Electrolytically decontaminating device

Purpose: To enable to electrolytic decontamination of contaminated metal materials in a nuclear power plant effectively and with a reduced amount of liquid wastes. Constitution: This device is put to an operated state by supplying an electrical current between the anode and the cathode, actuating a supersonic vibrator and further blowing airs to form air bubble walls. Since air bubbles uprise from the bottom to the liquid surface and the electrolyte is stirred to carry away metal ions or the likes leached out from the anode externally with no stagnation at the electrode, the surface of the electrode is always exposed to a fresh electrolyte, whereby the polarization is suppressed. The supersonic energy repeats random reflections between the corrugating liquid face and the air bubbles. The supersonic energy passing through the electrodes applied supersonic vibrations to the electrodes thereby destroy the polarization and promote the dissolution of the anode. (Horiuchi, T.)