Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for extracting tritium from an irradiated boiling water reactor control rod having cruciform shaped blades that have been removed from service, the control rod blades having an elongated dimension along an axial length thereof, a clad exterior and an interior chamber housing a neutron absorbing material, the method comprising the steps of:segmenting the cruciform shaped control rod blades longitudinally along a central spline to separate the blades into four separate panels;separately placing a first band of malleable metal laterally around at least some of the panels, respectively, substantially at a first end;separately placing a second band of malleable metal around the at least some of the panels, respectively, substantially at a second end;crimping the bands of malleable metal to the clad exterior of the panels;forming an inlet penetration through the band of malleable metal and clad exterior of the panels at the first end;forming an outlet penetration through the band of malleable metal and clad exterior of the panels at the second end;connecting a conduit to the interior of the clad exterior of the panels in a substantially closed loop from the inlet penetration through the clad exterior of the panels substantially at the first end along the elongated dimension of the clad exterior of the panels to the outlet penetration through the clad exterior of the panels substantially at the second end along the elongated dimension of the clad exterior of the panels;transporting a carrier fluid into the inlet penetration and out the outlet penetration and through the conduit; andpassing the carrier fluid from the outlet penetration through a tritium getter filter before returning the carrier fluid to the inlet penetration. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier fluid is a gas. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the gas is either oxygen or argon. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier fluid is heated prior to entering the inlet penetration. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the tritium getter filter has an active ingredient comprising yttrium or zirconium. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transporting the carrier fluid includes the step of pumping the carrier fluid under pressure. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transporting the carrier fluid includes the step of drawing the carrier fluid through the conduit with a vacuum. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the bands of malleable metal are formed from 303 stainless steel. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the bands of malleable metal are approximately ⅛ in. (0.32 cm.) thick and 4 to 6 in. (10.16 to 15.24 cm.) in width.