Retrieval and Transfer of Decladding Process Sludge at the Marcoule Site (France)

摘要

A suitable process had to be developed forretrieving and transferring by pipe challenging radioactivesludge stored underwater that was generated bymechanical decladding operations conducted years ago atthe Marcoule nuclear site (south-east of France). Thissludge is stored in two rectangular enclosed concretevaults (vaults #7 and #14) in the Decladding Building. Itis characterized by a radioactivity of 20,000 GBq/t and adose rate of 10 Gy/h. The sludge consists mainly of piecesand particles of very diverse materials (graphite, uranium,spent ion exchange resins), with a very large range ofdensities (including very dense uranium fragments) andshapes, in a bulk of fine sludge with a particle size lessthan four (4) mm.