APPLICATIONS OF PULSE ELECTRIC DISCHARGES FOR DECONTAMINATION AND WASTE TREATMENT

Developed and potential applications of pulsed electric discharges for removal and treatment of nuclear and chemical contaminants in structures and materials are considered. This includes work conducted at Textron on the removal of a surface layer of concrete contaminated by uranium by Electric Pulse (EP) and Electro-Hydraulic (EH) scabbling. The development and field-testing of a prototype unit are described and the expansion of the EP/EH technology to other concrete decontamination tasks are proposed.
Other Textron experimental work related to pulsed electric discharges applied to waste/pollution prevention and treatment includes:
· Removal of organic contaminants from water
· Preparation of coal/water slurries for clean coal combustion
· Pulsed fuel injection for reduction of NO_x in gas turbine exhaust
· Neutralization of land- and sea-based mines.
In general, most prospective are applications where repetitive impulses of moderate energy are needed for mechanical or electrical treatment, and where treatment requires very short-wave UV irradiation.