IDAHO CHEMICAL PROCESSING PLANT TECHNICAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 1958
7 6 0 2 6 7 4 3 4 5 8 9 5 composition was successfully accomplished in plant operation by the hydrofluoric acid dissolution process. Adequate first cycle and over-all decontamination were achieved with low losses. Flowsheet modifications aimed to increase process capacity were studied. After l3 months' exposure at ambient temperature, corrosion of waste storage tank material was found to be less than anticipated. In TBP-Hexone processing of aluminum alloy fuels, process performance was satisfactory with recycle of second and third cycle raffinates for use as first cycle scrub. Waste volumes were significantly reduced by this means. Initial difficulty with plutonium contamination of the uranium product was overcome by stabilizing column operation, reducing acid carry-over to the second cycle, and adding ferrous ion as a third cycle reductant. Corrosion studies indicated that the use of titanium for aluminum nitrate concentration was satisfactory, and that this material would adequately resist plant decontamination reagents. Studies of mild steel corrosion by neutralized aluminum nitrate wastes were initiated. Validiiy of a parabolic rate law for aluminum dissolution in nitric acid was confirmed in laboratory studies. The continuous dissolver equation was tested with pilot plant data. In the development of new and modified zirconium alloy processes, it was determined that the hydrofluoric acid process could tolerate an increased percentage of uranium in the feed by increasing nitric acid usage. The feasibility of this modification from the corrosion standpoint will be determined. It appears that increased first cycle extraction capacity for such a process could be obtained by using TBP process equipment provided for aluminum fuels. Electrochemical studies indicated that the rate of dissolution of zirconium in nitric-hydrofluoric acid mixtures was controlled by ihe diffusion of hydrofluoric acid to the metal surface. Zircaloy-2 dissolved in such acid mixtures at substantially the saine rate as zirconium, although in concentrated nitric acid tin was precipitated. The composition and stability of zirconium fluoride hydrates in equilibrium with nitric acid was determined. Conditions governing the TBP extraction of zirconium from nitrate and nitrate-fluoride systems were developed. A process uranium monitoring instrument was placed on test. Wear tests of graphite bearings in canned rotor pumps were continued and tests of ceramic bearings are planned. In studies of the fluid bed calcination process for aluminum nitrate wastes, silica gel was found to be superior to stainless steel as an absorbent for volatilized ruthenium in respect to capacity and vapor decontamination at higher velocities. In removing alumina particles from calciner off-gas by venturi scrubbing, increasing scrub rates at low gas - velocily was less effective in improving efficiency than at high gas velocity. Heat transfer coefficients were measured for heating of the calciner bed by direct-fired tubes under pressure. Construction of a NaK heating system for the 2-foot square calciner is well along. A substantial portion of fine calcined alumina particles was found to dissolve in nitric acid. About half of the cesium contained in calcined alumina was volatilized at 1000 C. Tbe process design of the demonstration calcining facility was tentatively determined. In other studies of forming solids from wastes, aluminum was quantitatively precipitated as the phosphate from dilute nitrate solution. Conditions for extraction of aluminum with acetylacetone were developed. A gel was formed with sodium silicate solution from zirconium contained in a nitric-hydrofluoric acid solution. In studies of a neptunium sample with the surface ionization mass
- Research Organization:
- Phillips Petroleum Co. Atomic Energy Div., Idaho Falls, Idaho
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(10-1)-205
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-000584
- OSTI ID:
- 4332262
- Report Number(s):
- IDO-14443
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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