Abstract: A sealant spreader device fills voids around a drilled hole with sealant in glued-in-rod (GIR) structures. A liquid sealant may be applied to the base of a drilled hole. A sealant spreader device is then inserted to the base of the drilled hole, through the sealant. The sealant spreader device is then withdrawn while rotating. The sealant spreader device includes winged sections having contours which force the sealant radially outward toward walls of the hole, into any voids around the circumference of the drilled hole, and leaves a thin layer of sealant around the circumference of the drilled hole.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for treating liquid radioactive waste to provide reusable water, while reducing the overall volume and water content of the removed solid contaminants. The process is carried out in two separate stages, generally in at least two separate locations. In the first stage, the waste is pretreated at a first site, preferably where the waste was generated, to provide clean water, and a concentrated fraction containing removed suspended and dissolved solids, as well as some remaining water. The pretreatment typically involves passing the liquid waste through one or more microfilters, ultrafilter or nanofilters in combination with a reverse osmosis membrane. In the second stage of the process, the concentrated waste fraction, containing the removed solids, is transported to a second site, where it is thermally treated to remove the remaining water and reduce the volume of the remaining solids.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for the disposal of low-level radioactive wastes are disclosed. Under the disclosed method, the waste is first introduced into a preconstructed multipurpose container which comprises a polyethylene inner container disposed within an outer concrete shell. Processing of the waste is carried out within the multipurpose container. The filled container is then transported to a disposal site, followed by storage of the waste at the storage disposal site.The claimed apparatus comprises an empty multipurpose storage container for use in the method. The multipurpose container is adapted for receiving and storing low-level radioactive waste, and comprises a polyethylene inner container disposed within an outer concrete shell.

Abstract: In a cask (10) for the transportation and storage of radioactive materials, an improvement in the shielding means (14) which achieves significant savings in weight and increases in payload by the use of pipes of depleted uranium, tungsten or other dense metal, encapsulating polyethylene cores (20a), dispersed in two to four rows of concentric bore holes (20, 21, 22, 23 or 24) around the periphery of the cask body (11) which is preferably made of ductile iron. Alternatively, rods or small balls of these same shielding materials (21a, 22a, 23a and 24a), alone or in combination, are placed in these bore holes. The thickness, number and arrangement of these shielding pipes (20a) or rods (21a, 22a, 23a or 24a) is varied to provide optimum protection against the neutrons and gamma radiation emitted by the particular radioactive material being transported or stored.

Abstract: In an off-gas recombiner for a nuclear power plant, a preheater, catalyst bed and condenser are arranged in close proximity to each other within an outer shell. Fluid communication between these components is provided by passages of short length and large cross sectional area defined by the outer shell, a semicylindrical vessel liner and a duct or transition piece. In operation, off-gas from a main power plant condenser mixed with dilution steam enters the recombiner vessel, is heated by the preheater, passed through the catalyst bed where free oxygen and hydrogen are recombined into water vapor, and cooled by the condenser where the water vapor is condensed to a liquid. The liquid is returned to the power plant feed water stream while the remaining non-condensable gases are fed to other treatment apparatus. The outer shell is insulated from the heated gases by the stream of inlet off-gas flowing through a passage defined by the outer shell and the vessel liner.