LABORATORY DEVELOPMENT OF A TRIBUTYL PHOSPHATE SOLVENT EXTRACTION PROCESS FOR PROCESSING 20% ENRICHED URANIUM ALLOY FUEL

Technical Report · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1961

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4005061· OSTI ID:4005061

Goode, J. H.; Flanary, J. R.

A preliminary chemical flowsheet was developed on a laboratory scale for the preparation of feed and two solvent extraction cycles for the processing of Si-containing Al--U alloy, 20% enriched, fuel elements. Major process steps include dissolution of the fuel assembly in Hg-catalyzed ritric acid, removal of silica by coagulation during feed clarification, and recovery of U and pu by extraction with a tributyl phosphate solvent and selective stripping. Criticality control in existing process equipment is maintained by the use of internal neutron poisons and concentration control throughout the process. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-15-019458
• OSTI ID: 4005061
• Report Number(s): ORNL-2855
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM ALLOYS
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CATALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
CONTROL
CRITICALITY
ENRICHMENT
FUELS
MERCURY
NEUTRONS
NITRIC ACID
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PLUTONIUM
POISONING
RECOVERY
REPROCESSING
SILICON
SILICON OXIDES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
URANIUM
URANIUM ALLOYS
USES