Method for noncontaminating solidification for final storage of aqueous, radioactive waste liquids

Claim 1

Method for solidifying medium radioactivity aqueous waste liquids, low radioactivity aqueous waste liquids, and tritium containing aqueous waste liquids for final non-contaminating storage wherein the waste liquids are mixed with absorbing agents and/or with hardening agents and the radionuclides contained in the waste liquids are incorporated in a first solidifying matrix produced with the aid of these agents, and said first matrix is encased within at least one hardening matrix free of waste radionuclides without creating any interstices, comprising the steps of: (a) granulating or pelletizing the aqueous, radioactive waste liquid solely by the single step of spraying said aqueous radioactive waste liquid onto a mixture of an absorbing, natural bentonite and a hydraulic binder, which mixture is being transported on a rotating pelletizing plate, so as to form said granules or pellets, the weight ratio of bentonite to hydraulic binder in the mixture being between 1:15 and 1:2; (b) (1) embedding for final solidification said granules or pellets, wherein radionuclides from radioactive aqueous liquids are incorporated therein, in a binder which is initially present in a liquid state and later hardens, said binder being selected from the group consisting of polymerizable liquids which polymerize by condensation polymerization or addition polymerization and aqueous suspensions of hydraulic binders, or (2) cladding granules or pellets formed from radioactive aqueous waste liquids for final solidification with a first binder initially present in a liquid state and which later hardens, said first binder being selected from the group consisting of polymerizable liquids which polymerize by condensation polymerization, or addition polymerization and aqueous suspensions of hydraulic binders; and (c) embedding for final solidification said clad granules or clad pellets in a second binder initially present in a liquid state and which later hardens, said second binder being selected from the group consisting of polymerizable liquids which polymerize by condensation polymerization or addition polymerization and aqueous suspensions of hydraulic binders.