A new look at the economic disposal of contaminated aerosol filters

HEPA filter elements loaded with radioactive aerosols represent a large percentage of the radioactive waste of nuclear plants. The HEPA filter elements used at present in air filter units are not suitable to an economic disposal and space-saving final storage on account of their construction. New concepts for HEPA filters are necessary from the point of view of waste disposal. The criteria of these new designs are as follows: reduction of space required for HEPA filters used at the same or even increased flow rates and with the same efficiency; essentially smaller dimensions of HEPA filters for storage in waste containers; removal without contamination, volume reduction (without contamination) for disposal of the HEPA filters; smallest possible volume of the HEPA filters after processing for final storage. The construction of HEPA filters as a result of the requirements mentioned above and taking into consideration the present stage of technology is explained. The advantages of such construction with regard to the criteria mentioned before are presented in comparison with the HEPA filters at present in use