Decontamination of radioactive wastewater

Decontamination and decay facilities are used for the safe treatment of radioactive sewage and laboratory wastewater. The process relies on the natural decay of radionuclides until the limits defined in the Radiation Protection Ordinance are reached.

The wastewater is first conveyed via a vacuum system—equipped with a buffer tank and shredding pumps —to special, lead-shielded decay tanks. There, continuous mixing is achieved through aeration and mixing devices to prevent aerobic and anaerobic processes.

Supporting technologies increase efficiency:

• Vacuum toilets significantly reduce the volume of wastewater.

• Water reuse systems collect and disinfect shower and hand-washing water and reuse it for flushing toilets.

• Automatic consumption monitoring tracks fresh water usage in patient rooms and prevents overuse.

Before being discharged into the sewer system, all wastewater undergoes an automatic activity measurement. All readings are recorded and can be submitted to the authorities. The system can be monitored and controlled centrally or locally via modern panel PCs and network control.