Method and apparatus for extracting tritium and preparing radioactive waste for disposal
Abstract
Apparatus is described for heating an object such as a nuclear target bundle to release and recover hydrogen and contain the disposable residue for disposal. The apparatus comprises an inverted furnace, a sleeve/crucible assembly for holding and enclosing the bundle, conveying equipment for placing the sleeve onto the crucible and loading the bundle into the sleeve/crucible, a lift for raising the enclosed bundle into the furnace, and hydrogen recovery equipment including a trap and strippers, all housed in a containment having negative internal pressure. The crucible/sleeve assembly has an internal volume that is sufficient to enclose and hold the bundle before heating; the crucible's internal volume is sufficient by itself to hold and enclose the bundle's volume after heating. The crucible can then be covered and disposed of; the sleeve, on the other hand, can be reused. 4 figures.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 5077159
- Patent Number(s):
- 5298196
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-883997
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 18 May 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; ISOTOPE SEPARATORS; DESIGN; MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; MATERIALS HANDLING; TRITIUM; ISOTOPE SEPARATION; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; EQUIPMENT; HYDROGEN ISOTOPES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; MATERIALS; NUCLEI; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; RADIOISOTOPES; SEPARATION EQUIPMENT; SEPARATION PROCESSES; WASTES; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; 070100* - Physical Isotope Separation; 052000 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management
Citation Formats
Heung, L K. Method and apparatus for extracting tritium and preparing radioactive waste for disposal. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web.
Heung, L K. Method and apparatus for extracting tritium and preparing radioactive waste for disposal. United States.
Heung, L K. Tue .
"Method and apparatus for extracting tritium and preparing radioactive waste for disposal". United States.
@article{osti_5077159,
title = {Method and apparatus for extracting tritium and preparing radioactive waste for disposal},
author = {Heung, L K},
abstractNote = {Apparatus is described for heating an object such as a nuclear target bundle to release and recover hydrogen and contain the disposable residue for disposal. The apparatus comprises an inverted furnace, a sleeve/crucible assembly for holding and enclosing the bundle, conveying equipment for placing the sleeve onto the crucible and loading the bundle into the sleeve/crucible, a lift for raising the enclosed bundle into the furnace, and hydrogen recovery equipment including a trap and strippers, all housed in a containment having negative internal pressure. The crucible/sleeve assembly has an internal volume that is sufficient to enclose and hold the bundle before heating; the crucible's internal volume is sufficient by itself to hold and enclose the bundle's volume after heating. The crucible can then be covered and disposed of; the sleeve, on the other hand, can be reused. 4 figures.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 29 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Tue Mar 29 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}