KURION, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150368136 | MOBILE PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR HAZARDOUS AND RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPE REMOVAL - A mobile processing system is disclosed for the removal of radioactive contaminants from nuclear process waste water. The system is fully scalable, modular, and portable allowing the system to be fully customizable according the site-specific remediation requirements. It is designed to be both transported and operated from standard sized intermodal containers or custom designed enclosures for increased mobility between sites and on-site, further increasing the speed and ease with which the system may be deployed. Additionally, the system is completely modular wherein the various different modules perform different forms or stages of waste water remediation and may be connected in parallel and/or in series. Depending on the needs of the particular site, one or more different processes may be used. In some embodiments, one or more of the same modules may be used in the same operation. | 12-24-2015 |
20150228364 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISMANTLING A NUCLEAR REACTOR - Systems and methods for dismantling a nuclear reactor are described. In one aspect the system includes a remotely controlled heavy manipulator (“manipulator”) operatively coupled to a support structure, and a control station in a non-contaminated portion of a workspace. The support structure provides the manipulator with top down access into a bioshield of a nuclear reactor. At least one computing device in the control station provides remote control to perform operations including: (a) dismantling, using the manipulator, a graphite moderator, concrete walls, and a ceiling of the bioshield, the manipulator being provided with automated access to all internal portions of the bioshield; (b) loading, using the manipulator, contaminated graphite blocks from the graphite core and other components from the bioshield into one or more waste containers; and (c) dispersing, using the manipulator, dust suppression and contamination fixing spray to contaminated matter. | 08-13-2015 |
20140356270 | BALANCED CLOSED LOOP CONTINUOUS EXTRACTION PROCESS FOR HYDROGEN ISOTOPES - A system and method for tritium separation systems using a mixed bed catalytic exchange process in a Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange/Closed Loop Continuous Process (LPCE/CLCP) system, that operates as a low temperature and low pressure continuous balanced process, designed to rapidly, economically and safely extract and isolate isotope specific products without generating unwanted products in the form of new waste streams. | 12-04-2014 |
20130336870 | Advanced Tritium System for Separation of Tritium from Radioactive Wastes and Reactor Water in Light Water Systems - Systems, methods, and processes for a high throughput, low concentration processing of low activity tritiated light water include the electrolysis of at least some of the tritiated water to produce hydrogen and tritium gas. The hydrogen and tritium gas produced by electrolysis in some cases are combined with heated water vapor to increase throughput and passed through a liquid phase catalytic exchange column, which generally includes a catalyst that includes palladium coated with a hydrophobic polymer. As the hydrogen and tritium gas, along with heated water vapor, rise through the LPCE column, the tritium is retained on the catalyst. Deionized wash water passes down the column (i.e., in the opposite direction of the flow of the hydrogen gas and heated water vapor) and carries the retained tritium out of the LPCE column. Useful in separating tritium from radioactive waste materials and from the water from nuclear reactors. | 12-19-2013 |
20130302224 | Selective Regeneration of Isotope-Specific Media Resins in Systems for Separation of Radioactive Isotopes from Liquid Waste Materials - Processes, systems, and methods for selectively regenerating an ion exchange resin generally comprises washing the ion exchange resin with an elution agent that encourages only selected contaminants, and especially selected radioactive isotopes, to disengage or decouple from the resin and enter solution in the elution agent, which thereafter is identified as the elution agent solution. The elution agent solution is then passed through a column of isotope-specific media (ISM). When the selected radioactive isotopes within the elution agent solution come into contact with the constituent media isotopes of the ISM, the selected radioactive isotopes are retained on the reactive surface areas of the ISM or within the interstitial spaces of the porous structures of the constituent media isotopes of the ISM. In some embodiments, the constituent media isotopes of the ISM are embedded, impregnated, or coated with the specific radioactive isotope that the particular ISM are adapted to separate. | 11-14-2013 |
20130264273 | Submersible Filters for Use in Seperating Radioactive Isotopes from Radioactive Waste Materials - Submersible media filters and submersible columns for use in removing radioactive isotopes and other contaminants from a fluid stream, such as a fluid stream from the primary coolant loop of a nuclear reactor system or a fluid stream from a spent-fuel pool. Generally, these submersible media filters and submersible columns are adapted to be submersed in the fluid stream, and additionally the filters are adapted to be vitrified after use, resulting in a stabilized, non-leaching final waste product with a substantially reduced volume compared to the original filter. In several embodiments, the submersible media filters and submersible columns include isotope-specific media (ISM). | 10-10-2013 |
20110243834 | Advanced Tritium System and Advanced Permeation System for Separation of Tritium from Radioactive Wastes and Reactor Water - Systems, methods, and apparatuses for separating tritium from radioactive waste materials and the water from nuclear reactors. Some embodiments involve the reaction of tritiated hydrogen gases with water in the presence of a catalyst in a catalytic exchange column, yielding a more concentrated and purified tritiated water product. Some embodiments involve the use of a permeation module, similar in some respects to a gas chromatography column, in which a palladium permeation layer is used to separate tritiated hydrogen gas from a mixture of gases. | 10-06-2011 |
20110224474 | Advanced Microwave System for Treating Radioactive Waste - Systems and methods for reducing the volume of radioactive waste materials through desiccation, pyrolysis and vitrification carried out by microwave heating. The final product of the advanced microwave system is a dryer, denser, compacted waste product. The invention comprises systems in which a layer of waste material is treated by microwaves within a hopper before deposited within the final waste container; systems in which a thin layer of waste material is treated by microwaves after it has been deposited within the final waste container; and systems in which waste material is treated by microwaves within a hopper before being deposited within the final waste container. | 09-15-2011 |
20110224473 | Microwave-Enhanced System for Pyrolysis and Vitrification of Radioactive Waste - Systems and processes for reducing the volume of radioactive waste materials through pyrolysis and vitrification carried out by microwave heating and, in some instances, a combination of microwave heating and inductive heating. In some embodiments, the microwave-enhanced vitrification system comprises a microwave system for treating waste material combined with a modular vitrification system that uses inductive heating to vitrify waste material. The final product of the microwave-enhanced vitrification system is a denser, compacted radioactive waste product. | 09-15-2011 |
20110224472 | Isotope-Specific Separation and Vitrification Using Ion-Specific Media - Apparatuses, processes and methods for the separation, isolation, or removal of specific radioactive isotopes from liquid radioactive waste, these processes and methods employing isotope-specific media (ISM). In some embodiments, the processes and methods further include the vitrification of the separated isotopes, generally with the ISM; this isotope-specific vitrification (ISV) is often a step in a larger scheme of preparing the radioactive isotopes for long-term storage or other disposition. A variety of ISM are disclosed. | 09-15-2011 |