Centrifugation of low-level radioactive effluents from a PWR plant

The major aim of this study, subsidized by the Commission of the European Communities, was the development of a process enabling treatment of non-recoverable waste from the Tihange power plant, in order to reduce both the rejected activity and the final product to be disposed in barrels. A flocculation procedure has been worked out for each waste type, i.e. residual, service, laundry, decontamination, pool and regeneration wastes. The influence of products that might disturb this flocculation and the method enabling their elimination have been investigated. In order to reduce the waste amount, a centrifugation pilot plant with a rated flow of 800 l/h has been developed. It has been operated jointly with an industrial batch flocculation (35 m3) located in Tihange. Finally comparative tests have been performed in the Tihange power plant, using both the UKAEA and LABORELEC processes on the same waste product