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Radioactive Waste Control at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell; Traitement des Dechets Radioactifs au Centre de Recherche sur l'Energie Atomique de Harwell; 041a 041e 041d 0422 0420 041e 041b 042c 0417 0410 0423 0414 ; Control de Desechos Radiactivos en el A.E.R.E., Harwell

Abstract

The paper outlines the present practices in the control and treatment of radioactive wastes at Harwell. The large-volume, low-level active liquid effluent is treated by phosphate coagulation methods and, eventually, discharged to the River Thames. The medium-level wastes are segregated and undergo a two-stage chemical treatment followed by passage through columns of Vermiculite. The latter process has been found to be effective in removing radoicaesium, which is not dealt with efficiently by the precipitation methods used. Liquid wastes with a high- activity content are stored and a new plant, incorporating chemical treatment, ion exchange and evaporation, is being installed. The chemical sludges formed in the treatment processes are dumped at sea after de-watering by filtration. The contaminated solid waste is either stored or disposed of at sea. It is important to reduce the volume as much as possible and the methods employed include pressure baling, melting and incineration of combustible matter. Small quantities of activity are discharged to the atmosphere through exhaust stacks. The cleaning of this discharge air is commonly achieved by the use of high-efficiency filters or liquid scrubbing systems. Regular stack monitoring is carried out and this is backed up by a comprehensive district sampling programme. (author)  More>>
Authors:
Burns, R. H. [1] 
  1. United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (United Kingdom)
Publication Date:
Jul 01, 1960
Product Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Scientific Conference on the Disposal of Radioactive Wastes, Monaco (Monaco), 16-21 Nov 1959; Other Information: 4 refs., 11 figs.; Related Information: In: Disposal of Radioactive Wastes. Vol. I. Proceedings of the Scientific Conference on the Disposal of Radioactive Wastes| 615 p.
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; AERE; COMBUSTION; EVAPORATION; FILTRATION; INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES; ION EXCHANGE; LIQUID WASTES; MELTING; PHOSPHATES; PRECIPITATION; RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL; RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING; RIVERS; SEAS; SOLID WASTES; UNITED KINGDOM; VERMICULITE
OSTI ID:
22192384
Research Organizations:
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Paris (France); Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome (Italy)
Country of Origin:
IAEA
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ISSN 0074-1884; TRN: XA13M3508016873
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
page(s) 411-430
Announcement Date:
Feb 20, 2014

Citation Formats

Burns, R. H. Radioactive Waste Control at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell; Traitement des Dechets Radioactifs au Centre de Recherche sur l'Energie Atomique de Harwell; 041a 041e 041d 0422 0420 041e 041b 042c 0417 0410 0423 0414 ; Control de Desechos Radiactivos en el A.E.R.E., Harwell. IAEA: N. p., 1960. Web.
Burns, R. H. Radioactive Waste Control at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell; Traitement des Dechets Radioactifs au Centre de Recherche sur l'Energie Atomique de Harwell; 041a 041e 041d 0422 0420 041e 041b 042c 0417 0410 0423 0414 ; Control de Desechos Radiactivos en el A.E.R.E., Harwell. IAEA.
Burns, R. H. 1960. "Radioactive Waste Control at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell; Traitement des Dechets Radioactifs au Centre de Recherche sur l'Energie Atomique de Harwell; 041a 041e 041d 0422 0420 041e 041b 042c 0417 0410 0423 0414 ; Control de Desechos Radiactivos en el A.E.R.E., Harwell." IAEA.
@misc{etde_22192384,
title = {Radioactive Waste Control at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell; Traitement des Dechets Radioactifs au Centre de Recherche sur l'Energie Atomique de Harwell; 041a 041e 041d 0422 0420 041e 041b 042c 0417 0410 0423 0414 ; Control de Desechos Radiactivos en el A.E.R.E., Harwell}
author = {Burns, R. H.}
abstractNote = {The paper outlines the present practices in the control and treatment of radioactive wastes at Harwell. The large-volume, low-level active liquid effluent is treated by phosphate coagulation methods and, eventually, discharged to the River Thames. The medium-level wastes are segregated and undergo a two-stage chemical treatment followed by passage through columns of Vermiculite. The latter process has been found to be effective in removing radoicaesium, which is not dealt with efficiently by the precipitation methods used. Liquid wastes with a high- activity content are stored and a new plant, incorporating chemical treatment, ion exchange and evaporation, is being installed. The chemical sludges formed in the treatment processes are dumped at sea after de-watering by filtration. The contaminated solid waste is either stored or disposed of at sea. It is important to reduce the volume as much as possible and the methods employed include pressure baling, melting and incineration of combustible matter. Small quantities of activity are discharged to the atmosphere through exhaust stacks. The cleaning of this discharge air is commonly achieved by the use of high-efficiency filters or liquid scrubbing systems. Regular stack monitoring is carried out and this is backed up by a comprehensive district sampling programme. (author) [French] L'auteur decrit les methodes de controle et de traitement des dechets radioactifs qui sont appliquees au Centre de Harwell. Le volume considerable des effluents liquides de faible activite est traite par des methodes de coagulation au moyen des phosphates, puis evacue dans la Tamise. Apres separation, les dechets d'activite moyenne sont soumis a un traitement chimique en deux temps, avant de traverser des colonnes de Vermiculite. On a constate que ce dernier processus eliminait le radio- cesium, ce que les methodes de precipitation utilisees ne permettent pas de faire de maniere efficace. Les dechets liquides d'activite intense sont stockes; on construit une nouvelle usine, qui comprendra des installations pour le traitement chimique, l'echange des ions et l'evaporation. Les impuretes chimiques qui se produisent au cours des processus de traitement sont evacuees dans la mer apres filtrage. Les dechets solides contamines sont stockes ou evacues dans la mer. Il importe de reduire le volume des dechets dans toute la mesure du possible; parmi les methodes appliquees a cet effet, il y a lieu de signaler le paquetage sous pression, la fusion et l'incineration des combustibles. De petites quantites de substances radioactives sont evacuees dans l'atmosphere par des dispositifs d'echappement. D'ordinaire, l'epuration de l'air evacue se fait au moyen de filtres a grand rendement ou de systemes de nettoyage par liquide. On controle regulierement les dispositifs d'echappement et ce controle est complete par l'examen d'echantillons preleves dans toute la region. (author) [Spanish] El autor describe los procedimientos empleados en las instalaciones de Harwell para el control y el tratamiento de desechos radiactivos. Los efluentes liquidos de gran volumen y bajo nivel de actividad se someten a tratamiento utilizando metodos de coagulacion mediante fosfatos y se descargan en el Tamesis. Los desechos de nivel medio de actividad, una vez separados, se someten a un tratamiento quimico en dos faces y seguidamente se les hace pasar a traves de columnas de vermiculita. Se ha comprobado que esta ultima operacion permite separar el radiocesio, lo cual no puede lograrse eficazmente con los metodos de precipitacion empleados. Los residuos liquidos de elevado nivel de actividad pasan a depositos de almacenaje; se esta construyendo una nueva instalacion en la que se combinaran los procedimientos de tratamiento quimico, intercambio ionico y evaporacion. Los lodos quimicos que se producen en los procesos de tratamiento son hundidos en el mar en recipientes especiales, una vez separada por filtracion el agua que contienen. Los desechos solidos contaminados son almacenados o bien hundidos en el mar. Es importante reducir su volumen en la medida de lo posible; los metodos empleados para ello consisten en el embalado a presion, la fusion y la incineracion de los materiales combustibles. Pequenas cantidades de radiactividad pasan a la atmosfera traves de chimeneas. La purificacion de este 'aire que sale de las instalaciones se efectua generalmente mediante filtros de alta eficacia o con sistemas de filtracion por rociado. Las chimeneas son objeto de un control metodico, complementado con un amplio programa de muestreo por sectores. (author) [Russian] V dokumente izlagaetsja porjadok obrabotki radioaktivnyh othodov i kontrolja za ih udaleniem, prinjatyj v Harujelle. Zhidkie othody s nizkoj aktivnost'ju obrabatyvajutsja putem primenenija fosfatno-koaguljacionnogo metoda, a zatem otvodjatsja v Temzu. Othody so srednej aktivnost'ju otdeljajutsja i prohodjat himicheskuju obrabotku v dva jetapa, posle chego oni propuskajutsja cherez vermikulitovye kolonki. Jetot metod pozvoljaet jeffektivno udaljat' iz othodov radioaktivnyj cezij, kotoryj ne poddaetsja osazhdeniju. Zhidkie othody s vysokoj aktivnost'ju otvodjatsja v hranilishha. V nastojashhee vremja stroitsja novaja ustanovka, kotoraja pozvolit provodit' himicheskuju obrabotku takih othodov, budet imet' iono-obmenniki i daet vozmozhnost' osushhestvljat' vyparivanie othodov. Himicheskie materialy, ispol'zovannye dlja obrabotki othodov, posle obezvozhivanija i fil'trovanija otvodjatsja v more. Tverdye radioaktivnye othody libo hranjatsja, libo udaljajutsja v more. Ves'ma vazhno umen'shit' ob'em takih othodov. Dlja jetoj celi tverdye othody plavjatsja, razmel'chajutsja ili szhigajutsja. Nebol'shoe kolichestvo othodov otvoditsja v atmosferu cherez dymohodnye truby. Ochistka otvodimogo takim putem vozduha osushhestvljaetsja s pomoshh'ju vysokojeffektivnyh fil'trov. Reguljarno provoditsja dozimetricheskij kontrol' dymohodnyh trub i vzjatie prob vozduha dlja jetoj celi. (author)}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1960}
month = {Jul}
}