Chemical Engineering Division fuel cycle programs. Quarterly progress report, October-December 1978

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7089706· OSTI ID:7089706

Steindler, M J; Ader, M; Barletta, R E

In the program on pyrochemical and dry processing methods (PDPM) for nuclear fuel, tungsten crucibles were successfully spun for use in laboratory-scale experiments. Corrosion testing of refractory metals and alloys in PDPM environments was done. Ceramic substrates were successfully coated with tungsten. Solubility measurements were made to determine Cd/Mg alloy composition and temperature at which dissolved Th will precipitate. Experiments were started to study the reduction of high-fired ThO/sub 2/ with Ca in a molten metal-molten salt system. Work on the fused salt electrolysis of CaO was started. Equipment for determining phase diagrams for U-Cu-Mg system was set up. The reaction of UO/sub 2/ with molten equimolar NaNO/sub 3/-KNO/sub 3/ was studied as part of a project to identify chemically feasible nonaqueous fuel reprocessing methods. Work was continued on development of a flowsheet for reprocessing actinide oxides by extracting actinides into ammonium chloro-aluminate (and alternative salts) from a bismuth solution. Preparation of Th, U, and Pu nitrides after dissolution of spent fuel elements in molten tin is being studied. Leach rates of glass beads, pulverized beads, and beads encapsulated in a lead matrix with no protective envelope were studied. A method (employing no pressure or vacuum systems) of encapsulating various solid wastes in a lead metal matrix was developed and tested. A preliminary integration was made of earlier data on effects of impacts on metal-matrix waste forms.Leach migration experiments were compared with conventional infiltration experiments as methods of evaluating geologic formations as barriers to nuclide migration. The effect of the streaming potential on the rates of transport of radioactive I/sup -/ and Na/sup +/ through kaolinite columns was measured, as well as adsorption of iodide and iodate by several compounds; implications of the results upon the disposal of radioactive iodine are discussed.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 7089706
• Report Number(s): ANL-79-29
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
FUEL CYCLE
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
LEACHING
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SPENT FUELS
PYROCHEMICAL REPROCESSING
CESIUM
ENCAPSULATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
KAOLINITE
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
REPROCESSING
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM OXIDES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALI METALS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM SILICATES
CHALCOGENIDES
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FUELS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
METALS
MINERALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
052001 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing