초록 ▼

Method of maximizing resin utilization and optimizing reverse osmosis performance to polish an aqueous or radwaste fluid. The method provides resin scavenging of targeted isotopes and exposes filter media and resin to a higher influent activity concentration to enable higher waste loading and longer

Method of maximizing resin utilization and optimizing reverse osmosis performance to polish an aqueous or radwaste fluid. The method provides resin scavenging of targeted isotopes and exposes filter media and resin to a higher influent activity concentration to enable higher waste loading and longer life of resin while protecting downstream reverse osmosis system from high concentration of contaminants. An aqueous waste feedstream is processed through steps of filtering, demineralizing, and reverse osmosis; and the feedstream is separated into permeate and reject streams for recycling and evaluation, respectively. The permeate stream is recycled in ways that permit it to return to a supply area for recycle reuse or discharge. One of the steps in the invention reduces concentration of undesirable constituents in the reject stream which may adversely affect waste classification for packaging, shipping and disposal and protect personnel from radiation exposure by reducing the overall dose rate of the processed reject stream and reverse osmosis system.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of processing an aqueous radioactive fluid or (AF) to maximize boron control, said (AF) having radioactive isotopes and at least salt, boron and nonradioactive constituents, supplied to a supply area from a source area consisting of a group of source areas including

What is claimed is: 1. A method of processing an aqueous radioactive fluid or (AF) to maximize boron control, said (AF) having radioactive isotopes and at least salt, boron and nonradioactive constituents, supplied to a supply area from a source area consisting of a group of source areas including a nuclear reactor, a radwaste system and a nuclear reactor plant facility; said method having at least one step of conveying a liquid volume of the (AF) to a sole discharge and release point for liquid effluents of the (AF) in an ambient environment apart and outside of the source area, said method comprising the steps of: (a) demineralizing the (AF) by or as a function of ion exchange for enhancing boron passage through the RO membranes and for reduction of the amount of radioactive isotopes passing therethrough while substantially permitting said salt, boron and nonradioactive constituents to pass through and lowering the pH thereof to an acidic range at least such that substantially most of the boron can later pass through an RO membrane; and then (b) polishing the (AF) by reverse osmosis or (RO), and (c) dividing the (AF) into a permeate liquid volume and a reject liquid volume, the permeate volume having a greater fraction of the boron constituent present in the (AF to permit recovery therefrom and a lower isotopic, organic and mineral content, and the reject volume having a substantially reduced concentration of boron and an increased isotopic, organic and mineral content; (d) recycling the reject volume; and (e) conveying the permeate volume to said at least one step of conveying a liquid volume of the (AF) to a sole discharge and release point for liquid effluents of the (AF) in an ambient environment apart and outside of the source area. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to step (a), the step of filtering the (AF). 3. The method of claim 2; wherein, as a part of step (d), the reject volume being recycled to said filtering step. 4. The method of claim 2; wherein, as a part of, step (d), the reject volume being recycled to the supply area. 5. The method of claim 2; wherein, as a part of step, (d), recycling the reject volume to a radwaste holdup area. 6. The method of claim 1; wherein, as a part of the step (d), the reject volume being recycled to the supply area. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to step (a), the step of carbon filtering the (AF). 8. The method of claim 7, wherein, as a part of step (d) the sub-steps of recycling the reject volume through the carbon filtering step, step (a), step (b), and step (c). 9. The method of claim 7; wherein, as at least a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume back to the supply area. 10. The method of claim 7; wherein, as a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume to a radwaste holdup area. 11. The method of claim 1; wherein, after step (a), the step of further demineralizing the (AF) in a separate area from that of step (a). 12. The method of claim 11; wherein, after said further demineralizing step, the step of filtering the (AF). 13. The method of claim 12; wherein, as at least a part of the filtering step, the sub-step of removing resin, carbon fines and other foulants contained in said (AF). 14. The method of claim 12; wherein: as a part of step (d), the sub-steps of recycling the reject volume through step (a), the further demineralizing step, the filtering step, step (b), and step (c). 15. The method of claim 12; wherein, as at least a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume to the supply area. 16. The method of claim 7; wherein: after step (a), the step of further filtering the (AF). 17. The method of claim 16; wherein, as at least a part of the step of further filtering the (AF), the sub-step of removing resin, carbon fines and other foulants contained in said (AF). 18. The method of claim 16; wherein, as a part of step (d), the sub-steps of recycling the reject volume through the carbon filtering step, step (a), the further filtering step, step (b), and step (c). 19. The method of claim 16; wherein, as at least a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume to the supply area. 20. The method of claim 16; wherein, as a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume to a radwaste holdup area. 21. The method of claim 7; wherein, after step (a), the step of further demineralizing the (AF) in a separate area from that of step (a). 22. The method of claim 21; wherein, after step (c), and before step (d), the step of reject demineralizing the reject volume. 23. The method of claim 22; wherein, as a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume to the supply area. 24. The method of claim 22; wherein, as a part of step (d), the sub-steps of recycling the reject volume through the carbon filtering step, step (a), the further demineralizing step, step (b), and step (c). 25. The method of claim 22; wherein, as a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume to a radwaste holdup area. 26. The method of claim 14; wherein: after steps (b) and (c), the step of adding a chemical substance to the reject volume for one of a group of purposes consisting of pH adjustment to an acidic or alkaline range, precipitation of at least one chemical specie and transformation of at least one chemical specie to an alternate chemical form. 27. The method of claim 14; wherein, after steps (b) and (c), the step of adjusting the pH of the reject volume to an acidic or alkaline range for one of a group of purposes consisting of precipitation of at least one chemical specie and transformation of at least one chemical specie to an alternate chemical form. 28. The method of claim 26; wherein, after said step of adding a chemical substance to the reject volume, the step of reject demineralizing the reject volume. 29. The method of claim 26; wherein: after the step of adding a chemical substance to the reject volume, and as a part of step (d), the sub-steps of at least recycling the reject volume through the carbon filtering step, step (a), the further filtering step, step (b), and step (c). 30. The method of claim 22; wherein, as at least a part of step (d), the reject volume being recycled to the supply area. 31. The method of claim 14; wherein, as a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume to a radwaste holdup area. 32. The method of claim 22; wherein, as a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume to a radwaste holdup area. 33. The method of claim 7; wherein: as a part of step (d), recycling the reject volume back to the supply area. 34. The method of claim 9; wherein: as a part of said recycling the reject volume back to the supply area, the sub-step of adding a chemical substance to the reject volume before reaching the supply area. 35. The method of claim 9; wherein, as a part of said recycling the reject volume back to the supply area, the sub-step of adjusting the pH of the reject volume. 36. The method of claim 23; wherein: after said recycling the reject volume back to the supply area, adding a chemical substance to the supply area. 37. The method of claim 7; wherein: before said carbon filtering step, the step of adding a chemical substance to the (AF) in the supply area. 38. The method of claim 7, wherein after step (a), but before step (b), the step of adding a chemical substance to the (AF). 39. The method of claim 1; wherein: prior to step (b), the step of converting any sodium borate contained in the (AF) to boric acid. 40. The method of claim 7; wherein: prior to step (b), the step of converting any sodium borate contained in the (AF) to boric acid. 41. The method of claim 1; wherein: as a part of step (d), adjusting the pH of the reject volume. 42. The method of claim 1; wherein: after step (a), but prior to step (b), the step of filtering and removing any resin, carbon fines and other foulants contained therein. 43. A method of treating a primary aqueous radioactive fluid or (AF) in a nuclear reactor area to generate at least one permeate liquid volume having boron and non-radioactive components for conveying from the nuclear reactor area for release at an ambient environmental release point for liquid effluents of the (AF) apart and outside of the nuclear reactor area without generating a liquid waste stream for separate non-environmental disposal, and for maximizing resin usage within an ion exchange resin more particularly polishing the (AF) selectively scavenging for targeted isotopes by permitting greater concentrations thereof and exposing filter media and resin to a higher influent activity concentration; the (AF) being supplied to a system at a supply area, said method comprising the steps of: prefiltering the (AF) to reduce fouling constituents therein by a step comprising at least one step selected from a group consisting of: the step of filtering the (AF), the step of filtering a liquid volume on recycle, the step of carbon filtering the (AF) and the step of carbon filtering a liquid volume on recycle; demineralizing the (AF) by gross ion exchange such that between up to about 99% of contaminants, and fouling chemicals and materials in the (AF) are removed with the exception of boron and silica present m the (AF), thereby concentrating those contaminants and isotopes that still remain into demineralization media and lowering the pH of substances that pass through such that substantially most of the boron can later pass through an RO membrane as boric acid moieties; particularly polishing the (AF) by reverse osmosis or (RO) for said selectively scavenging for targeted isotopes, and for other dissolved materials when present and remaining; dividing the (AF) into a permeate volume and a reject volume, the permeate volume having a high concentration and fraction of Boron and a lower isotopic, organic and mineral content, and the reject volume having an increased isotopic, organic and mineral content and a substantially greater concentration of reject ions and contaminants in relation to the (AF) prior to the dividing step; recycling the reject volume to one and further of said steps of the method, at said higher influent activity concentration, for said scavenging for targeted isotopes; and conveying the permeate volume to said ambient environmental release point for liquid effluents of the (AF). 44. The method of claim 43, wherein said selectively scavenging for targeted isotopes includes the step of adjusting the ion exchange media for selective sensitivity for respective isotopes from a group consisting of Antimony, Cobalt, Cesium, Iodine, Tritium, manganese, iron, silver, chromium, niobium, and other environmentally dangerous isotopes and elemental forms. 45. A method utilized in a primary aqueous radioactive liquid or (AF) of a nuclear reactor, for generating an aqueous liquid waste having salts, boron and non-radioactive constituents for release to an outside ambient environment without generating an aqueous waste stream for separate non-environmental disposal, for generating a separate aqueous liquid volume having a reduced volume having substantially only radioactive contaminants, for maximizing resin usage within an ion exchange resin utilized in more particularly polishing the (AF) and in maximizing boron passage through the method's steps; said (AF) being provided to a system at a supply area at the site of the nuclear reactor, said method comprising the steps of: (a) lowering the pH of the (AF) in the supply area to improve boric acid presence and retained passage by the (AF) by selecting a step from a group of steps consisting of passing the (AF) through a hydrogen form cation resin area, and adding an acid constituent to the (AF); (b) polishing the (AF) by reverse osmosis or (RO), and (c) dividing the (AF) into a permeate volume and a reject volume, the permeate volume having an increased concentration of boron present, a lower radioactive contaminant content, and a lower isotopic, organic and mineral content; and the reject volume having a decreased concentration of boron, an increased non-radioactive content and an increased isotopic, organic and mineral content; (d) recycling the reject volume to the supply area and contemporaneously adding and combining with the reject volume in the supply area further amounts of new (AF) to bring the combination to equilibrium or a steady state condition to form a recycled feedstream, and passing the recycled feedstream through, and repeating, said steps (a), (b) and (c) of the method, and upon said recycling conveying a new permeate volume to said outside ambient environment; and (e) conveying the permeate volume to the outside ambient environment. 46. The method of claim 45; wherein, as a part of step (d), homogeneously mixing the reject volume, when recycled to the supply area, with a new aqueous fluid volume. 47. The method of claim 45; wherein, as a part of step (d) the reject volume on recycle and a new aqueous fluid volume being supplied in relation to one another to establish equilibrium. 48. The method of claim 45; wherein the aqueous fluid volume is part of a sub-process comprising aging, settling or coagulating in the supply area.