Radioactive waste treatment apparatus

Claim 1

Radioactive waste treatment apparatus in which the waste includes a substantial amount of polyvinylchloride (PVC) comprising: (a) an incinerator for burning said waste to produce an acidic gas effluent and an ash residue, said incinerator having a primary chamber and an afterburner chamber; (b) scrubbing apparatus in fluid communication with said afterburner chamber for washing said gas effluent with scrubbing solution to entrap radioactive particulates in the gas and to neutralize said gas effluent; (c) a reservoir in fluid communication with a scrubbing solution container and containing a supply of alkaline for said scrubbing solution; (d) a scrubbing solution container in which said alkaline is mixed with said scrubbing solution; (e) a first conduit means for coupling said scrubbing solution container to said scrubbing apparatus; (f) a second conduit means for coupling scrubbing solution from said scrubbing solution container to the primary chamber of said incinerator where the scrubbing solution is reduced to water vapor and dry residue; (g) coupling means for coupling the vapor to the afterburner chamber; (h) disposal means coupled to said primary chamber for removing substantially all of the dry residue produced in the radioactive waste treatment process; (i) control means for periodically feeding scrubbing solution to the second conduit.