HOT CELL DEMONSTRATION OF ZIRFLEX AND SULFEX PROCESSES. Report No. 3
ABS>Hot cell demonstration of the Zirflex decladding process coupled with a modified Purex solvent extraction process was completed using specimens of Zircaloy-clad UO/sub 2/ irradiated to levels of 6150-14,600 Mwd/TU. Soluble losses of uranium and plutonium to the decladding solutions were about 0.05%. Centrifugation of the decladding solution is probably necessary to remove up to 1% of the UO/sub 2/ present as fines resulting from the fracture of low (93 to 95%) density pellets; high (96%) density pellets produced few fines. Approximately 5 hours were required to dissolve the UO/sub 2/ core material (14,000 Mwd/TU) in 4M HNO/sub 3/ versus 6 to 7 hours for unirradiated pellets to produce a solvent extraction feed of 100 g U/l and 3M HNO/sub 3/. Gamma decontamination factors for uranium in the Purex CU stream and plutonium in the BP stream were increased by factors of 2 to 10 from the normal 1.3 x 10/sup 3/ and 2.1 x 10/sup 3/, respectively, by pretreatment of the solvent extraction feed with dincetyl monoxime or its degradation product, oxalic acid. Preliminary data indicate radiation damage degrades the solvent, 30% TBP diluted with Amsco 125- 82, upon one pass through the mixer-settler banks with feed solutions irradiated to levels greater than 12,000 Mwd/T causing a decrease in Zr Z'' test by a factor of 15. (nuth)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- NSA Number:
- NSA-16-027123
- OSTI ID:
- 4819023
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-TM-187
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CENTRIFUGATION
CHEMISTRY
COATING
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
DENSITY
EFFICIENCY
EXTRACTION COLUMNS
FUEL CANS
GAMMA RADIATION
HOT CELLS
IRRADIATION
KEROSENE
LOSSES
NITRIC ACID
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXALIC ACID
PELLETS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
POWDERS
PUREX PROCESS
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
REMOTE HANDLING
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUBILITY
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SOLVENTS
SULFEX PROCESS
TBP
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
WEAR
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRFLEX PROCESS