Patent · US Expired

Method for thermal decomposition treatment of radioactive waste

US4895678A · kind A · utility

32Cited by
14References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 8, 1989
Grant dateJan 23, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 8, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S159/12
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for thermal decomposition treatment of a radioactive waste uses an apparatus comprising a container for holding molten matter of a radioactive waste containing a sodium compound, a pair of electrodes contacting the molten matter, and a power source for applying voltage between the electrodes while changing the polarity thereof every several tens of seconds. In this apparatus, the molten matter can be heated in the container by Joule heat, which is evolved by electric current directly flowed through the molten matter, so that the sodium compound contained in the radioactive waste can be decomposed, vaporized and removed to recover a stabilized radioactive solid as a residue in the container.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.