AW: Thermal disposition of Radioactive Material

["Franz Schoenhofer" <franz.schoenhofer@CHELLO.AT>]

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

[mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]Im Auftrag von Richard Jones

Gesendet: Donnerstag, 28. August 2003 17:45

An: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

Betreff: Thermal disposition of Radioactive Material





To all



I was wondering if there is anyone who may have some experience with

the thermal disposal of radioactive waste.  I work in our Radiation

Safety Department and we and the waste operation personnel of the plant

are considering this method of disposal, but I have some questions

regarding this.  Things such as ventilation, containmenth, hepa filter

use etc..

----------------------------------------------



Richard,



It is not really clear for me, what kind of installation you are thinking

of. Thermal treatment of radioactive waste might be for low-level or

intermediate waste (or both). Thermal treatment of high-level waste is

hopefully not your task. What I know about are incineration plants, reducing

the volume (and the costs of disposal) of low- and intermediate radioactive

waste - this may be ion-exchange resins from water-purification units of

NPP, paper tissues used in nuclear installation, liquid scintillation waste

from in-vitro diagnostics etc. etc. The plants I know - and there must be

hundreds around the world - are complicated and commercial plants, highly

engineered and sophisticated. Even big hospitals usually do not have their

own incineration facilities, because they would emit radionuclides above

legal limits of I-131 or other radionuclides.



If you intend to get rid of radioactive waste, I would recommend to ship it

to the next available contractor, or if it is of an enormous volume that it

would pay to build an own waste incinderator I recommend to contact existing

plants in order to find out which company could construct it for you - good

luck!



Franz





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