US3887339A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Industrial technique
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1973-11-19
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Granted: 1975-06-03
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Expires: 1993-11-19
Abstract
Abstract Techniques for selectively extracting and storing only krypton and xenon in the waste gases that are released from a pressurized water nuclear power reactor are described. The illustrative fluorocarbon absorption system has three separation stages: an initial gas-fluorocarbon absorber, a flash chamber and fractionator for segregating all of the absorbed gases from the loaded absorber stage fluorocarbon (save for the krypton and xenon), and a stripper that receives the partially loaded fluorocarbon liquid directly from the fractionator in order to separate only the krypton and xenon. A molecular sieve filter dries the input process gas, a cartridgetype solvent filter is used to remove radiation degradation products from the loaded liquid that flows from the absorber, a cold trap gas drier is provided to remove residual solvent vapor from the separated krypton and xenon, and radiation detectors automatically activate valves to establish safe conditions in the event an accident or plant failure.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald Hancher Robertson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:19
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21F; G21F9/00; G21F9/02; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/14; C; C01; C01B; C01B23/00; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P20/00; Y02P20/151
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
IN A PROCESS FOR PURIFYING RADIOACTIVE KRYPTON AND XENON MIXED WITH A CARRIER GAS THAT COMPRISES THE STEPS OF COMPRESSING THE GAS MIXTURE, CONTACTING THE GAS MIXTURE WITH A FLUOROCARBON SOLVENT TO ABSORB SAID KRYPTON AND XENON AND A RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF SAID CARRIER GAS IN SAID SOLVENT THEREBY TO LOAD SAID SOLVENT, CONTACTING SAID LOADED SOLVENT WITH MORE FLUOROCARBON SOLVENT VAPOR TO SEPARATE SAID RESIDUAL CARRIER GAS FROM SAID LOADED SOLVENT AND LEAVE A SOLVENT THAT IS RICH IN RADIOACTIVE KRYTON AND XENON, CONTACTING SAID KRYTON AND XENON RICH SOLVENT WITH FURTHER FLUOROCARBON SOLVENT VAPOR TO SEPARATE THE KRYTON AND XENON GAS FROM SAID SOLVENT, AND DRYING THE KRYTON AND XENON GAS TO FURTHER PURIFY THE GAS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING REGISTERING THE RADIOACTIVITY OF SAID PURIFIED GAS TO SELECTIVELY STORE THE PURIFIED GAS WHEN THE INTENSITY OF THE REGISTERED RADIOACTIVITY EXCEEDS A PRESELECTED LEVEL AND REINTRODUCE THE PURIFIED GAS INTO THE PROCESS WHEN THE INTENSITY OF THE REGISTERED RADIOACTIVITY IS BELOW SAID LEVEL
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
IN A PROCESS FOR PURIFYING RADIOACTIVE KRYPTON AND XENON MIXED WITH A CARRIER GAS THAT COMPRISES THE STEPS OF COMPRESSING THE GAS MIXTURE, CONTACTING THE GAS MIXTURE WITH A FLUOROCARBON SOLVENT TO ABSORB SAID KRYPTON AND XENON AND A RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF SAID CARRIER GAS IN SAID SOLVENT THEREBY TO LOAD SAID SOLVENT, CONTACTING SAID LOADED SOLVENT WITH MORE FLUOROCARBON SOLVENT VAPOR TO SEPARATE SAID RESIDUAL CARRIER GAS FROM SAID LOADED SOLVENT AND LEAVE A SOLVENT THAT IS RICH IN RADIOACTIVE KRYTON AND XENON, CONTACTING SAID KRYTON AND XENON RICH SOLVENT WITH FURTHER FLUOROCARBON SOLVENT VAPOR TO SEPARATE THE KRYTON AND XENON GAS FROM SAID SOLVENT, AND DRYING THE KRYTON AND XENON GAS TO FURTHER PURIFY THE GAS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING REGISTERING THE RADIOACTIVITY OF SAID PURIFIED GAS TO SELECTIVELY STORE THE PURIFIED GAS WHEN THE INTENSITY OF THE REGISTERED RADIOACTIVITY EXCEEDS A PRESELECTED LEVEL AND REINTRODUCE THE PURIFIED GAS INTO THE PROCESS WHEN THE INTENSITY OF THE REGISTERED RADIOACTIVITY IS BELOW SAID LEVEL
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
164 words
In a process for purifying radioactive krypton and xenon mixed with a carrier gas that comprises the steps of compressing the gas mixturE, contacting the gas mixture with a fluorocarbon solvent to absorb said krypton and xenon and a residual amount of said carrier gas in said solvent thereby to load said solvent, contacting said loaded solvent with more fluorocarbon solvent vapor to separate said residual carrier gas from said loaded solvent and leave a solvent that is rich in radioactive krypton and xenon, contacting said krypton and xenon rich solvent with further fluorocarbon solvent vapor to separate the krypton and xenon gas from said solvent, and drying the krypton and xenon gas to further purify the gas, the improvement comprising registering the radioactivity of said purified gas to selectively store the purified gas when the intensity of the registered radioactivity exceeds a preselected level and reintroduce the purified gas into the process when the intensity of the registered radioactivity is below said level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
164 words
In a process for purifying radioactive krypton and xenon mixed with a carrier gas that comprises the steps of compressing the gas mixturE, contacting the gas mixture with a fluorocarbon solvent to absorb said krypton and xenon and a residual amount of said carrier gas in said solvent thereby to load said solvent, contacting said loaded solvent with more fluorocarbon solvent vapor to separate said residual carrier gas from said loaded solvent and leave a solvent that is rich in radioactive krypton and xenon, contacting said krypton and xenon rich solvent with further fluorocarbon solvent vapor to separate the krypton and xenon gas from said solvent, and drying the krypton and xenon gas to further purify the gas, the improvement comprising registering the radioactivity of said purified gas to selectively store the purified gas when the intensity of the registered radioactivity exceeds a preselected level and reintroduce the purified gas into the process when the intensity of the registered radioactivity is below said level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said purified gas is reintroduced to said process by recycling into said radioactive krypton and xenon mixed with a carrier gas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3494104A
Cited
US3742720A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-02 | 1978-12-02 | 1979-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-02 | 1982-12-02 | 1983-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-02 | 1986-12-02 | 1987-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |