METHOD OF PYROMETALLURGICAL PROCESSING OF WASTES, DEPLETED MATERIALS AND USED UP ARTICLES Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: metallurgy, particularly, pyrometallurgical processing of wastes: metal and solid mixed radioactive wastes and irradiating fuel elements and heatliberating assemblies containing depleted fuel of nuclear reactors. SUBSTANCE: method includes charging of wastes into melting furnace with melt; treatment of melt with chemical reagents, separation of phases and withdrawal of melt from furnace. Melting furnace is used in form of vacuum coreless induction furnace with metal split cooled crucible. In this case, wastes are charged into two-phase melt consisting of metal and nonmetal phases with electromagnetic mixing. EFFECT: excluded absorption of radioactive elements by melting crucible to avoid formation of new type of radioactive wastes in form of depleted crucible material, conduction of process operation in required atmosphere. 18 cl, 2 ex