Method for the treatment and conveyance of feed sludge

• US 4,906,409 A
• Filed: 04/28/1989
• Issued: 03/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Gesellschaft FüR Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Gesellschaft FüR Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
• Inventors: Leister, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Locker, Howard J.
• Application Number:
  US07/344,820
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 252/629, 252/628, 432/13, 432/15, 501/152, 501/155
• US Class Current: 588/11
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 9/305 Glass or glass like matrix C03B5/005 takes precedence; compositional aspects C03C

Abstract

Apparatus and method for treating and conveying feed sludge to a vitrification device in which sludge in suspension is dried in a fluid bed of preheated glass frit suspended in nitrogen gas. The mixture of dried glass frit and sludge is conveyed pneumatically in a stream of nitrogen gas to the vitrification device. The dried mixture flows through conduits without causing blockage which characterized the prior art.

Claims

1. A method for the treatment and delivery of a nuclear feed sludge suspension to be vitrified comprising

admixing a predetermined quantity of preheated glass frit with said feed sludge suspension in a bed fluidized above flowing streams of inert drying gas, the quantity of glass frit being sufficient, with heat from said drying gas, to dry and subsequently vitrify said sludge,

- withdrawing said dried mixture from said fluidized bed,

- entraining said dried mixture in a flowing inert gas stream,

- conveying said dried mixture in said gas stream to a remote point,

- separating the gas from said dried mixture, and

- vitrifying said dried sludge.

2. The method of claim 1 in which additional glass frit, in an amount to produce a solids concentration suitable for conveyance, is added to said dried mixture in said flowing gas stream.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said inert gas is nitrogen.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said conveying step is performed in a conduit.