REPROCESSING OF POWER REACTOR FUELS. Fourteenth Quarterly Progress Report, January 1-April 1, 1961

Technical Report · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1961

OSTI ID:4067787

Owen, J.H. comp.

>Aluminum metal anodes were found to dissolve electrolytically in nitric acid at a rate of 0.37 g per ampere-hour; mercuric ion did not catalyze the rate of dissolution of the aluminum anode. Stainless steel dissolved electrolytically in 2to 6M HNO/sub 3/ at a rate of 0.58 g per ampere-hour. In 0.5 to 2M-- HNO/sub 3/ the current utilization decreased because of competing side reactions, one of which is the anodic production of 0. Irradiated UO/sub 2/ power fuel elements clad in stainiess steel were dissolved electrolytically in nitric acid, and the U and Pu in this solution were successfully processed by solvent extraction. Stainless steel and Al were dissolved in a prototype, 5000-ampere electrolytic dissolver. Corrosion of the dissolver vessel by either stray currents or nitric acid containing dissolved stainless steel was insignificant. Coupons that were attached to the dissolver and removed after 200 hours dissolution time, including 100 hours at 85 deg C, indicated less than 1 mil per year corrosion. (auth)

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) & Co. Savannah River Lab., Aiken, S.C.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-020787
• OSTI ID: 4067787
• Report Number(s): DP-588
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM
ANODES
CATALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
CORROSION
ELECTROLYSIS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
IONS
IRRADIATION
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
NITRIC ACID
PLUTONIUM
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
STAINLESS STEELS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VESSELS