Management of accident radioactive waste from Czech nuclear power plants

A mobile decontamination unit is proposed for the treatment of waste resulting from a LOCA type design accident associated with the compensable or uncompensable primary circuit coolant leakage. The unit consists of a sorption-filtration module for the removal of toxic nuclides, a vitrification module for the solidification of spent inorganic sorbents and a module for exhaust gases purification. The beta-gamma activity of the liquid waste is reduced in sorption columns packed with mordenite to a level enabling its further treatment in the standard purification plant of the nuclear power station. Spent inorganic sorbent mixed with low-melting borosilicate glass is vitrified at 1,050 C, yielding a product suitable for disposal. The long-term leaching rate, according to ISO 6961, of cesium from this product is Rn = 8.6 x 10-8g/cm2 day