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U.S. Department of Energy
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PROCESSING OF FUEL ASSEMBLIES THAT CONTAIN ZIRCONIUM

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4235145

Fuel elements that are clad but not alloyed with zirconium can be declad with ammonium fluoride solution and the uranium core can then be dissolved in nitric acid. If zirconium is also present as an alloying element in the core, a satisfactory approach is the combined dissolution of the fuel in a fluoride- nitric acid solution. Aluminum ion must then be added to the solution to complex the fluoride and permit recovery of uranium by Purex-type solvent extraction. Alternatively, the zirconium and the fluoride can be separated from the dissolver solution by precipitation as barium fluozirconate. (auth)

Research Organization:
Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) & Co. Savannah River Lab., Aiken, S.C.
NSA Number:
NSA-13-020988
OSTI ID:
4235145
Report Number(s):
DP-335
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English