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Kurion Completes Prototype Of Tritium Removal System

Irvine-based Kurion, which develops nuclear and hazardous waste cleanup and removal systems, said Monday that it has completed a prototype of a new system for removing tritium from contaminated water. Tritium is a dangerous, highly radioactive isotype of hydrogen, which is difficult to remove from water -- and is one of the nuclear isotopes that are causing major headaches at Fukushima, due to the need for a vast amount of water to continue to cool Fukushima's damaged reactors. TEPCO, the energy utility in Japan responsible for Fukushima, has been building hundreds of storage tanks to contain tritium contaminated water. Kurion says that its system has gone through extensive cold and hot commissioning, and has successfully scaled up a bench scale system for the technology. Kurion says it is in discussion with a number of customers to help manage tritium removal, both at operating and decommissioning nuclear plants.