Abstract: Apparatus and method for remotely decontaminating, cleaning, scrubbing or polishing the surface of a nuclear reactor cavity wall. The apparatus includes brushes for scrubbing the surface and a drive mechanism for rotating the brushes. The drive mechanism may be a gear drive, a chain and sprocket drive, or a belt and pulley drive. Connected to the brushes and enclosing the drive mechanism is an sealable enclosure. A drive axle extends from the drive mechanism to a motor which is disposed in a housing connected to and located proximate the enclosure. The motor is capable of rotating the drive axle which in turn operates the drive mechanism for rotating the brushes. A fluid dispenser is also provided for dispensing a cleaning agent against the surface to enhance the cleaning ability of the brushes. A container is attached to the housing for receiving ballast therein so that the brushes may exert a bearing pressure against the surface of the wall for suitably scrubbing the surface.

Abstract: A closed system and method for cleaning articles by means of a volatile cleaning solvent is disclosed herein. The system generally comprises a cleaning chamber having a doorway which, when opened allows access to the interior of the chamber, and when closed seals the chamber interior from the ambient atmosphere, a solvent nozzle disposed within the cleaning chamber for discharging a jet of volatile cleaning solvent on an article within the chamber incident to a cleaning operation, a solvent sump for collecting liquid solvent from the chamber that includes a quantity isolating fluid, which may be water, for forming a liquid curtain over the collected solvent that isolates the solvent from the ambient atmosphere when the chamber door way is opened, and a solvent condenser system connected to the interior of the cleaning chamber for condensing vaporized and atomized solvent discharged by the solvent nozzle into liquid form, and circulating the liquid solvent into the sump.