PRELIMINARY ZIRFLEX FLOWSHEET FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF ZIRCALOY CLAD FUELS
A preliminary flowsheet for processing Zircaloyclad uranium dioxide fuels is presented. The process (Zirflex) employs a mixture of boiling ammonium fluoride and ammonium nitrate for the selective dissolution of the fuel cladding. Most of the uranium dissolved during coating removal is precipitated as UF/sub 4/ by cooling. Centrifugation recovers the precipitate which is later dissolved in nitric acid and aluminum nitrate. After decladding the remaining cores of metallic uranium or uranium dioxide are dissolved in a conventional manner with nitric acid. Likewise, the customary stainless steel equipment may be used. Typical corrosion rates for cladding removal followed by nitric acid dissolution are 2.5 mils per month. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-52
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-007594
- OSTI ID:
- 4276435
- Report Number(s):
- HW-56752(Del.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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