WASTE VOLUME REDUCTION SYSTEM FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

THE PROPOSED WORK IS AIMED AT UTILIZATION OF VIABLE CONCENTRATION PROCESSES; NAMELY ELECTRODIALYSIS, FREEZING AND COMBINATION OF BOTH IN VOLUME REDUCTION (VR) OF LIQUID LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE (LLW) FROM NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS. THE PROCESSES HAVE ADVANTAGES OVER CURRENTLY EMPLOYED VR TECHNIQUES; SUCH AS SIMPLICITY, COMPACTNESS, REDUCED GENERATION OF SOLID WASTE, AND HIGH CONCENTRATION AND DECONTAMINATION FACTORS. THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROPOSED SYSTEM SHALL BE EXAMINED BY DEVELOPMENT OF FLOW SHEETS OF VARIOUS ARRANGEMENTS FOR DIFFERENT LLW STREAMS OF A PWR PLANT. AN OPTIMUM PROCESS SHALL BE SELECTED VIA A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR DETAILED ENGINEERING AND COST ANALYSES. THE SELECTED CONFIGURATION SHALL BE USED TO DRAW A PLAN FOR A PILOT EXPERIMENT ON A SPECIFIC WASTE STREAM. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS AND ACCEPTABILITY BY THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY SHALL BE CONSIDERED. THE APPLICABILITY OF THE SELECTED SYSTEM TO OTHER USES SHALL BE INVESTIGATED.