A method of follow-up decontamination operation for the polluted storage canister of a high activity nuclear waste storage facility, using needle and steel brushes driven by pneumatic tools for abrading the bottom and the inner wall of the storage canister to remove contaminants, a multi-level filter system for air filtration and removing pollutants in the storage canister, and a cover to be used in association with the pneumatic tools and the multi-level filtration system suitable to cap the storage canister, thus effectively block the exposure of contaminant of the storage canister to the external environment, achieving effective decontamination of the radioactive waste and reducing spreading to the environment.

A nanocomposite solid material includes nanoparticles of a metal coordination polymer with CN ligands comprising M.sup.n+ cations, in which M is a transition metal and n is 2 or 3; and anions [M′(CN).sub.m].sup.x− in which M′ is a transition metal, x is 3 or 4, and m is 6 or 8. The M.sup.n+ cations of the coordination polymer are bound through an organometallic bond to an organic group of an organic graft chemically attached inside the pores of a support made of porous glass. The material can be used in a method for fixing (binding) a mineral pollutant, such as radioactive cesium, contained in a solution by bringing the solution in contact with the nanocomposite solid material.

The invention relates to an apparatus for treating waste material including organic components and radioactive agents. In the apparatus the waste material including organic components and radioactive agents are gasified at temperature between 600-950° C. in a fluidized bed reactor to form a gaseous material. The gaseous material is than cooled in a water quenching device so that temperature is between 300-500° C. after the cooling. The solid fraction including radioactive agents is removed from the gaseous material in a in at least one filtration device. A gas scrubbing device then removes sulphur by scrubbing the treated gaseous material after the filtration in order to form a treated gaseous material.

The invention relates to an apparatus for treating waste material including organic components and radioactive agents. In the apparatus the waste material including organic components and radioactive agents are gasified at temperature between 600-950° C. in a fluidized bed reactor to form a gaseous material. The gaseous material is than cooled in a water quenching device so that temperature is between 300-500° C. after the cooling. The solid fraction including radioactive agents is removed from the gaseous material in a in at least one filtration device. A gas scrubbing device then removes sulphur by scrubbing the treated gaseous material after the filtration in order to form a treated gaseous material.

A decontamination paste comprising at least one inorganic viscosifier selected from clays, at least one compound in the form of fibers and optionally further one or more optional components, the remainder being of solvent. A method for decontaminating a substrate made of a solid material using the paste, the substrate being contaminated by at least one contaminant species referred to as the labile contaminant species and/or by at least one contaminant species referred to as the surface contaminant species located on one of the surfaces thereof, and/or by at least one contaminant species referred to as the subsurface contaminating species located just below said surface, and/or by at least one contaminant species located under the surface in the depth of the substrate.

A method of decontaminating a metal surface located on a component within a nuclear plant, in particular within the cooling system of a nuclear power plant, which is covered with a metal oxide layer containing radioactive substances, the method including a decontamination step in which a metal oxide layer pretreated in an oxidation step is contacted with an aqueous solution of an organic acid to dissolve the metal oxide layer, forming a decontamination solution containing the organic acid, metal ions and the radioactive substances, and passing the decontamination solution over an ion exchanger to immobilize metal ions and radioactive substances. An oxidant selected from oxygen, air, hydrogen peroxide and ozone is dosed into the decontamination solution to control the dissolution rate of the metal oxide layer. The method is particularly suitable for large-scale system decontamination and ensures high process stability.

A method of decontaminating a metal surface located on a component within a nuclear plant, in particular within the cooling system of a nuclear power plant, which is covered with a metal oxide layer containing radioactive substances, the method including a decontamination step in which a metal oxide layer pretreated in an oxidation step is contacted with an aqueous solution of an organic acid to dissolve the metal oxide layer, forming a decontamination solution containing the organic acid, metal ions and the radioactive substances, and passing the decontamination solution over an ion exchanger to immobilize metal ions and radioactive substances. An oxidant selected from oxygen, air, hydrogen peroxide and ozone is dosed into the decontamination solution to control the dissolution rate of the metal oxide layer. The method is particularly suitable for large-scale system decontamination and ensures high process stability.

The invention is intended for integrated decontamination of soils contaminated with mercury (amalgam) or/and radionuclides. Method for soil decontamination includes preparation of pulp by mixing soils with water at the soil sampling point with separation of fraction with fragments more than 100 mm in the pulp preparation module, disintegration of pulp and soil aggregates in the disintegration module with separation of plants residues and fraction with fragments more than 10 mm. Pulp thickening. In the hydroclassification module the pulp is separated into sand and fine particle fractions, the fine particle fraction goes to the dehydration module, designed as a concentrator, where it is thickened and dehydrated for further disposal. If mercury and amalgam are present in soils they are separated in the thickening module. Technical result—implementation of a low-waste nonchemical technology for decontamination of soil from mercury, its water-insoluble forms, amalgam or/and radionuclides in a single technological process without equipment resetting, separation of metal mercury or its amalgam.

Provided is a remotely operated manipulator which can be applied to a space which is wider on a back side than at an opening part, which has a simple structure, high stiffness, and high reliability. The remotely operated manipulator of the present invention includes: a circular base fixed to a wall surface; a beam which rotates on the circular base; a trolley which moves on the beam; and a mast which is raised and lowered with respect to the trolley and is mounted with a tool unit at a tip. Stiffness is improved by directly fixing the beam to the wall surface by a beam fixing device. Further, a work region is expanded by mounting a bending mast on the tip of the mast.

Provided is a remotely operated manipulator which can be applied to a space which is wider on a back side than at an opening part, which has a simple structure, high stiffness, and high reliability. The remotely operated manipulator of the present invention includes: a circular base fixed to a wall surface; a beam which rotates on the circular base; a trolley which moves on the beam; and a mast which is raised and lowered with respect to the trolley and is mounted with a tool unit at a tip. Stiffness is improved by directly fixing the beam to the wall surface by a beam fixing device. Further, a work region is expanded by mounting a bending mast on the tip of the mast.