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Title: CHEMICAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1962

Abstract

Aqueous zirconium fuel processing studies, directed at adapting the RF process to continuous dissolutioncomplexing to increase the capacity of the ICPP process, have led to a tentative recommendation for a flow-sheet change and minor equipment modification which will greatly expand the processing capacity. Basis of the change is use of a boron-containing hydrofluoric acid dissolvent which, through its neutron poisoning effect, will permit larger fuel charges in the existing dissolved. Machine calculations indicate adequate margins of safety within the solubility range of the boron compounds considered, and laboratory studies indicate no effect of the presence of boron on dissolution rate, uranium and solids behavior, or product solution composition. Bench scale and pilot plant runs on scaled-down equipment indicate that the flow-sheet is feasible and should provide the required capacity for currently anticipated fuel receipts. Criticality studies of the system are continuing. Other zirconium fuel processing studies indicate the possible usefulness of a dissolution reagent of ammonium bifluoride-triethanolamine which will dissolve zirconia at a usable rate and still not attack zirconium metal at an undesirably rapid rate as does molten ammonium bifluoride. Electrolytic dissolution studies have led to the design and construction of a pilot model dissolver to operate, through usemore » of interchangeable components, as either a solution-contact or basket-contact dissolver for stainiess steel fuels. Electrolytic dissolution of aluminum in the acid-deficient range was demonstrated as potentially attractive because of the high concentration of aiuminum achieved and resulting decreased volume of waste to be stored. Aluminum-uranium alloy was dissolved to a concentration of 3.6M aluminum and 5.6M acid deficiency without the accompanying precipitate problem associated with the nitric acid-mercury catalyst process. Summaries are presented of reports issued on metal-contact basket dissolver studies, dissolver product analysis, and dissolver product properties. New waste-treatment studies involving the removal of activity from the fuel storage basin water, which has become contaminated from corroded and damaged fuel elements, have led to the decision to instail disposable filter cartridges consisting of a local natural minerai, clinoptilolite, packed in 55-gallon drums. Approximately 1000 volumes of water may be passed through a given volume of clinoptilolite before a one percent breakthrough of strontium occurs; a one percent breakthrough of cesium occurs oniy after 4500 volumes throughput. The new meltfreeze process for reducing waste volumes by separation of inert solid aluminum nitrate from the radioactive constituents in aqueous aluminum fuel wastes is being studied in a newly installed four-stage laboratory unit. The ICPP Waste Calcining Facility underwent a successful 700-hour run during which two radioactive sodium tracer spikes were added to the fuel. Quantitative material and activity balH03 H02ances indicated excellent performance of the off-gas cleaning system; solids emission from the stack (based on activity analysis) was found to be equivalent to approximately 1/13th that required to meet the tentatively established limit for release of activity during processing of standard ICPP wastes. Process control was excellent; remote operation, with access to the cells restricted, created no problems. Other calcination studies reported include specific equipment performance, pilot plant studies on solids carry-over and particle-size control, and laboratory studies on phase transformations in calcination of various components of the waste feed. Additionai basic process studies reported include use of a capacitance probe for determination of liquid level and amplitude in an air-pulsed column and evaluation of column operation by interface control and organic feed rate control. (auth)« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Phillips Petroleum Co. Atomic Energy Div., Idaho
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
4703914
Report Number(s):
IDO-14611
NSA Number:
NSA-17-030582
DOE Contract Number:  
AT(10-1)-205
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
CHEMISTRY; ACIDS; ALUMINUM; ALUMINUM ALLOYS; ALUMINUM NITRATES; AMINES; AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS; BORON; BORON COMPOUNDS; CALCINATION; CATALYSIS; CLEANING; CLINOPTILOLITE; CONTROL; COOLING; CORROSION; CRITICALITY; ELECTRIC CHARGES; ELECTROLYSIS; EMISSION; FILTERS; FLUORIDES; FUEL ELEMENTS; FUEL SOLUTIONS; HYDROFLUORIC ACID; IMPURITIES; LIQUIDS; MERCURY; METALS; MINERALS; NEUTRONS; NITRIC ACID; POISONING; PRECIPITATION; PULSES; PYROLYSIS; QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS; QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS; RADIOACTIVITY; SAFETY; SOLIDS; SOLUBILITY; SOLUTIONS; STAINLESS STEELS; STORAGE; STRONTIUM; TRACER TECHNIQUES; URANIUM; URANIUM ALLOYS; VOLUME; WASTE PROCESSING; WASTE SOLUTIONS; W

Citation Formats

Bower, J.R. ed. CHEMICAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1962. United States: N. p., 1963. Web. doi:10.2172/4703914.
Bower, J.R. ed. CHEMICAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1962. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/4703914
Bower, J.R. ed. 1963. "CHEMICAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1962". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/4703914. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/4703914.
@article{osti_4703914,
title = {CHEMICAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1962},
author = {Bower, J.R. ed.},
abstractNote = {Aqueous zirconium fuel processing studies, directed at adapting the RF process to continuous dissolutioncomplexing to increase the capacity of the ICPP process, have led to a tentative recommendation for a flow-sheet change and minor equipment modification which will greatly expand the processing capacity. Basis of the change is use of a boron-containing hydrofluoric acid dissolvent which, through its neutron poisoning effect, will permit larger fuel charges in the existing dissolved. Machine calculations indicate adequate margins of safety within the solubility range of the boron compounds considered, and laboratory studies indicate no effect of the presence of boron on dissolution rate, uranium and solids behavior, or product solution composition. Bench scale and pilot plant runs on scaled-down equipment indicate that the flow-sheet is feasible and should provide the required capacity for currently anticipated fuel receipts. Criticality studies of the system are continuing. Other zirconium fuel processing studies indicate the possible usefulness of a dissolution reagent of ammonium bifluoride-triethanolamine which will dissolve zirconia at a usable rate and still not attack zirconium metal at an undesirably rapid rate as does molten ammonium bifluoride. Electrolytic dissolution studies have led to the design and construction of a pilot model dissolver to operate, through use of interchangeable components, as either a solution-contact or basket-contact dissolver for stainiess steel fuels. Electrolytic dissolution of aluminum in the acid-deficient range was demonstrated as potentially attractive because of the high concentration of aiuminum achieved and resulting decreased volume of waste to be stored. Aluminum-uranium alloy was dissolved to a concentration of 3.6M aluminum and 5.6M acid deficiency without the accompanying precipitate problem associated with the nitric acid-mercury catalyst process. Summaries are presented of reports issued on metal-contact basket dissolver studies, dissolver product analysis, and dissolver product properties. New waste-treatment studies involving the removal of activity from the fuel storage basin water, which has become contaminated from corroded and damaged fuel elements, have led to the decision to instail disposable filter cartridges consisting of a local natural minerai, clinoptilolite, packed in 55-gallon drums. Approximately 1000 volumes of water may be passed through a given volume of clinoptilolite before a one percent breakthrough of strontium occurs; a one percent breakthrough of cesium occurs oniy after 4500 volumes throughput. The new meltfreeze process for reducing waste volumes by separation of inert solid aluminum nitrate from the radioactive constituents in aqueous aluminum fuel wastes is being studied in a newly installed four-stage laboratory unit. The ICPP Waste Calcining Facility underwent a successful 700-hour run during which two radioactive sodium tracer spikes were added to the fuel. Quantitative material and activity balH03 H02ances indicated excellent performance of the off-gas cleaning system; solids emission from the stack (based on activity analysis) was found to be equivalent to approximately 1/13th that required to meet the tentatively established limit for release of activity during processing of standard ICPP wastes. Process control was excellent; remote operation, with access to the cells restricted, created no problems. Other calcination studies reported include specific equipment performance, pilot plant studies on solids carry-over and particle-size control, and laboratory studies on phase transformations in calcination of various components of the waste feed. Additionai basic process studies reported include use of a capacitance probe for determination of liquid level and amplitude in an air-pulsed column and evaluation of column operation by interface control and organic feed rate control. (auth)},
doi = {10.2172/4703914},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/4703914}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1963},
month = {Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1963}
}