METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE WATER FROM NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

摘要

A method of and an apparatus for the treatment of radioactive waste water from a nuclear electricity-generating power plant. The radioactive waste water containing soluble solids, usually boric acid, is concentrated by evaporation to a solids concentration above that which will form a saturated solution at room temperature, whereupon the resulting concentrate is introduced into a storage vessel and cooled therein to room temperature. Solids precipitate and sediment in this vessel and water is decanted from the sediment and recycled to the evaporator where the process is repeated. The process allows the amount of waste in terms of the original material treated which must be stored for a given prolonged period, say between one half and three quarters of a year, for radioactive decay prior to packaging of the waste to be significantly reduced by comparison with earlier systems.