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Pumps help with nuclear waste disposal

An Edwards product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 29, 2003

BOC Edwards has delivered a US $1 million contract for a large-scale vacuum pump system comprising three 30B5 vapour booster pumps and two GV Drystar pumps.

BOC Edwards has completed a US $1 million contract for a large-scale vacuum pump system comprising three 30B5 vapour booster pumps and two GV Drystar pumps.

The system, built at the BOC Edwards facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been installed on the demonstration unit of the innovative Archimedes plasma mass filter.

Archimedes hopes to design and install commercial filter units for the treatment of 53 million gallons of toxic and radioactive waste that is stored at Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Washington State, USA.

The plasma mass filter uses heat and electromagnetic fields to vaporise the waste and separate the less hazardous substances from the highly toxic radioactive components, which are then "vitrified".

The toxic radioactive elements are mixed with molten glass and, as the glass solidifies, it traps the elements within.

The glass can then be stored safely without fear of leakage.

The plasma mass filter could remove as much as 75% of the less hazardous waste which can be treated by a less expensive process.

The 30B5 and GV Drystar system provides the vacuum that is needed to remove the less hazardous vapour components of the process.

The GV600M, the largest pump in the GV series, produces a nominal peak pump capacity of 560m3/h.

The "dry" pumping system has no bearings or lubricants in the vacuum environment - eliminating the risk of contamination.

There is also an added benefit that there is no need to change the oil or disposal requirements.

BOC Edwards has provided complete integration of the vacuum system including piping, valves, instrumentation, controls and installation supervision.

A dedicated global applications and industrial engineering team, has worked closely with Archimedes throughout the design and management of the project.

Archimedes believes that once the plasma mass filter is proved at Hanford Nuclear Reservation, it could provide one of the safest, most economical remediation solutions for several other nuclear waste sites.

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