A manipulator boom assembly for releasable attachment to a manway of a tank. The manipulator boom assembly includes an elongated and curved boom defining an arcuate shape along a length of the boom, a base adapted to be releasably mounted to the manway of the tank, and a drive coupled to the boom, where the boom is movable by the drive relative to the base and the manway between a retracted position and an extended position within the tank.
Systems and methods are disclosed for utilizing lead-tag configuration with ion exchange systems to increase process efficiency, increase media utilization, and reduce system downtime.
Systems and methods are disclosed for controlling performance of a mixed ion exchange media comprising two or more media. The weighted average of a quantity of the first media having a first rate of exchange to a quantity of a second media having a second rate of exchange is determined based on predetermined requirements for the resulting mixed media. After determining the weighted average, the first and second media are mixed resulting in a mixed media having a third rate of exchange. The mixed media is introduced to an ion exchange column. Contaminated liquid is then introduced to the column creating a mass transfer zone within the column. The mixed media is generally considered optimized when it meets three conditions simultaneously: 100% safety limitation, 100% media capacity used, and effluent criteria are met.
B01D 15/36 - Selective adsorption, e.g. chromatography characterised by the separation mechanism involving ionic interaction, e.g. ion-exchange, ion-pair, ion-suppression or ion-exclusion
C02F 1/28 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by sorption
G01N 30/96 - Investigating or analysing materials by separation into components using adsorption, absorption or similar phenomena or using ion-exchange, e.g. chromatography using ion-exchange
B01J 39/00 - Cation exchangeUse of material as cation exchangersTreatment of material for improving the cation exchange properties
B01J 41/00 - Anion exchangeUse of material as anion exchangersTreatment of material for improving the anion exchange properties
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for a modular reconfigurable shielding system for one or more storage containers in temporary or long term storage. The system comprises shield panels which may be used to shield external faces of containers in a storage configuration to reduce the overall amount of shielding required in a storage facility. Reducing the amount of shielding reduces the storage footprint of each container thus increasing storage capacity and efficiency of the storage facility. The modularity of the shield panels allows storage containers to be easily added and removed from the storage configuration. Additionally, modular shielding allows the amount and type of shielding to be easily reconfigured for differing requirements and storage contents.
A method for manipulating ion concentration to maximize ion exchange media performance is disclosed herein. First a source liquid is directed through an ion concentrator such as a nanofilter, reverse osmosis membrane, or an evaporator/crystallizer. The ion concentrator separates the source liquid into a concentrate stream and a permeate stream wherein the permeate stream comprises a smaller concentration of ions than the concentrate stream. The concentrate stream and/or the permeate stream (input stream) may then be directed through an ion exchange vessel. The ion exchange vessel receives the input stream, enables ion exchange between the ion exchange media in the vessel and the input stream resulting in a liquid output having a smaller concentration of ions than the input stream.
A sealing system (300) for isolating the environment inside a vitrification container from the outside environment comprises a vitrification container with a lid. The lid comprises two or more electrode seal assemblies through which two or more electrodes (250) may be operatively positioned and extend down through the lid into the vitrification container. The electrodes may move axially up and down through the electrode seal assemblies or lock into place. The electrode seal assemblies each comprise a housing (310) having two halves with recessed ring grooves(375). Sealing rings (200) with a split may be placed into the grooves. Gas galleries (376) may be machined or cast into the housing such that they are adjacent to the ring grooves. The gas galleries distribute gas onto the external faces of the sealing rings causing a change in pressure resulting in the sealing rings compressing onto the electrodes and forming a seal.
B09B 3/00 - Destroying solid waste or transforming solid waste into something useful or harmless
C03B 5/00 - Melting in furnacesFurnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture
C03B 5/027 - Melting in furnacesFurnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture in electric furnaces by passing an electric current between electrodes immersed in the glass bath, i.e. by direct resistance heating
F16J 15/46 - Sealings with packing ring expanded or pressed into place by fluid pressure, e.g. inflatable packings
F16J 15/48 - Sealings with packing ring expanded or pressed into place by fluid pressure, e.g. inflatable packings influenced by the pressure within the member to be sealed
F27D 99/00 - Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
H05B 7/12 - Arrangements for cooling, sealing, or protecting electrodes
7.
Selective regeneration of isotope-specific media resins in systems for separation of radioactive isotopes from liquid waste materials
Processes, systems, and methods for selectively regenerating an ion exchange resin generally comprises washing the ion exchange resin with an elution agent that encourages only selected contaminants, and especially selected radioactive isotopes, to disengage or decouple from the resin and enter solution in the elution agent, which thereafter is identified as the elution agent solution. The elution agent solution is then passed through a column of isotope-specific media (ISM). When the selected radioactive isotopes within the elution agent solution come into contact with the constituent media isotopes of the ISM, the selected radioactive isotopes are retained on the reactive surface areas of the ISM or within the interstitial spaces of the porous structures of the constituent media isotopes of the ISM. In some embodiments, the constituent media isotopes of the ISM are embedded, impregnated, or coated with the specific radioactive isotope that the particular ISM are adapted to separate.
Disclosed herein are systems (510, 515, 520), methods, processes, and apparatuses for treating radioactive waste, through systems (510, 515, 520) designed to bind and dry radioactive media and to mechanical devices and techniques that are utilized for removal of granular media from confined spaces (300) (vessels and tanks). The system (510, 515, 520) processes spent ion exchange media for long-term storage.
The present disclosure relates to cable routing approaches that allow cables (1000) to pass through a traditional chain joint (100) without reducing the strength capacity or impairing the range of motion of the joint. The routing approaches permit the cables (1000) to be housed inside the structure of the robotic arm (150) and pass through the chain joint in a manner that does not limit the width of the chain (120).
B25J 19/00 - Accessories fitted to manipulators, e.g. for monitoring, for viewingSafety devices combined with or specially adapted for use in connection with manipulators
F15B 15/06 - Mechanical layout characterised by the means for converting the movement of the fluid-actuated element into movement of the finally-operated member for mechanically converting rectilinear movement into non-rectilinear movement
10.
MOBILE PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR HAZARDOUS AND RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPE REMOVAL
A mobile processing system is disclosed for the removal of radioactive contaminants from nuclear process waste water. The system is fully scalable, modular, and portable allowing the system to be fully customizable according the site-specific remediation requirements. It is designed to be both transported and operated from standard sized intermodal containers or custom designed enclosures for increased mobility between sites and on-site, further increasing the speed and ease with which the system may be deployed. Additionally, the system is completely modular wherein the various different modules perform different forms or stages of waste water remediation and may be connected in parallel and/or in series. Depending on the needs of the particular site, one or more different processes may be used. In some embodiments, one or more of the same modules may be used in the same operation.
A62D 3/33 - Processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless, or less harmful, by effecting a chemical change in the substances by reacting with chemical agents by chemically fixing the harmful substance, e.g. by chelation or complexation
40 - Treatment of materials; recycling, air and water treatment,
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
Nuclear waste treatment services for others, namely,
converting waste by vitrification; batch chemical treatment
services; bioremediation services; consulting in the field
of water treatment; decontamination of hazardous materials;
decontamination of nuclear waste; environmental remediation
services, namely, treatment of hazardous and nuclear waste;
waste management services for hazardous materials; nuclear
waste treatment; providing material treatment information;
providing technical information in the field of waste
management; radiation area decontamination services;
treatment of hazardous liquids; treatment of waste water;
treatment of water used in nuclear reactors. Consultation in the field of health risk assessment, namely,
prediction and assessment of health risks to public and
private agencies, facilities, individuals and locations
following an accidental or terrorist caused release of
chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials;
scientific consulting services relating to hazardous
materials management; detection of contaminants in waste
water; engineering services and consultation for the
detection of contaminants in waste water; environmental
services, namely, technical consultation in the field of
environmental science; engineering services to support
nuclear and hazardous system characterization, replacement,
modifications, remediation, decommissioning and
deconstruction activities.
12.
A BALANCED CLOSED LOOP CONTINUOUS EXTRACTION PROCESS FOR HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
A system and method for tritium separation systems using a mixed bed catalytic exchange process in a Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange/Closed Loop Continuous Process (LPCE/CLCP) system, that operates as a low temperature and low pressure continuous balanced process, designed to rapidly, economically and safely extract and isolate isotope specific products without generating unwanted products in the form of new waste streams.
Systems, methods, and processes for a high throughput, low concentration processing of low activity tritiated light water include the electrolysis of at least some of the tritiated water to produce hydrogen and tritium gas. The hydrogen and tritium gas produced by electrolysis in some cases are combined with heated water vapor to increase throughput and passed through a liquid phase catalytic exchange column, which generally includes a catalyst that includes palladium coated with a hydrophobic polymer. As the hydrogen and tritium gas, along with heated water vapor, rise through the LPCE column, the tritium is retained on the catalyst. Deionized wash water passes down the column (i.e., in the opposite direction of the flow of the hydrogen gas and heated water vapor) and carries the retained tritium out of the LPCE column.
Processes, systems, and methods for selectively regenerating an ion exchange resin generally comprises washing the ion exchange resin with an elution agent that encourages only selected contaminants, and especially selected radioactive isotopes, to disengage or decouple from the resin and enter solution in the elution agent, which thereafter is identified as the elution agent solution. The elution agent solution is then passed through a column of isotope-specificmedia (ISM). When the selected radioactive isotopes within the elution agent solution come into contact with the constituent media isotopes of the ISM, the selected radioactive isotopes are retained on the reactive surface areas of the ISM or within the interstitial spaces of the porous structures of the constituent media isotopes of the ISM. In some embodiments, the constituent media isotopes of the ISM are embedded, impregnated, or coated with the specific radioactive isotope that the particular ISM are adapted to separate.
Submersible media filters and submersible columns for use in removing radioactive isotopes and other contaminants from a fluid stream, such as a fluid stream from the primary coolant loop of a nuclear reactor system or a fluid stream from a spent-fuel pool. Generally, these submersible media filters and submersible columns are adapted to be submersed in the fluid stream, and additionally the filters are adapted to be vitrified after use, resulting in a stabilized, non-leaching final waste product with a substantially reduced volume compared to the original filter. In several embodiments, the submersible media filters and submersible columns include isotope-specific media (ISM).
B01D 29/00 - Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups Filtering elements therefor
B01D 29/46 - Edge filtering elements, i.e. using contiguous impervious surfaces of flat, stacked bodies
16.
ISOTOPE-SPECIFIC SEPARATION AND VITRIFICATION USING ION-SPECIFIC MEDIA
Apparatuses, processes and methods for the separation, isolation, or removal of specific radioactive isotopes from liquid radioactive waste, these processes and methods employing isotope-specific media (ISM). In some embodiments, the processes and methods further include the vitrification of the separated isotopes, generally with the ISM; this isotope-specific vitrification (ISV) is often a step in a larger scheme of preparing the radioactive isotopes for long-term storage or other disposition. A variety of ISM are disclosed.
Systems and methods for reducing the volume of radioactive waste materials through desiccation, pyrolysis and vitrification carried out by microwave heating. The final product of the advanced microwave system is a dryer, denser, compacted waste product. The invention comprises systems in which a layer of waste material is treated by microwaves within a hopper before deposited within the final waste container; systems in which a thin layer of waste material is treated by microwaves after it has been deposited within the final waste container; and systems in which waste material is treated by microwaves within a hopper before being deposited within the final waste container.
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for separating tritium from radioactive waste materials and the water from nuclear reactors. Some embodiments involve the reaction of tritiated hydrogen gases with water in the presence of a catalyst in a catalytic exchange column, yielding a more concentrated and purified tritiated water product. Some embodiments involve the use of a permeation module, similar in some respects to a gas chromatography column, in which a palladium permeation layer is used to separate tritiated hydrogen gas from a mixture of gases.
Systems and processes for reducing the volume of radioactive waste materials through pyrolysis and vitrification carried out by microwave heating and, in some instances, a combination of microwave heating and inductive heating. In some embodiments, the microwave-enhanced vitrification system comprises a microwave system for treating waste material combined with a modular vitrification system that uses inductive heating to vitrify waste material. The final product of the microwave-enhanced vitrification system is a denser, compacted radioactive waste product.
