REACTOR FUEL SCAVENGING MEANS

Patent · Tue Apr 10 04:00:00 EST 1962

OSTI ID:4786727

Coffinberry, A S

A process for removing fission products from reactor liquid fuel without interfering with the reactor's normal operation or causing a significant change in its fuel composition is described. The process consists of mixing a liquid scavenger alloy composed of about 44 at.% plutoniunm, 33 at.% lanthanum, and 23 at.% nickel or cobalt with a plutonium alloy reactor fuel containing about 3 at.% lanthanum; removing a portion of the fuel and scavenger alloy from the reactor core and replacing it with an equal amount of the fresh scavenger alloy; transferring the portion to a quiescent zone where the scavenger and the plutonium fuel form two distinct liquid layers with the fission products being dissolved in the lanthanum-rich scavenger layer; and the clean plutonium-rich fuel layer being returned to the reactor core. (AEC)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-16-013165
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 3029142
• OSTI ID: 4786727
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALLOYS
CHEMISTRY
COBALT
ENRICHMENT
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUELS
IMPURITIES
LANTHANUM
LAYERS
LIQUID METAL FUEL
MIXING
NICKEL
PLUTONIUM
PRECIPITATION
REACTOR CORE
REACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUBILITY
TURBULENCE