An object to be decontaminated contaminated with radioactive material is introduced into an acid eluting solvent to dissolve the radioactive material. The radioactive material dissolved is concentrated and separated from the eluting solvent in the present method. The object to be decontaminated comprises contaminated soil and contaminated liquid. One or both of the contaminated soil and the contaminated liquid are collected and introduced into the eluting solvent. The radioactive materials and the object to be decontaminated dissolved in the eluting solvent are separated into solid and liquid. The decontaminated soil separated from the eluting solvent is collected. The eluting solvent used for separating the radioactive material and in which radioactive material is dissolved is concentrated.

A vacuum assembled along a centerline axis used to collect fissile material. The vacuum includes a housing having internal chamber, a top end having a top opening, a bottom end having a bottom opening, and a radial intake port opening. The vacuum includes a suction apparatus having an intake disposed at the intake opening and having a hose connection means for mating with a vacuum hose assembly. The suction apparatus also includes a flow-through fan disposed in the top opening. The fan intakes and exhausts the airflow in a direction parallel with the centerline axis. The suction apparatus also includes a container connection means disposed at the bottom opening for connecting an external container to bottom end of the housing. There is also provided a first cylindrical free space having a center point disposed along the centerline axis and a diameter passing through the center point. The diameter of the first cylindrical free space is less than or equal to the safe diameter for the fissile material of interest. The vacuum cleaner apparatus is sized to fit entirely within the diameter of the first free space. Therefore, the vacuum apparatus constitutes a single fissile unit that is safe by passive geometry control to prevent the potential for a nuclear criticality in the vacuum.

A loop dissolution system specifically suited for dissolving uranium compounds in an acidic bath that continually circulates the acid over the uranium compound to be dissolved. The dissolution system includes an upper material feed dissolution plate on which the material to be dissolved is fed, a lower mixing and dissolution ring and a drop pipe system connecting and establishing fluid communication between the upper material feed dissolution plate and the lower mixing and dissolution ring. A pump for circulating the acidic fluid has an intake from the lower mixing and dissolution ring and an outlet that directs a first portion of a fluid to the upper material feed dissolution plate and a second portion of the fluid back into the lower mixing and dissolution ring to circulate the material suspended in the fluid within the lower mixing and dissolution ring to promote turbulence and facilitate dissolution.

An electrolytic treatment system to decontaminate the surface of a radioactively contaminated metallic workpiece has at least two electrodes in close proximity to the surface but not in direct electrical contact. The electrodes are separated from the surface by an electrolyte. Insulation is provided in the electrolyte between the electrodes to avoid or minimize a direct current path between the electrodes though the electrolyte.

A sparger includes a main pipe connecting inside and outside of a water tank having a storage space therein for storing cooling water, so as to define a flow path through which steam and air containing radioactive materials generated outside the water tank are discharged into the cooling water, a header part connected to one end portion of the main pipe located in the storage space, and having a storage chamber in which the steam and air transferred through the main pipe are collected, and a plurality of discharge nozzles disposed in a spacing manner, each having inlet and outlet formed on one end located in the storage chamber and another end located in the storage space, respectively, to discharge the steam and air from the storage chamber to the storage space, and at least some of the plurality of discharge nozzles protruding from the header part by different lengths.

Radioactive material adsorbing clay material effectively and efficiently removes radioactive material, namely radium, from aqueous fluids, thereby purifying the same. Methods of synthesizing and using the same are further provided.

A canister for interim storage and subsequent consolidation of waste materials via hot pressing and comprising at least one ion exchange material. The canister is configured to house the ion exchange material after it is exchanged with a contaminating ion without releasing the contaminating ion and to consolidate waste materials via hot-isostatic pressing. A method comprising contacting a fluid waste with an ion exchange material.

An apparatus (10) is described for removing radioactive contamination, at least in part, from a first article (A1) comprising a metal, preferably wherein the metal comprises and/or is a low melting point metal for example lead and/or an alloy thereof. The apparatus (10) comprises a heated first vessel (100A) for melting the metal, at least in part, therein, thereby providing a melt (M) therefrom. The apparatus (10) comprises casting means (200) for forming a second article (A2), particularly a sheet, having a predetermined thickness (T), from the melt, preferably wherein the casting means (200) comprises and/or is a rotatable roller (210) arrangeable to contact the melt (M) to thereby form thereon the second article (A2) and a guide (220) arranged to remove the second article (A2) from the roller (210). The apparatus (10) comprises a set of radiation detectors (300), including a first radiation detector (300A), arranged to detect a first fraction of the radioactive contamination, if present, in a first part (P1) of a set of parts of the second article (A2), preferably wherein the set of radiation detectors (300) comprises opposed first and second radiation detectors (300A, 300B) arranged to receive the second article (A2) traversing therebetween. The apparatus (10) comprises a cutter (400) arrangeable to excise the first part (P1) of the second article (A2) therefrom.

In a submersible ultrasonic cleaning system for use in highly radioactive environments (e.g., cleaning radiated nuclear fuel assemblies), a bond between energy producing transducers and an radiating wall is strengthened with a polyurethane adhesive such as Permabond PT326, or 3M DP-190 adhesive. In various diagnostic tests, one or more of the transducers are operated in an energy-transmitting mode while one or more other transducers are operated in an energy-detecting mode to detect a weakened transducer/wall bond and/or acoustic conditions of the working fluid.

A method for at least partially disrupting or removing radioactive deposits formed on a surface of a structure in a nuclear water reactor is disclosed. The method includes identifying the structure, taking the structure out of operational service, isolating the structure, contacting the surface of the structure with an aqueous solution, and adding an effective amount of an elemental metal in solid form to the aqueous solution. The effective amount includes an amount to at least partially disrupt or remove the radioactive deposits formed on the surface of the structure. The method is conducted at ambient temperature. The radioactive deposits include oxide-containing radionuclides deposited on the surface. The surface is a primary side structure in the nuclear water reactor.