AN IMPROVED AQUEOUS PROCESS FOR ZIRCONIUM ALLOY NUCLEAR REACTOR FUELS. PART I. PRELIMINARY LABORATORY STUDIES

Technical Report · Tue Oct 30 00:00:00 EST 1962

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4725035· OSTI ID:4725035

Rohde, K L; Newby, B J; Paige, B E; Roeh, A P; Hoffman, T L; Decker, L A

The expanding use of Zircaloy-clad Zr-enriched U alloy fuel suggested a need for higher capacity reprocessing facilities. The most ungent requirement is for continuous dissolution equpment to match the solvent extraction capacity already available at Idaho Chemical Processing Plant. Because of the rapid disaolution rates possible with aqueous HF on clean metal as well as on oxidized fuels, and subsequent flowsheet economics, it is the reagent of choice. Laboratory measurements and a survey of the properties of UF/sub 4/ indicated highest solubility in the dissolver effluent was obtained at higher total fluoride concentrations and lower fluoride-to-Zr mole ratios. Since Zr salts were shown to be susceptible to precipitation at higher fluoride and Zr concentrations, an optimum dissolver effluent compositton was selected for a Dilute flowsheet at about 5M total fluoride and a 1.1M Zr. The operation of two bench-scale dissolvers verified the feasibility of a continuous process, and Monel and Carpenter20(Nb) were confirmed as suitable materials of construction for the dissolver. Using the Dilute Flowsheet, U solublilty equivalent to the dissolution of fuels containing 2% U, overall, was achieved. Correlations of dissolver effluent flow rate with effluent composition and with total Zr dissolved are given for guidance in engineering scaleup. (auth)

• Research Organization: Phillips Petroleum Co. Atomic Energy Div., Idaho Falls, Idaho
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: AT(10-1)-205
• NSA Number: NSA-17-008242
• OSTI ID: 4725035
• Report Number(s): IDO-14594
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
ABSORPTION
CARPENTER
COPPER ALLOYS
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMICS
EQUATIONS
FLUORIDES
FUEL CANS
GAMMA RADIATION
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MONEL
NEUTRON FLUX
NICKEL ALLOYS
PRECIPITATION
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR CORE
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
SOLUBILITY
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
STAINLESS STEELS
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL STRESSES
URANIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM TETRAFLUORIDE
VESSELS
WATER
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS