Abstract
One of the major challenges facing modern nuclear power engineering is the management of radioactive waste, particularly its accumulation and disposal. This article presents an experimental electroslag remelting facility developed for processing radioactively contaminated metals and alloys. In addition, the results of preliminary experiments on the remelting of radioactively contaminated 12X18H10T stainless steel pipes are presented. These pipes were previously used in the technological channels of the IVG.1 research reactor. The results show that electroslag remelting leads to a redistribution of gamma‐emitting radionuclides between the metallic and slag phases, resulting in a decrease in their specific activity in the steel. However, the obtained steel does not meet clearance criteria for unrestricted use due to residual Co‐60 activity. Nevertheless, electroslag remelting has been shown to be a promising method for decontamination of radioactively contaminated steel, with further improvement possible through optimization of process parameters.