Mechanical decontamination of primary reactor piping. Preliminary feasibility study

This work demonstrated the applicability and feasibility of a mechanical decontamination method that not only provides improved decontamination factors over dilute chemical methods, but nearly eliminates the need for special waste handling of decontamination wastes (water only). The method also provides for a clean base metal surface for which a commercially available passivation process can be applied to the component which is to be returned to service in the nuclear system. Application of the method was demonstrated to be very rapid and straightforward. Tooling and related equipment are readily available to the nuclear industry at minimal costs. The tools used for the application do not become highly contaminated to the point where special handling is required