Electrolytic System and Method for Enhanced Radiological, Nuclear, and Industrial Decontamination

Abstract

The present electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate includes means for providing a brine solution; means for providing a pair of electrodes interposed by a permeable membrane to create a first channel and a second channel; means for flowing the brine solution through the first and second channel; means for applying a potential to the pair of electrodes to produce a first ionized decontamination solution in the first channel and a second ionized decontamination solution in the second channel; means for applying one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second decontamination solution to the contaminant; and means for recovering the at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution and the contaminant from the substrate.

1 . An electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate comprising:
 providing a brine solution;   providing a pair of electrodes interposed by a permeable membrane to create a first channel and a second channel;   flowing the brine solution through the first and second channel;   applying a potential to the pair of electrodes to produce a first ionized decontamination solution in the first channel and a second ionized decontamination solution in the second channel;   applying one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second decontamination solution to the contaminant; and   recovering the at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution and the contaminant from the substrate.   
   
   
       2 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1  further comprising:
 separating the contaminant from said at least one of said first ionized decontamination solution and said second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       3 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the providing a brine solution further comprises:
 mixing a brine feedstock with a supply of liquid.   
   
   
       4 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 3 , wherein the brine feedstock is a salt. 
   
   
       5 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 foaming one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution during application to the substrate.   
   
   
       6 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the recovering the at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution further comprises:
 flowing the recovered contaminant and the at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution through a recapture media having an opposite charge of the contaminant to capture the contaminant.   
   
   
       7 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 6 , wherein the recapture media has a reductive charge. 
   
   
       8 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1  further comprising:
 adding to the decontamination solution at least one of the group consisting of surfactants, sequestering agents, nano-particles, and tacking materials.   
   
   
       9 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1  further comprising:
 tacking the decontamination solution on the substrate with an ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       10 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the applying a potential to the pair of electrodes further comprises:
 adjusting said flowing of the decontamination solution to change the magnitude of charge on said first ionized decontamination solution and said second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       11 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the applying a potential to the pair of electrodes further comprises:
 adjusting the potential to change the magnitude of charge on the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       12 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the providing a pair of electrodes further comprises:
 adjusting the location of the permeable membrane relative to the pair of electrodes to change the volume of the first ionized decontamination solution relative to the second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       13 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate extracting components of  claim 1  further comprising:
 monitoring at least one of pH and eH of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       14 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution has a negative reduction potential. 
   
   
       15 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution comprises a positive oxidation potential. 
   
   
       16 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1  further comprising:
 filtering the decontamination solution.   
   
   
       17 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 1  further comprising:
 adjusting the mineral content of said decontamination solution.   
   
   
       18 . The electrolytic method for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 17  wherein said adjusting comprises:
 adding or removing a component of the group consisting of clay particulates and nano particles.   
   
   
       19 . An electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate comprising:
 means for providing a brine solution;   means for providing a pair of electrodes interposed by a permeable membrane to create a first channel and a second channel;   means for flowing the brine solution through the first and second channel;   means for applying a potential to the pair of electrodes to produce a first ionized decontamination solution in the first channel and a second ionized decontamination solution in the second channel;   means for applying one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second decontamination solution to the contaminant; and   means for recovering the at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution and the contaminant from the substrate.   
   
   
       20 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19  further comprising:
 means for separating the contaminant from said at least one of said first ionized decontamination solution and said second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       21 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19 , wherein the means for providing a brine solution further comprises:
 means for mixing a brine feedstock with a supply of liquid.   
   
   
       22 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 21 , wherein the brine feedstock is a salt. 
   
   
       23 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 means for foaming one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution during application to the substrate.   
   
   
       24 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19 , wherein the means for recovering the at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution further comprises:
 means for flowing the recovered contaminant and the at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution through a recapture media having an opposite charge of the contaminant to capture the contaminant.   
   
   
       25 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 24 , wherein the recapture media has a reductive charge. 
   
   
       26 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19  further comprising:
 means for adding to the decontamination solution at least one of the group consisting of surfactants, sequestering agents, nano-particles, and tacking materials.   
   
   
       27 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19  further comprising:
 means for tacking the decontamination solution on the substrate with an ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       28 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19 , wherein the means for applying a potential to the pair of electrodes further comprises:
 means adjusting said flowing of the decontamination solution to change the magnitude of charge on said first ionized decontamination solution and said second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       29 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19 , wherein the means for applying a potential to the pair of electrodes further comprises:
 means for adjusting the potential to change the magnitude of charge on the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       30 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19 , wherein the means for providing a pair of electrodes further comprises:
 means for adjusting the location of the permeable membrane relative to the pair of electrodes to change the volume of the first ionized decontamination solution relative to the second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       31 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate extracting components of  claim 1  further comprising:
 means for monitoring at least one of pH and eH of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution.   
   
   
       32 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution has a negative reduction potential. 
   
   
       33 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution comprises a positive oxidation potential. 
   
   
       34 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19  further comprising:
 means for filtering the decontamination solution.   
   
   
       35 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 19  further comprising:
 means for adjusting the mineral content of said decontamination solution.   
   
   
       36 . The electrolytic system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 35  wherein said means for adjusting comprises:
 means for adding or removing a component of the group consisting of clay particulates and nano particles.   
   
   
       37 . A system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate comprising:
 a source of brine feedstock;   a decontamination solution conditioning subsystem comprising:
 a pair of electrodes interposed by a permeable membrane to create a first channel and a second channel; 
 a source of electricity for applying a potential to the pair of electrodes to produce a first ionized decontamination solution in the first channel and a second ionized decontamination solution in the second channel; 
   an application unit for in fluid communication with the decontamination solution conditioning subsystem for applying one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination to the contaminant disposed on the substrate; and   a recovery unit for recovering the at least one of the first ionized decontamination solution and the second ionized decontamination solution and the contaminant from the substrate.   
   
   
       38 . The system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 37  further comprising:
 a compressed air foam unit in fluid communication with the application unit for providing the decontamination solution in a foamed form to the substrate.   
   
   
       39 . The system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 37  further comprising:
 a filtration unit in fluid communication with the source of brine feedstock for filtering a source liquid prior to mixing with the brine feedstock.   
   
   
       40 . The system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 37 , wherein the recovery unit further comprises:
 a vacuum unit for vacuuming at least one of the at least one first ionized decontamination solution, the second ionized decontamination solution, and the contaminant from the substrate.   
   
   
       41 . The system for decontaminating a contaminant disposed on a substrate of  claim 37  further comprising:
 at least one first storage unit in communication with the source of brine feedstock for storing salt compounds.