Decontamination of metals using chemical etching

Patent · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:863631

Lerch, Ronald E.; Partridge, Jerry A.

The invention relates to chemical etching process for reclaiming contaminated equipment wherein a reduction-oxidation system is included in a solution of nitric acid to contact the metal to be decontaminated and effect reduction of the reduction-oxidation system, and includes disposing a pair of electrodes in the reduced solution to permit passage of an electrical current between said electrodes and effect oxidation of the reduction-oxidation system to thereby regenerate the solution and provide decontaminated equipment that is essentially radioactive contamination-free.

• Research Organization: Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-14-2170
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): 4,217,192
• Application Number: 06/047446
• OSTI ID: 863631
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 1979 Jun 11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

decontamination
metals
chemical
etching
relates
process
reclaiming
contaminated
equipment
reduction-oxidation
included
solution
nitric
acid
contact
metal
decontaminated
effect
reduction
disposing
pair
electrodes
reduced
permit
passage
electrical
current
oxidation
regenerate
provide
essentially
radioactive
contamination-free
etching process
chemical etching
nitric acid
electrical current
radioactive contamination
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