Volume reduction of spent radioactive ion exchange resin

Patent · Tue Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7225470

Tiepel, E W; Lee, P K; Kitzes, A S; Grover, D L

A process is described for reducing the volume of spent radioactive ion exchange resins which have been used for conditioning water circulated through a nuclear reactor. The spent resins are discharged from the reactor system as radioactive wastes to a spent resin storage tank in the form of a slurry. The slurry is first vacuum dewatered to remove the free water and then the intrinsic water in the wet resin beads is removed by drying in a vacuum fluidized bed chamber utilizing superheated steam which also acts to fluidize the bed. Further drying is accomplished by spraying the partially dried resin and superheated steam through a steam injected two-fluid nozzle for further extraction of intrinsic water from the resins. The steam is discharged to a condenser and the dried resins to an evacuated disposal drum. Approximate 4:1 volume reductions from the resin-water slurry to the dried resin is obtainable by practicing the process. 5 claims, 2 figures.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 4008171
• OSTI ID: 7225470
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
DRYING
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLYMERS
POWER PLANTS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RESINS
STEAM
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING