DISSOLUTION OF ZIRCONIUM MATRIX FUELS IN MOLTEN FLUORIDE SALTS

Technical Report · Fri Jan 30 04:00:00 EST 1959

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4294778· OSTI ID:4294778

Horton, R W; Whatley, M E

The application of the Volatility Process for reprocessing spent reactor fuels to zirconium fuel elements requires the conversion of the fuel to a fluoride form. This conversion can be accomplished by the dissolution of such fuels in a bath of molten fluoride salts with a hydrogen fluoride sparge. Studies with dummy zirconium fuel elements showed dissolution rates averaging 2 mg/sq cm-min. The effect of submergence, geometrical configuration, and HF impingement rate appeared more significant than the effect of temperature. Experiments with partially submerged elements have indicated that at temper~tures in the neighborhood of 700 icient laborato C the gas phase reaction rate can exceed the salt phase rate. The use of the process involves problems with corrosion, with entrainment of solids in the off gas, and with the recovery and recycle of the hydrogen fluoride. Tentative solutions to these problems have been studied. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-13-008784
• OSTI ID: 4294778
• Report Number(s): CF-59-1-115
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CONFIGURATION
CORROSION
FLUORIDES
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
FUSED SALTS
GASES
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
MATRICES
REACTION KINETICS
RECORDING SYSTEMS
REPROCESSING
SOLUBILITY
SOLUTIONS
TEMPERATURE
VELOCITY
VOLATILITY
ZIRCONIUM