Effects of air oxidation on the dissolution rate of LWR spent fuel

Conference · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:10115914

Gray, W J; Thomas, L E; Einziger, R E

Dissolution rates for air-oxidized spent fuel were measured in flowthrough tests. Results from two types of specimens, separated grains and multigrain particles, both in oxidized (U{sub 4}O{sub 9+x}) and unoxidized (UO{sub 2}) conditions indicated only minor effects of oxidation on the surface-area-normalized rates. Similar results were obtained for unirradiated specimens in three different oxidation states (UO{sub 2}, U{sub 3}O{sub 7}, and U{sub 3}O{sub 8}). These observations have important practical implications for disposal of spent fuel in a geologic repository as well as implications regarding the oxidative dissolution mechanism of UO{sub 2} fuel.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 10115914
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA--21027; CONF-921206--5; ON: DE93005095
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100
AIR
DISSOLUTION
OXIDATION
POWER REACTORS
NONBREEDING
LIGHT-WATER MODERATED
BOILING WATER COOLED
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SPENT FUELS
URANIUM OXIDES
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WASTE FORMS
WATER COOLED REACTORS