This is a plain-language summary of a public patent. It is written for general readers and is not a substitute for the granted claims. For the authoritative, legally operative text, see the official record linked below.
01 What it covers
Plant demineralizer (ion-exchange) beds are expensive and are quickly exhausted when a waste stream is heavy in a particular isotope. This process places an isotope-specific step ahead of the demineralizers to strip out that load first, so the polishing beds see a much lighter, cleaner stream.
02 Why it matters
- Protects plant assets: upstream isotope removal keeps costly demineralizer resin from being consumed prematurely.
- Lower operating cost: fewer resin change-outs and less secondary waste from spent polishing beds.
- Drop-in: designed to sit ahead of existing demineralizer systems rather than replace them.
03 Patent family
This invention was filed in multiple jurisdictions; related filings share the same disclosure.
| Jurisdiction | Number | Date |
|---|---|---|
| United States (granted) | US 8,148,594 B2 | Apr 3, 2012 |
| Europe | EP 2181070 | May 5, 2010 |
| Canada | CA 2,695,592 | Apr 23, 2009 |
| WIPO (PCT) | WO 2009/051878 | Apr 23, 2009 |
04 Official record
Patents are public documents. For the full specification, drawings, and legally operative claims: