Concrete decontamination by Electro-Hydraulic Scabbling (EHS). Topical report

Technical Report · Sat Mar 30 04:00:00 EST 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/471461· OSTI ID:471461

Electro-Hydraulic Scabbling (EHS) technology and equipment for decontaminating concrete structures from radionuclides, organic substances, and hazardous metals is being developed by Textron Systems Division (TSD). This wet scabbling technique involves the generation of powerful shock waves and intense cavitation by a strong pulsed electric discharge in a water layer at the concrete surface. The high pressure impulse results in stresses which crack and peel off a concrete layer of a controllable thickness. Scabbling produces contaminated debris of relatively small volume which can be easily removed, leaving clean bulk concrete. This new technology is being developed under Contract No. DE-AC21-93MC30164. The project objective is to develop and demonstrate a cost-efficient, rapid, controllable process to remove the surface layer of contaminated concrete while generating minimal secondary waste. The primary target of this program is uranium-contaminated concrete floors which constitute a substantial part of the contaminated area at DOE weapon facilities.

• Research Organization: Trexton Defense System, Wilmington, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC21-93MC30164
• OSTI ID: 471461
• Report Number(s): DOE/MC/30164--5559; ON: DE97002211
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
CONCRETES
DECONTAMINATION
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
FLOORS
METALS
SHOCK WAVES
STRESSES
THICKNESS
URANIUM