Fixation of Radionuclide Contamination in Ductwork Using Advanced Fogging Formulations

Contamination control is crucial during the deactivation and decommission (D&D) of DOE facilities, as well as during modifications to existing systems, to help eliminate airborne contamination release. This project will develop a capture-coating (fogging) formulation that can be used in existing fogging equipment to improve contamination-control performance in ventilation ducting or other applications where dust and lint are issues. Because a ¿fog¿ acts as a gas, it can be introduced into the ductwork at a very low pressure and low velocity, and will travel throughout the ducting with only an entry and exit point. The improved capture-coating formulation will penetrate large amounts of lint/dust present in the ducting, and make the lint and the radioactive contaminants adhere to the substrate material. The process will allow the ventilation ducting to be removed and compacted without spreading contamination. In Phase I, the formulation will be developed, and feasibility will be evaluated by applying the formulation to a simulated duct containing lint and dust. This will be followed by full scale testing in Phase II. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: In addition to the D&D application, the technology should be applicable to commercial industrial facilities that have airborn constituents ¿ e.g., corrosive or carciniginogenic (e.g., asbestos) substances ¿ that are drawn up into the ventilation system return ducts. In such applications, if a facility is torn down, or if modifications are made to the ductwork, the new formulation could be applied to limit the exposure and release of unwanted constituents.