Decontamination for decommissioning: EPRI DfD process. Final report
- Bradtec, Ltd., Bristol (United Kingdom)
Chemical decontamination is a technique applied to sub-systems of operational LWR plants for the purpose of reducing radiation exposure to plant workers. Several processes are routinely used for this operation, such as the LOMI process originally developed by EPRI. It is necessary to avoid base metal damage on items of plant which are to be returned operational service whereas removal of a thin layer of base metal is required to achieve the high decontamination effectiveness required for decommissioning. Operational decontamination processes therefore have limited value for decontamination of redundant plant items. EPRI has funded a research project with Bradtec Ltd. to develop a decontamination process for decommissioning which could achieve the necessary effectiveness, while retaining the major features of (and hence experience with) operational sub-system processes. The result of this program is the ``EPRI DfD process`` which is the subject of a patent application. The EPRI DfD process uses dilute fluoroboric acid under conditions of controlled oxidation potential to remove contamination from surfaces and collect the contamination on ion exchange resin. High effectiveness is achievable, for example decontamination factors of 8,000 on stainless steel and 2,000 on Inconel 600 reactor artifacts have been achieved with the process, and these figures are not considered to be limiting. The process can in principle be applied by decontamination vendors` existing equipment, and retains the waste management characteristics typical of sub-system decontamination. There is no chelant present in the ion exchange waste form.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Bradtec Ltd., Bristol (United Kingdom)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 257313
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR--106386
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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