SNC Lavalin : Spinionic - Nuclear In-situ Liquid Waste Processing

NUCLEAR IN-SITU LIQUID WASTE PROCESSING

1

Spinionic is a patented process using a Rotating Bed Reactor (RBR) to remove radioactive or other undesired species from waste water or aqueous solutions. Developed for the pharmaceutical industry by Spinchem, a Swedish technology company, SNC Lavalin, working in collaboration with Spinchem has advanced the technology and size application for use in the nuclear sector.

Spinionic provides in-situ processing for drums, totes, large tanks (2000m3), or larger ponds, fuel pools, sumps and large area basins. Replacing or protecting large mobile or in-plantcolumn-based ion exchange systems,

or membrane systems.

HOW IT WORKS

The solution is sampled and tested (recommended) to determine the best media to produce the desired removal. Testing and CFD computer modeling also determines RBR size and rotation speed. The selected media(s) is loaded in the four RBR compartments, one or two types of media may be loaded or mixed.

The RBR is attached to the deployment hardware and drive motor, mounted to or above the container or solution. The RBR is lowered into the solution and the drive motor engaged at the desired speed. Centrifugal force draws solution in through the top and bottom openings forcing it through the media loaded annulus and out through the outer wall retention screen. The solution is continuously circulated through the RBR while at the same time mixing the tank or container.

• Cost effective, much lower cost than traditional column systems
• Simple fast deployment and demobilization
• Less waste generation

www.snclavalin.com/nuclear

SPECIFICATIONS

The Spinionic RBR can be provided in sizes ranging from less than one liter to over 100 liters of media capacity depending on the application. Deployment equipment, frame and drive motor are designed to fit container openings or tank manways. Larger deployments such as open basins, sumps and pools may require more than one RBR to adequately circulate the solution.

The only service required for operational support

is electrical power depending on solution / tank size and deployment equipment and motor size.

BENEFITS

Spinionic may be used as the sole process method or, used as a pretreatment upstream of installed equipment to remove impurities that may harm installed systems resulting in larger volumes of waste generation and potentially extended system down time. Spinionic may also be used as a polisher downstream of existing equipment.

SPINIONIC MAY BE USED FOR:

• Scavenging of oil and grease using activated granular carbon
• Removal of a wide range of ions with standard anion and cation media
• Isotope specific removal with ion-specific media
• Removal of activity from chemically tainted solutions with elevated levels of acid or caustic solutions
• RBR can be loaded with any media a column unit uses
• Process of contained solutions or spills that do not have an existing pathway to process equipment
• Preconditioning solutions prior to plant equipment
• Polishing of solutions after plant process equipment

2

Used in-situ as a pre-treatment process to existing equipment may avoid the costs associated with spent media disposal, new media replacement and existing system down time and operator exposure.

In most applications the RBR can be installed and ready for operation in less than a day versus mobile column systems that can take two or more weeks and require numerous support services, pipe interface connections and procedures. Demobilization can also be completed in less than a day. The RBRs are dried and disposed of as waste.

Figure 1-Small RBR. Courtesy of

Spinchem

Figure 1-Small RBR. Courtesy of Spinchem		Figure 2-Computational Fluid Dynamic Modeling of RBR in 2700m3		Figure 3 - 60-liter RBR		Figure 4 - 60-liter RBR courtesy
	tank. Courtesy of Spinchem		for Tanks / Ponds / Pools		of Spinchem

www.snclavalin.com/nuclear

KEY DESIGN BENEFITS

• Mounted to the container / tank opening or suspended above open containments, the RBR can run in-situ for hours to days or weeks without operator intervention
• Since the process is in-situ, no hoses, pumps, filters, ion exchange columns and associated shielding is required
• Small amount of equipment that can be installed or demobilized in less than a day saving plant support and associated costs
• No piping interface, service water, air or drain connections required, only electrical power
• The RBR mixes and processes at the same time
• Can be used for day to day processing such as spent fuel pool clarity

Figure 5 - RBR Loaded w/2 Media

REDUCED COSTS FROM:

• Fast deployment / demobilization with minimal operational / engineering support
• Less operational risk, no hoses or pressurized systems
• Less waste generation through more effective media utilization
• Reduced operator exposure
• Normal tank sampling to determine progress / results
• Registered trademark of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL), used under licence by Candu Energy Inc., a Member of the SNC-Lavalin Group.

™ Trademark of Candu Energy Inc., a Member of the SNC-Lavalin Group.

Figure 6 - Six Vessel Column System- Hoses, Pumps, Shielding and 150 ft3 Media

Cost savings by reduced risk, less waste generation, reduced personnel exposure and fast deployment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Lowery, Chief Engineer [e-mail] 0114 204 4430

www.snclavalin.com/nuclear