METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DEHYDRATING HIGHLY ACTIVE WASTES BASED ON DEW-POINT TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC G21C19/00 

FIELD: nuclear physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to storage of highly active wastes (HAW), specifically to drying highly active wastes for storage and/or transportation. The method of dehydrating highly active wastes involves the following steps: a) pumping chemically inactive gas though a cavity containing highly active wastes; b) periodic measurement of dew-point temperature of the chemically inactive gas coming out of the cavity; and c) cutting flow of the chemically inactive gas if the measured dew-point temperature of the gas coming out of the cavity within a given time is equal to or below a given dew-point temperature, and sealing the cavity. The system designed for realising the proposed method comprises a container which forms the cavity occupied by the highly active wastes, which has an inlet and an outlet for the chemically inactive gas; a source of the chemically inactive gas; apparatus for passing the chemically inactive gas from the said source through the cavity; and apparatus for periodic measurement of dew-point temperature of the chemically inactive gas coming out of the cavity.

EFFECT: use of the disclosed method and system allows for attaining an acceptable level of dryness of a container with highly active wastes without physical access to contents of the container and without creating pressure below atmospheric pressure inside the container.

22 cl, 6 dwg