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Aqueous processes for uranium recovery from Rover fuel elements: laboratory development. Part III. Summary of the processes

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4409018· OSTI ID:4409018
Declassified 24 Sep 1973. The development of aqueous methods for processing Rover fuel elements is summarized. The Rover fuel elements are dispersions of carbon-coated UC/sub 2/ particles in graphite matrices; hydrogen coolant channels in the elements are lined with NbC to retard corrosion. Since the coated particles are impervious toattack by aqueous reagents , burning of the fuel is necessary at one stage of the process. The two main processes under development are (1) the Deline-Burn-Dissolve (DBD) process, and (2) the BurnDissolve process. Both processes result in almost quantitative uranium recovery; however, based on the laboratory experiments, the DBD process appears to have the best chance of success on an engineering scale. (auth)
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
NSA Number:
NSA-29-004990
OSTI ID:
4409018
Report Number(s):
ORNL--3459
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English