RADIOACTIVE METAL WASTE REPROCESSING METHOD AND DEVICE USED FOR METHOD REALISATION Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC C21B13/00 C22B7/00 

FIELD: metallurgy industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to metallurgy industry and to reprocessing of steel and alloy waste, which are fouled with radionuclides, by deactivating them by means of pyrometallurgical methods. Supplied waste is molten continuously in a liquid metal bath of the device the casing of which is cooled with liquid-metal coolant (Na). Waste before being supplied to the working area is heated with exit gases of melt chamber up to 700-800°C in a leak-proof shaft heater installed above the hole provided in upper part of the melt chamber casing. Heated charge is supplied to the device portionwise; the weight of portions is 7.0-8.5% of liquid metal weight, which is available in the device, at maximum weight of one piece of 7% of liquid metal weight. Charge is molten under acid slag layer with temperature of 1600-1650°C. Deactivated metal is continuously discharged while being separated from radioactive slag, and if necessary, the latter fouled with radionuclides is tapped from time to time from the device on its opposite side.

EFFECT: improving the metal deactivating degree, reducing the probable radionuclide evaporation, providing prompt separation of clean deactivated metal from fouled radioactive slag, and melting and deactivating big pieces.

4 cl, 3 dwg