Patents Examined by Fred Voss
  • Method of heat treating a radioactive surface
    Patent number: 5425072
    Abstract: In a method of treating a surface 12 of an object 10 contaminated with radionuclides 14, a laser source 16 is directed at the surface 12 to apply a local area 18 of intense heat to the surface 12. The laser source 16 is arranged to pass in a raster manner to cause local melting of the surface 12, surface 12 subsequently solidifying and fixing the radionuclides 14 therein. At least one layer of a coating material be applied before or after the application of the intense heat to fix and seal the radionuclides on or in the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: British Nuclear Fuels plc
    Inventors: Lin Li, Peter J. Modern, William M. Steen