US3871841A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process of radioactive waste gases
Assignee: Licentia Patent Verwaltungs GmbH
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Filing: 1973-04-02
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Granted: 1975-03-18
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Expires: 1993-04-02
Abstract
Abstract The radiation level of waste gases from nuclear power plants containing both activation and fission gases is controlled at or below limits permitted by applicable standards by passing such gases, prior to release to the atmosphere, through an adsorptive delay path including a body of activated carbon having the relation to the throughput and character of such gases determined by the formula
Inventors
- 👤 Horst Queiser
- 👤 Horst Schwarz
- 👤 Hans-Jurgen Schroter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 09:07
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; G; G21; G21C; G21C19/00; G21C19/28; G21C19/30; G21C19/303; G21F; G21F9/00; G21F9/02; B01D2253/00; B01D2253/10; B01D2253/102; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/45; B01D2259/4583; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30; Y10; Y10S; Y10S95/00; Y10S95/90; Y10S95/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
METHOD FOR PROCESSING WASTE GASES CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE ACTIVATION GASES INCLUDING RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN, WHICH COMPRISES PASSING SAID WASTE GASES CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN THROUGH AN ADSORPTIVE DELAY PATH WHEREIN THE ADSORBER VOLUME IS SUFFICIENT TO ADSORPTIVELY DELAY SAID RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN THEREIN TO PERMIT SUBSTANTIAL DECAY OF SAID RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN, SUCH SUBSTANTIAL DELAY OCCURING WITHOUT PRIOR OR SUBSEQUENT MECHANICAL DELAYS OF SAID RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
81 words
METHOD FOR PROCESSING WASTE GASES CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE ACTIVATION GASES INCLUDING RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN, WHICH COMPRISES PASSING SAID WASTE GASES CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN THROUGH AN ADSORPTIVE DELAY PATH WHEREIN THE ADSORBER VOLUME IS SUFFICIENT TO ADSORPTIVELY DELAY SAID RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN THEREIN TO PERMIT SUBSTANTIAL DECAY OF SAID RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN, SUCH SUBSTANTIAL DELAY OCCURING WITHOUT PRIOR OR SUBSEQUENT MECHANICAL DELAYS OF SAID RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the waste gases are derived from a light water nuclear reactor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 1 in which the waste gases contain fission gases such as krypton and xenon isotopes in addition to the activation gases.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the adsorption medium in the delay path is activated carbon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as defined in claim 4 wherein the quantity of activated carbon is calculated according to the formula: tv K . E/v, in which tv is the period of dwell in minutes, E is the quantity of activated carbon in grams, v is the gas throughput in cm3 per minute and K is the dynamic adsorption coefficient in cm3 per gram.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for reducing the radioactive level of waste gases containing radioactive isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen which comprises passing said waste gases through an adsorptive delay zone in contact with an adsorbent on which said radioactive isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen are at least slightly adsorbed, the volume of said adsorbent being sufficient to retain said radioactive isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen in said adsorptive delay zone until the radioactivity level of said waste gases has decayed to a predetermed level, such decay occuring without prior or subsequent mechanical delays of said radioactive isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for reducing the radioactive level of waste gases containing radioactive isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen which comprises passing said waste gases through an adsorptive delay zone in contact with an adsorbent on which said radioactive isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen are at least slightly adsorbed, the volume of said adsorbent being sufficient to retain said radioactive isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen in said adsorptive delay zone until the radioactivity level of said waste gases has decayed to a predetermed level, such decay occuring without prior or subsequent mechanical delays of said radioactive isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as defined in claim 6 wherein the adsorbent is activated carbon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the waste gases contain radioactive xenon and krypton and these gases are also retained by this adsorbent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the volume of the adsorbent is calculated according to the formula: tv K . E/v wherein tv is the dwell period in minutes; E is the quantity of activated carbon in grams; v is the gas throughput in cm3 per minute; and K is the dynamic coefficient for oxygen or nitrogen in cm3 per gram.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3501923A
Cited
US3720043A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-17 | 1978-09-16 | 1979-03-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-17 | 1982-09-16 | 1983-03-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-17 | 1986-09-16 | 1987-03-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |