Critically safe vacuum pickup for use in wet or dry cleanup of radioactive materials

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:869231

Zeren, Joseph D ^[1]

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1. 390 Forest Ave., Boulder, CO 80304

A vacuum pickup of critically safe quantity and geometric shape is used in cleanup of radioactive materials. Collected radioactive material is accumulated in four vertical, parallel, equally spaced canisters arranged in a cylinder configuration. Each canister contains a filter bag. An upper intake manifold includes four 90 degree spaced, downward facing nipples. Each nipple communicates with the top of a canister. The bottom of each canister communicates with an exhaust manifold comprising four radially extending tubes that meet at the bottom of a centrally located vertical cylinder. The top of the central cylinder terminates at a motor/fan power head. A removable HEPA filter is located intermediate the top of the central cylinder and the power head. Four horizontal bypass tubes connect the top of the central cylinder to the top of each of the canisters. Air enters the vacuum cleaner via a hose connected to the intake manifold. Air then travels down the canisters, where particulate material is accumulated in generally equal quantities in each filter bag. Four air paths of bag filtered air then pass radially inward to the bottom of the central cylinder. Air moves up the central cylinder, through the HEPA filter, through a vacuum fan compartment, and exits the vacuum cleaner. A float air flow valve is mounted at the top of the central cylinder. When liquid accumulates to a given level within the central cylinder, the four bypass tubes, and the four canisters, suction is terminated by operation of the float valve.

• Research Organization: Rockwell International Corp., Canoga Park, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP03533
• Assignee: Zeren; Joseph D. (390 Forest Ave., Boulder, CO 80304)
• Patent Number(s): US 5301388
• OSTI ID: 869231
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

critically
safe
vacuum
pickup
wet
dry
cleanup
radioactive
materials
quantity
geometric
shape
collected
material
accumulated
vertical
parallel
equally
spaced
canisters
arranged
cylinder
configuration
canister
contains
filter
bag
upper
intake
manifold
90
degree
downward
facing
nipples
nipple
communicates
top
bottom
exhaust
comprising
radially
extending
tubes
meet
centrally
located
central
terminates
motor
fan
power
head
removable
hepa
intermediate
horizontal
bypass
connect
air
enters
cleaner
via
connected
travels
particulate
equal
quantities
paths
filtered
pass
inward
moves
compartment
exits
float
flow
valve
mounted
liquid
accumulates
level
suction
terminated
operation
centrally located
flow valve
hepa filter
critically safe
radially inward
radioactive material
active material
particulate material
air flow
radially extending
radioactive materials
equally spaced
active materials
geometric shape
vacuum pickup
filtered air
tubes connect
dry cleanup
/15/55/