Patent ID: 10573423

Abstract:
A method for thermal volume reduction of waste material contaminated with radionuclides includes feeding the waste material into a fluidized bed reactor, injecting fluidizing gas into the fluidized bed reactor to fluidize bed media in the fluidized bed reactor, and decomposing the waste material in the fluidized bed reactor. A system for thermal volume reduction of the waste material includes one or more of a feedstock preparation and handling system, a fluidized bed reactor system, a solids separation system, and an off-gas treatment system. The method and system may be used to effectively reduce the volume or radioactive wastes generated from the operation of nuclear facilities such as nuclear power plants including wastes such as spent ion exchange resin, spent granular activated carbon, and dry active waste. The majority of the organic content in the waste material is converted into carbon dioxide and steam and the solids, including the radionuclides, are converted into a waterless stable final product that is suitable for disposal or long-term storage.