Chemical decontamination of process equipment using recyclable chelating agents

The Babcock and Wilcox Company is performing research and development in the application of chelating chemicals to dissolve uranium compounds and other actinide species from the surfaces of DOE process equipment. A chelating system specific for the removal of uranium and other actinides will be applied to the component selected for full-scale demonstration of the process. After application of the chelating solvent for an appropriate time period, the spent solvent will be removed to a waste processing facility, and the dissolved radioactive contaminants will be precipitated out of the solution. The regenerated chelating solvent will then be available for reuse in the cleaning system, thereby minimizing the amount of secondary waste generated by the process. Phase 1 activity has begun with bench-scale tests in the laboratory, to screen and optimize candidate solvent systems, and will proceed to development of a chemical cleaning process that will be tested in a pilot facility on an actual piece of contaminated equipment. The potential for application of the chelating agent as a foam rather than a liquid will also be investigated. The advantage of foaming application is a reduction of solvent volume requiring eventual treatment. The second phase of this program will be amore » full-scale demonstration of the developed technology on contaminated process equipment at a DOE site.« less