PROCESSING OF BERYLLIUM OXIDE FUELS
Preliminary results from experiments on the dissolution of beryllium metal and sintered UO₂-BeO fuel pellets are reported. Uranium, from UO/sub₂-BeO pellets containing more than 60% UO₂, is readily leached with boiling 6 to 13M HNO₃ in approximately 6 hr. The BeO in these pellets dissolves only slowly in HNO₃; however, in 8M HNO₃-0.2M NaF it dissolves at about the same rate as the UO₂. Sintered pellets containing less than 10% UO₂ do not dissolve rapidly in common aqueous reagents. The highest rates are obtained in boiling acidic fluoride solutions; e.g., sintered BeO and BeO-8% UO₂ dissolved initially at a rate of approximately 1.7 mg/ min cm² or 13 mils/hr in boiling 5.8M NH₄HF₂. Sintered BeO dissolved at an average rate of 5 mils/hr by bubbling HF through molten 49 mole% NaF-40 mole% LiF-11 mole% BeF₂ at 600 deg C. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-011049
- OSTI ID:
- 4088269
- Report Number(s):
- CF--61-2-3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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