Patent · US Expired

System and method for removing contaminants from solid surfaces and decontaminating waste

US5457261A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
9References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 8, 1994
Grant dateOct 10, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 8, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P70/10
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for removing a surface layer contaminated with radioactive and/or hazardous material and subsequently treating the waste to remove contaminants and provide an essentially contaminant-free final effluent. The contaminated material is removed by blasting the surface with a pressurized stream of air and sodium bicarbonate abrasive media, and the media is dissolved in water subsequent to the blasing operation. The resulting waste is treated in a sequence of steps including adjustment of pH, aeration and separation into primarily solid and liquid phases by precipitation of solids, which are removed for appropriate disposal. The primarily liquid phase is successively passed through a particle filter, a granulated activated carbon filter and a polishing unit to produce the clean final effluent.

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