive waste, then the waste can be solidified, but iron corrosion and wastewater generation occur during long-term storage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters by using alumina and magnesia as firming agents instead of cement, creating a calcium aluminate magnesia system that eliminates iron corrosion and reduces wastewater generation while maintaining solidification stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces long-term unstable cement with a more stable alumina-magnesia based firming agent that provides durable solidification without the harmful long-term effects of cement corrosion and wastewater
2Reliability
If paraffin firming agent is used to firm-process radioactive waste, then the waste can be solidified, but it fails to meet acceptable disposal criteria
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the firming agent composition from paraffin to a calcium aluminate magnesia system with controlled water content (0.5-5 wt%), achieving both solidification capability and compliance with disposal acceptance criteria through optimized chemical parameters
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional tabletizing method with mixer, powder molding press, and coating apparatus is used, then radioactive waste can be processed into tablets, but the apparatus requires large installation space and complex procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple conventional tabletizing operations (mixing, molding, coating) into a single integrated granulation apparatus that performs all functions in one device, reducing installation space and simplifying procedures while maintaining tablet formation quality
Solution Approach 2:
The granulation apparatus is designed as a multi-functional device that can perform mixing, granulation, and molding operations simultaneously, making it universally applicable for radioactive waste processing without requiring separate dedicated equipment for each function
4Strength
If conventional tabletizing method with multiple additives is used, then tablet hardness and friability can be improved, but handling and mixing procedures become complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the water content parameter (0.5-5 wt%) as a critical control point during granulation, eliminating the need for multiple additives while achieving the required tablet hardness and friability through controlled moisture addition during the mixing and granulation process
5Productivity
If radioactive waste is processed as small particles, then the waste can be thoroughly mixed and processed, but pollution spread risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a sealed granulation chamber with controlled atmosphere to contain small particle radioactive waste during processing, preventing pollution spread while maintaining mixing efficiency through enclosed mechanical mixing and granulation operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus and method simplify the pre-processing of radioactive waste into pellets suitable for vitrification, ensuring compliance with nuclear power plant conditions and regulatory standards, and establish a quality management system for the vitrified solid, addressing the limitations of previous methods by providing a stable and pollution-controlled process.
Implementation Method 1
a stirrer pulverizing/mixing lumps of the radioactive waste supplied through the hopper
Implementation Method 2
an additive supply part disposed at a side of the stirrer to supply a lubricant into the radioactive waste fed into the stirrer
Implementation Method 3
a pellet press pressing the radioactive waste fed through the feeder into a pellet shape and discharging the pressed radioactive waste through the outlet
Implementation Method 4
a feeder transferring/supplying the radioactive waste supplied through the hopper to a specific position and in a certain quantity
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for the granulation of radioactive waste in which a preprocessing method for the vitrification of radioactive waste is simplified to conform to onsite conditions of a nuclear power plant, additives are improved, and pellets suitable for vitrification are manufactured. The apparatus for the granulation of radioactive waste includes: a body frame having an inlet and an outlet; a hopper supplying the radioactive waste to be transferred and fed through the inlet; a feeder transferring/supplying the radioactive waste supplied to a specific position and in a certain quantity; a stirrer pulverizing/mixing lumps of the radioactive waste supplied; an additive supply part supplying a lubricant to the radioactive waste fed into the stirrer; and a pellet press pressing the radioactive waste fed through the feeder into a pellet shape and discharging the pellet through the outlet.