Process bases and specifications thorium---U-233 separations at the Purex Plant

Technical Report · Mon Jul 26 04:00:00 EDT 1965

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10115737· OSTI ID:10115737

Nielson, S M

The Purex Plant was originally designed for the chemical processing of irradiated natural uranium. It has been used nearly exclusively for this purpose during its approximately ten-year operating lifetime. However, during the winter of 1964--1965, a special processing campaign was planned and accomplished in which approximately 6 tons of irradiated thoria targets were introduced to the plant, and the thorium-232 and uranium-233 were successfully separated and purified on a demonstration basis. For the demonstration thorium processing operation (6-ton test) of the winter of 1964--1965, process specifications were issued. These specifications were necessarily specific to the particular campaign inasmuch as a rather unusual processing scheme was required, by virtue of the small tonnage involved and the equipment limitations of the plant. Thus, for the relatively large operation subsequently planned, other process specifications are required. The purpose of this present document is to provide these specifications. Depending on the manner and extent of thorium -- uranium-233 production developments, these present specifications may have future application, at least in part. In addition to the process specifications, this document includes a section describing the flowsheet, and a section in which the technological bases for good process control are presented. In conjunction with the specifications, these sections are intended to provide the bases for the processing operations required to accomplish the processing objectives in a safe manner, and with minimum effect on equipment service life. All sections are organized in a manner to provide for relatively simple additions or revisions.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Richland, WA (United States). Hanford Atomic Products Operation
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 10115737
• Report Number(s): RL-SEP--650; ON: DE92006940
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400105
ALUMINIUM
DISSOLUTION
FLOWSHEETS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
MULTI-ELEMENT SEPARATION
NITRIC ACID
PROCESS CONTROL
PUREX PROCESS
SEPARATION PROCEDURES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SPECIFICATIONS
SPENT FUELS REPROCESSING
TBP
THORIUM 232
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM 233