CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY DIVISION MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1957

Technical Report · Fri Apr 11 04:00:00 EST 1958

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4182454· OSTI ID:4182454

Feed Materials Processing. In the Metallex Process the separation of Th from approximately 180 gal of Th amalgam remaining from previous reduction runs was completed. Thirty-five grams of U as UF/sub 6/ was reduced at 356 ction prod- C by 3.5 M Na amalgam in approximately 20% yield. In the DRUHM Process a helium blanket around the UF/sub 6/ inlet line was partially effective in reducing inlet line corrosion. In a 4-hr operation of the Fluorox Process fluidized bed oxidation reactor, 80 g of U was recovered as UF/sub 6/ from the cold trap, 190 g of U, as UF/sub 4/, was charged. Heterogeneous Power Reactor Fuel Processing. In studies on the Darex Process, a 13-hr loop run was made at an average V/L ratio of 0.88 and a stainless steel dissolution rate of 6.12 g/min. In Zircex Process studies the use of a NaCl bed in series and following a settling chamber resulted in recovery of >99% of the uranium chloride produced during hydrochlorination of U-Zr alloy. In fluoride-catalyzed HNO/sub 3/ the dissolution rate of 96% ThO/sub 2/-4% UO/sub 2/ pellets was maximum in 13 M HNO/ sub 3/0.04 M NaF. A simulated APDA fuel pin (Zr-clad U-Mo alloy) dissolved in 13 M HNO/sub 3/-0.5 M HF without the addition of heat, forming a stable solution. The stainless steel cladding of an APPR fuel element (sintered UO/sub 2/- stainless steel core) in 4 M H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ followed by dissolution of the core in 8 M HNO/sub 3/ resulted in loss of 0.033% of the U to the residual solids. Hydrofluoric acid, added so that its concentration never exceeded 5 M, dissolved Zircaloy-2 jackets from PWR fuel elements with a U loss of 0.24%. The liquid metal fuel 98.7% Bi-1.3% U dissolved readily in 8 M HNO/sub 3/. In the Thorex Process two pilot plant runs, HD-27 on longdecayed Th and SD-3 on 4000-g/t, 30- day-decayed Th, were completed. The processing of ORNL tank farm wastes was completed. The Fused Salt-Fluoride Volatility Process pilot plant was modified to permit processing of the ARE fuel. (W.L.H.)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-14-010529
• OSTI ID: 4182454
• Report Number(s): ORNL-2468
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BISMUTH-- CATALYSIS-- CHLORINATION-- DAREX PROCESS-- FLUORIDES-- FUEL ELEMENTS-- FUELS-- FUSED SALTS-- HYDROFLUORIC ACID-- JACKETS-- LIQUID METALS-- MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS-- NITRIC ACID-- PELLETS-- RECOVERY-- REPROCESSING-- RESIDUES-- SM-1-- SODIUM CHLORIDES-- SODIUM FLUORIDES-- SOLIDS-- STAINLESS STEELS-- SULFURIC ACID-- THOREX PROCESS-- THORIUM-- THORIUM OXIDES-- URANIUM ALLOYS-- URANIUM CHLORIDES-- URANIUM DIOXIDE-- USES-- VOLATILITY-- WASTE SOLUTIONS-- ZIRCALOY-- ZIRCEX PROCESS-- ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
BLANKETS-- COOLING-- CORROSION-- DRUHM PROCESS-- FLUIDIZATION-- FLUOROX PROCESS-- HELIUM-- MERCURY ALLOYS-- OXIDATION-- RECOVERY-- REDUCTION-- SEPAR
CHEMISTRY