SOLID RADIOACTIVE WASTE RECOVERY FACILITY Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear power engineering; recovery of solid radioactive wastes for long-time disposal. SUBSTANCE: facility has loading devices, gas outlet, well with oxidizer feeding pipes, cylindrical cyclone chamber with oxidizer feeding pipes placed between charging device and well, as well as crucible with inductor around it and with slug drain device communicating with well. Cyclone chamber is joined to well through Shoulders carrying cutting tools for crushing radioactive wastes. Crucible has cover carrying on one side eccentrically arranged well and On other side, at cover-to-well joint, inclined starting chamber is built in so that interior communicates with well and crucible; oxygen lances are installed on cover on opposite sides of starting chamber for vertical displacement inside crucible. Wall of the latter are made of nonconducting refractory material and have water-cooled nonmagnetic sections. EFFECT: improved radiation safety due to recovery in cyclone chamber and plasma cutting of large lumps of wastes which prevents clogging of well and provides for uniform porosity of wastes pile; well axis displacement from crucible axis provides for uniform afterburning and melting of wastes thereby eliminating infiltration of radionuclides in steam and aerosol form and also eliminating inductor shorting through arc. 2 dwg