Ukrainian company Alpha Atom announces the launch of a new innovative plasma-chemical technology for the treatment of liquid radioactive waste. The new technology makes it possible to separate liquid RAW into technically pure water, i.e. containing radionuclides in concentrations below the clearance level and solid residue. The technology has been patented and has been successfully tested at real storage facilities for liquid radioactive waste in the exclusion zone of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.
“We managed to effectively solve the problem of liquid RAW management. As a result of treating liquid RAW using the Plasma-Sorb unit, its volume is reduced by more than 100 times, producing a solid residue that can be conditioned for further disposal. And also technically pure water is formed, which can be safely discharged,” said Igor Peer, Director of Alpha Atom LLC. “The Plasma-Sorb facility we created allows us to use the technology to purify radioactive liquids from radionuclides as well as from biological and chemical contaminants.”
The implemented technology can revolutionize the management of liquid RAW and defuse the “time bomb” of the accumulated waste.
The Plasma-Sorb facility solves the problem of liquid radioactive waste disposal with high efficiency and in an environmentally safe way.
The innovative technology was developed in partnership with the State enterprise Institute of Environmental Geochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
“At present, more than 486 million cubic meters of liquid RAW is accumulated in the world. This problem is extremely acute for Ukraine and EU countries. A unique technology of plasma-chemical impact and sorption of radioactive isotopes from liquid RAW has been developed. Tests of the technology and experimental equipment on real objects in the Chornobyl NPP exclusion zone confirmed the high efficiency of the technology,” – Yury Zabulonov, the Director of the Institute, states.
Alpha Atom LLC is ready for a full-scale launch of a Plasma-Sorb unit at the liquid RAW storage facilities. Since the technology was tested at the sites of the Chornobyl NPP exclusion zone, which is now temporarily occupied because of Russia’s military aggression, the company invites European partners to cooperate. Joint efforts of Ukraine and EU will make it possible to solve the problem of liquid RAW management.