Abstract: A process and apparatus for decontaminating parts of nuclear power plants which are contaminated with radioactive material, wherein surface layers are removed from the parts. The parts to be decontaminated are treated with a jet of pressurized water which contains a granular abrasive and which may contain admixed air. The mixed effluent consisting of water, abrasive and detached particles is separated into an aqueous phase and a sludge phase, the sludge phase is dried, and the resulting dry material is separated into abrasive and particles smaller in diameter than the abrasive. The purified abrasive is recycled to the water for forming the jet of water under pressure, and the separated particles are made available for safe disposal.

Abstract: Apparatus for cleaning radioactive tube banks which have open ends contained in a plane, preferably for cleaning the tube banks of tube bank condensers, includes a high-pressure hose, which is pushed through each of the tubes and which at its free end carries a spray nozzle for discharging a cleaning liquid. The hose is disposed between and positively or non-positively coupled to two feed wheels and is advanced and retracted by the feed wheels in a direction which is parallel to the tubes. The feed wheels are provided with a hose drive and mounted in a cleaning carriage, which is movable by a carriage drive in a plane which is defined by a frame. The cleaning carriage is fixed in cleaning positions, and the frame is provided with a device for fixing the frame to the tube bank.