While fulfilling the mandate of supplying the nuclear fuels and nuclear reactor components to Nuclear Power Program and support to strategic program of India, NFC gives utmost importance to protect environment by way of proper handling and disposal of byproducts and effluents. A dedicated Effluent Management section comprising of expert chemical engineers is working towards this goal. The section is responsible for safe & prompt disposal of various process effluents generated during various activities at NFC to firms authorized by Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB). Also various reports are sent to statutory authorities viz. TSPCB, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Ministry of Environment and Forest & Climate Change. Items viz. Used oil, Spent resin, Boiler soot, Used polyurethane sponge plugs, Thermocol, etc. which were posing a significant safety / fire hazard are also disposed properly.
Radioactive scrap:
At most care is taken while handling and treatment of the radioactive waste, so that human, living things and environment is fully protected. Before disposing this waste, it is decontaminated thoroughly and certification & approval is obtained.
Radioactive metal scrap like MS/GI drums, damaged SS/MS pipes/pipe fittings & a wide variety of machine parts, etc. are segregated at source and store them only at identified locations with all the care, proper labeling and maintaining records. These scrap materials are decontaminated by elaborate procedure of segregation, cutting / flattening of the drums, size reduction of various components, etc. as the contaminated material was in various forms and sizes. After ensuring that the material is conditioned to the required size and shape, it was subjected to a series of chemical treatment operations using TSP / dilute nitric acid followed by thorough water wash. The dilute solutions so generated were carefully collected and transferred to polymer treatment plant / electro coagulator for further treatment of the same.
The decontaminated material was then checked for activity and based on the activity levels, the material was either cleared or was subjected to one more cycle of chemical treatment followed by physical scrubbing of the waste for bringing the radioactivity to exempt levels. Subsequently, after checking that the waste is free from radioactive contamination, it is disposed properly.
Radioactive water is treated and disposed following a concept of “Isolate – Treat – Monitor - Discharge” following the concept of Zero Discharge.
For treatment of radioactive water, a novel process is developed in-house called Electro Coagulation process. The process is simple and rugged. It uses Aluminum, iron electrodes and DC current. It does not require any extra chemicals. By this process, the concentration of the radioactive material is brought down to less than the permissible limits. This process yields active sludge and recycled for use as chemical coagulant during the treatment of active ammonium nitrate solution. This facility is operated in Auto mode using PLC along with SCADA.
For decontamination of radioactive rubber and polythene waste, NFC has dedicated PLC controlled, mechanised facility with automatic waste drying. The decontaminated waste is reduced in the volume and stored safely.
