Supergel System Cleans Radioactively Contaminated Structures
Supergel can be used to decontaminate structures, collect radioactive contamination samples for nuclear forensics, and convert liquid radioactive waste to stabilized solids for disposal.
A system was developed that can remove radioactive cesium contamination from porous structures such as brick and concrete that are hard to clean, as well as contamination from metal surfaces. The Supergel system focuses on rapid response, capturing as much of the contamination as possible, as quickly as possible, and filling a technology gap immediately.
The system consists of engineered nanoparticles and a super-absorbent polymer gel that work together to clean structures exposed to radioactive materials. The polymer Supergel that absorbs the radioactivity is similar to the absorbent material found in disposable diapers. When exposed to a wetting agent, the polymers form a kind of structural “scaffold” that allows the gel to absorb great amounts of liquid. The amount of contamination removed depends on the characteristics of the contaminated structure — its age, type of material, and whether painted or unpainted — and the radioactive isotope involved. Removal rates have ranged from roughly 80 to nearly 100 percent.
Operating much like an automatic car wash, the Supergel system follows a three-step process:
Remote spray washers apply a wetting agent and a super-absorbent gel onto the contaminated surface.
The wetting agent causes the bound radioactivity to re-suspend in the pores. The super-absorbent polymer gel suctions the radioactivity out of the pores, and it becomes fixed in the engineered nanoparticles that sit in the gel.
The gel is vacuumed and dehydrated, with only a small amount of radioactive waste remaining for disposal.
A key benefit of the Supergel technology is that it leaves structures intact. Until now, no effective technique existed to remove radioactive contamination. Contaminated objects were typically demolished since they could not be cleaned. Because the Supergel system preserves surfaces, buildings are not defaced during radiation removal.
For more information, contact Technology Commercialization and Partnerships at
Top Stories
INSIDERManned Systems
Turkey's KAAN Combat Aircraft Completes First Flight - Mobility Engineering...
INSIDERMaterials
FAA Expands Boeing 737 Investigation to Manufacturing and Production Lines -...
INSIDERImaging
New Video Card Enables Supersonic Vision System for NASA's X-59 Demonstrator -...
INSIDERManned Systems
Stratolaunch Approaches Hypersonic Speed in First Powered TA-1 Test Flight -...
INSIDERUnmanned Systems
Army Ends Future Attack and Reconnaissance Helicopter Development Program -...
ArticlesEnergy
Can Solid-State Batteries Commercialize by 2030? - Mobility Engineering...
Webcasts
AR/AI
From Data to Decision: How AI Enhances Warfighter Readiness
Energy
April Battery & Electrification Summit
Manufacturing & Prototyping
Tech Update: 3D Printing for Transportation in 2024
Test & Measurement
Building an Automotive EMC Test Plan
Manufacturing & Prototyping
The Moon and Beyond from a Thermal Perspective
Software
Mastering Software Complexity in Automotive: Is Release Possible...