Very Soft works at rooms temperature [a new decontamination process]

The VS(Very Soft) decontamination process yields satisfactory results even at room temperature. The system performed well in its first application at the Mulheim-Karlich PWR in FR Germany. The process, which is being used for decontamination of reactor loop components, is based on a chemical pre-treatment at room temperature using diluted solutions of permanganate and chromic acid. This pre-treatment has a tempering effect on the oxide coating and allows subsequent removal after a second chemical or non-chemical treatment. The chemical post-treatment works best using diluted solutions of organic acids with the addition of reducing agents, unless the organic acid employed may be used as a reducing agent at the same time. Among the non-chemical methods for post-treatment, splashing with water at high pressure has proven effective. (author)