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Evaluation of recycle pathways for out-of-specification uranium microspheres from the internal gelation process

Journal Article · · Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford)
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. X-energy LLC, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
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During the production of uranium oxide microspheres with carbon using internal gelation, a small fraction of microspheres will not meet the required size or sphericity specification. The uranium microspheres with carbon can be rejected after they have been air-dried or converted into uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) kernels. The next step for the rejected spheres was an air oxidation for carbon removal. The air-dried spheres became triuranium octoxide (U3O8) spheres, which were sometimes ground into powder. The UCO kernels became U3O8 powder during the air oxidation. The next recycle step was nitric acid dissolution of the U3O8 spheres or powders to produce acid-deficient uranyl nitrate (ADUN) solutions, which were used to make new uranium oxide microspheres with carbon and subsequently UCO kernels. Finaly, the kinetics of the acid dissolution process were compared, and the impurity levels in the different ADUN solutions were determined. X-ray diffraction results for the UCO kernels from the initial and recycled ADUN solutions indicate that changes in the impurity levels can impact the uranium carbide to uranium dicarbide ratio in the UCO kernels.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1607297
Journal Information:
Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford), Journal Name: Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford) Journal Issue: C Vol. 134; ISSN 0306-4549
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (8)

Carbothermic synthesis of 820μm uranium nitride kernels: Literature review, thermodynamics, analysis, and related experiments journal May 2014
Evaluation of various carbon blacks and dispersing agents for use in the preparation of uranium microspheres with carbon journal January 2018
Improvements in the fabrication of HTR fuel elements journal October 2012
Production of Spherical UO2-UC2 for Nuclear Fuel Applications Using Thermochemical Principles journal July 1982
A Mathematical Model for the Solvent Extraction of Uranyl Nitrate and Nitric Acid journal May 1963
The Basic Chemistry Involved in the Internal-Gelation Method of Precipitating Uranium as Determined by pH Measurements journal January 1987
Preparation of spherical, dense uranium fuel kernels with carbon journal January 2007
Uranium kernel formation via internal gelation journal January 2004

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Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
carbon black
internal gelation
uranium carbide and oxide kernels