Method and apparatus for separating radioactive constituents from gas or vapors escaping accidentally from nuclear reactors

摘要

To separate tritium from gases and/or vapors escaping accidentally from a nuclear reactor, before the gases or vapor are discharged into the atmosphere, the gases or vapor are fed through a line 5 into a reservoir 3 of deionized light water which is maintained at its boiling point in a heat insulated vessel 1. The tritium is accumulated in the water in the reservoir 3 and any tritium which passes from the reservoir 3 in light water steam is condensed by surface condensors 8 in a steam dome 9. Any possible residue of tritium in the steam leaving through an outlet 10 at the top of the dome 9 is separated out in the form of droplets by a drier cyclone connected directly downstream of the outlet 10.