DECONTAMINATION OF NEUTRON-IRRADIATED REACTOR FUEL

Patent · Tue Dec 22 00:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4202221

Buyers, A G; Rosen, F D; Motta, E E

A pyrometallurgical method of decontaminating neutronirradiated reactor fuel is presented. In accordance with the invention, neutron-irradiated reactor fuel may be decontaminated by countercurrently contacting the fuel with a bed of alkali and alkaine fluorides under an inert gas atmosphere and inductively melting the fuel and tracking the resulting descending molten fuel with induction heating as it passes through the bed. By this method, a large, continually fresh surface of salt is exposed to the descending molten fuel which enhances the efficiency of the scrubbing operation.

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-14-007483
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 2918366
• OSTI ID: 4202221
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
COUNTER CURRENT
DECONTAMINATION
EFFICIENCY
FLUORIDES
FUELS
IRRADIATION
MELTING
METALLURGY
NEUTRONS
SALTS
SURFACES