Method of and apparatus for decontamination of radioactive waste water

Claim 1

An apparatus for decontaminating radioactive waste water comprising: a circulation evaporator for vaporizing the radioactive waste water to produce a stream of water vapor containing radionuclide particles dispersed as an aerosol in said stream, said circulation evaporator including a heating branch, an evaporation chamber, a water collecting sump, and means for returning water from said sump to said branch; a separator column extending upwardly from said chamber for receiving said stream and removing said particles of said aerosol from the water vapor thereof; means in said separator column for generating at least one electric field for the electrostatic deposition of said particles from said stream; means connected to the top of said column for condensing said water vapor subsequent to the electrostatic precipitation of said particles therefrom said evaporator having a supply pipe for said stream opening tangentially into an annular space open downwardly toward said chamber, said chamber having a passage connected to said column and coaxial with said space; and a foam brake activated upon shortcircuiting of the means generating said electric field and disposed between the last-mentioned means and said passage.

Claim 2

An apparatus for decontaminating radioactive waste water comprising: a circulation evaporator for vaporizing the radioactive waste water to produce a stream of water vapor containing radionuclide particles dispersed as an aerosol in said stream, said circulation evaporator including a heating branch, an evaporation chamber, a water collecting sump, and means for returning water from said sump to said branch; a separator column extending upwardly from said chamber for receiving said stream and removing said particles of said aerosol from the water vapor thereof; means in said separator column for generating at least one electric field for the electrostatic deposition of said particles from said stream; means connected to the top of said column for condensing said water vapor subsequent to the electrostatic precipitation of said particles therefrom said evaporator having a supply pipe for said stream opening tangentially into an annular space open downwardly toward said chamber, said chamber having a passage connected to said column and coaxial with said space; and a foam brake activated upon shortcircuiting of the means generating said electric field and disposed between the last-mentioned means and said passage.