This invention generally concerns radioactive decontamination of deposits on components in a nuclear power plant and is specifically concerned with improved systems and methods for disrupting, dissolving, removing and reducing at ambient temperature radionuclides formed on the primary side surfaces of components in a pressurized water reactor and the internal components of a boiling water reactor. The methods include identifying the structure, taking the structure out of operational service, contacting the structure with an aqueous solution (e.g., a recirculating flow or static immersion), and adding an effective amount of elemental metal in solid form to the aqueous solution.

Provided are a chemical decontamination method and a chemical decontamination apparatus capable of preventing deterioration of a metal ion exchange resin and performing decontamination at a low cost in a short time. The chemical decontamination method of the invention includes: a reduction decontamination step of supplying a reduction decontamination solution to a decontamination target portion and performing reduction decontamination on a surface of a member constituting the decontamination target portion; a hydrogen peroxide decomposition step of decomposing hydrogen peroxide contained in the reduction decontamination solution after the reduction decontamination step; and a metal ion removing step of removing a metal ion contained in the reduction decontamination solution after the hydrogen peroxide decomposition step.

Methods for processing metal components from the nuclear industry are described. In some embodiments, a method includes processing a component having a surface contaminated with radionuclides by dissolving at least a portion of the surface with an acid solution to produce a waste solution including the radionuclides, and separating the radionuclides from the waste solution. In some embodiments, a method includes processing a component including a target radionuclide by immersing at least a portion of the component in an electrolyte bath, applying an electric current to cause electrodissolution, and electroplating the target radionuclide from the solution onto a cathode. In some embodiments, a method includes processing a metal composite component by dissolving it to produce a solution including dissolved metal and particulate material, and separating the particulate 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.

Methods for processing metal components from the nuclear industry are described. In some embodiments, a method includes processing a component having a surface contaminated with radionuclides by dissolving at least a portion of the surface with an acid solution to produce a waste solution including the radionuclides, and separating the radionuclides from the waste solution. In some embodiments, a method includes processing a component including a target radionuclide by immersing at least a portion of the component in an electrolyte bath, applying an electric current to cause electrodissolution, and electroplating the target radionuclide from the solution onto a cathode. In some embodiments, a method includes processing a metal composite component by dissolving it to produce a solution including dissolved metal and particulate material, and separating the particulate material.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a method of removing radionuclides from radioactive metal waste is provided including a preheating step of preheating atmospheric gas to a target temperature; a supply step of supplying the atmospheric gas to the radioactive metal waste upon the atmospheric gas being preheated to the target temperature in the preheating step; an oxidation step of oxidizing a surface region of the radioactive metal waste by the atmospheric gas; and a removal step of removing an oxidized layer generated in the oxidation step.