Patent Number: 
Section: description

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing. A used radiation protector cast into a hopper 1 is sent to a radiation protector pulverizer 2 where it is pulverized to obtain a pulverized radiation protector material. During the pulverization, an appropriate amount of powder is cast into the radiation protector pulverizer 2 from each of a boron powder storage tank A and a bismuth powder storage tank B, which are connected to the radiation protector pulverizer 2. Thus, the pulverized radiation protector material is mixed with the added powders. The boron powder mixed with the pulverized radiation protector material attenuates the energy of neutrons emitted from radioactive substances attached to the pulverized radiation protector material, and the bismuth powder attenuates the energy of gamma radiation emitted by radioactive substances attached to the pulverized radiation protector material to reduce the influence of gamma radiation. Next, the pulverized radiation protector material mixed with the radiation attenuating and absorbing powders is sent into an electric melting furnace 4 by a conveyor 3. While the pulverized radiation protector material is being cast into the electric melting furnace 4, an appropriate amount of powder is cast into the electric melting furnace 4 from each of a silicon powder storage tank C, a lead oxide powder storage tank D and a carbon powder storage tank E, which are connected to the electric melting furnace 4. The added silicon powder is a material for forming the pulverized radiation protector material melted in the electric melting furnace 4 into a glassy state. The lead oxide powder changes the glassy material into a soft state (lead glass) to confine the emissions from radioactive substances. The amount of silicon powder added is larger than the amount of lead oxide powder added. The carbon powder mixed with the pulverized radiation protector material is a material for adjusting the electric current flowing between electrodes used in the electric melting furnace 4. The carbon powder allows the melt temperature of the pulverized radiation protector material to be adjusted with any desired electric current. The molten pulverized radiation protector material forms a glassy melt with the silicon powder and the lead oxide powder. The molten glass of the pulverized radiation protector material flows out of the electric melting furnace 4 into a cooling vessel 5. The molten glass of the pulverized radiation protector material flowing into the cooling vessel 5 cools down with time to become a solid glass body. The energy of radiation from the solidified glass of the pulverized radiation protector material, particularly the energy of gamma radiation and neutrons, is reduced. Regarding exhaust gas from the electric melting furnace 4, radioactive exhaust gas and other noxious gas are absorbed by a carbon gas absorber in a filter 6, and the exhaust gas is stored in a subsequent terminal chamber 7. The terminal chamber 7 is a closed chamber. Even if a radioactive gas flows into the terminal chamber 7, radiation cannot leak out of it.