Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
222 words
A CONTINOUS PROCESS FOR IMMOBILIZING CESIUM - AND RUTHENIUM - CONTAINING RADIONUCLIDE WASTES AS A COMPLEX METALO-SILICATE PRODUCT WHICH IS VIRTUALLY INSOLUBLE AND NONLEACHABLE IN ALKALINE OR NEUTRAL ENVIRONMENTS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. PASSING A SOLID PREMIX CONSISTING OF (1) A METAL OXIDIZER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXIDES, NITRATES, NITRITES, SULFATES, SULFITES, CARBONATES OR MIXTURES THEREOF, (2) AN INERT MATERIAL SELECTED FROM CRUSHED BASALT OR SAND, AND (3) A METAL FUEL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALUMINUM, SILICON, MAGNESIUM, ZIRCONIUM, TITANIUM OR ALLOYS THEREOF, SAID METAL FUEL HAVING A CONCENTRATION BASED ON WEIGHT OF REACTION MATERIAL WHICH IS SUBCRITICAL TO CONTINUOUS IGNITION REACTION, AND SAID RADIONUCLIDE WASTES AS A NITRATE SALT OR A CALCINED OXIDE INTO A REACTOR; B. ADDING ADDITIONAL METAL FUEL TO SAID REACTOR WHEREBY A COMPLEX METALO-SILICATE MELT IS FORMED BY AN EXOTHERMIC REACTION; C. CONTACTING CONDENSATE OFF GASES FROM SAID REACTION WITH A MIXTURE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SODIUM ALUMINATE AND SODIUM SILICATE OR SODIUM HYDROXIDE AND CLAYS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 90*C AND ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO IMMOBILIZE CESIUM SUBLIMATES AS CESIUM ALUMINOSILICATES, D. RECYCLING SAID CESIUM ALUMINOSILICATE TO SAID REACTOR AS PART OF SAID PREMIX; E. REMOVING RUTHENIUM FISSION PRODUCTS AS REDUCED RUTHENIUM METAL FROM SAID COMPLEX METALO-SILICATE MELT; AND F. CHARGING SAID COMPLEX METALO-SILICATE MELT INTO A CONTAINER FOR STORAGE.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
222 words
A CONTINOUS PROCESS FOR IMMOBILIZING CESIUM - AND RUTHENIUM - CONTAINING RADIONUCLIDE WASTES AS A COMPLEX METALO-SILICATE PRODUCT WHICH IS VIRTUALLY INSOLUBLE AND NONLEACHABLE IN ALKALINE OR NEUTRAL ENVIRONMENTS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. PASSING A SOLID PREMIX CONSISTING OF (1) A METAL OXIDIZER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXIDES, NITRATES, NITRITES, SULFATES, SULFITES, CARBONATES OR MIXTURES THEREOF, (2) AN INERT MATERIAL SELECTED FROM CRUSHED BASALT OR SAND, AND (3) A METAL FUEL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALUMINUM, SILICON, MAGNESIUM, ZIRCONIUM, TITANIUM OR ALLOYS THEREOF, SAID METAL FUEL HAVING A CONCENTRATION BASED ON WEIGHT OF REACTION MATERIAL WHICH IS SUBCRITICAL TO CONTINUOUS IGNITION REACTION, AND SAID RADIONUCLIDE WASTES AS A NITRATE SALT OR A CALCINED OXIDE INTO A REACTOR; B. ADDING ADDITIONAL METAL FUEL TO SAID REACTOR WHEREBY A COMPLEX METALO-SILICATE MELT IS FORMED BY AN EXOTHERMIC REACTION; C. CONTACTING CONDENSATE OFF GASES FROM SAID REACTION WITH A MIXTURE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SODIUM ALUMINATE AND SODIUM SILICATE OR SODIUM HYDROXIDE AND CLAYS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 90*C AND ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO IMMOBILIZE CESIUM SUBLIMATES AS CESIUM ALUMINOSILICATES, D. RECYCLING SAID CESIUM ALUMINOSILICATE TO SAID REACTOR AS PART OF SAID PREMIX; E. REMOVING RUTHENIUM FISSION PRODUCTS AS REDUCED RUTHENIUM METAL FROM SAID COMPLEX METALO-SILICATE MELT; AND F. CHARGING SAID COMPLEX METALO-SILICATE MELT INTO A CONTAINER FOR STORAGE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said premix comprises 30 wt percent salt cake waste, 12-15 wt percent Si granules, 30 wt percent iron oxide (Fe2O3) and 25-28 wt percent crushed basalt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said Si granules is provided in a concentration of 12 wt percent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said additional metal fuel added to said reactor is aluminum and said exothermic reaction is conducted at 1,300*C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said radionuclide wastes are selected from the group consisting of 90Sr, 95Zr, 95Nb, 99Tc, 137Cs, 144Ce, 147Pm, 238Pu, 239Pu, 241Am and mixtures thereof.