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Title: RECONDITIONING FUEL ELEMENTS

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4844172

A process is given for decanning fuel elements that consist of a uranium core, an intermediate section either of bronze, silicon, Al-Si, and uranium silicide layers or of lead, Al-Si, and uranium silicide layers around said core, and an aluminum can bonded to said intermediate section. The aluminum can is dissolved in a solution of sodium hydroxide (9 to 20 wt%) and sodium nitrate (35 to 12 wt %), and the layers of the intermediate section are dissolved in a boiling sodium hydroxide solution of a minimum concentration of 50 wt%. (AEC) A method of selectively reducing plutonium oxides and the rare earth oxides but not uranium oxides is described which comprises placing the oxides in a molten solvent of zinc or cadmium and then adding metallic uranium as a reducing agent. (AEC)

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-16-008824
Assignee:
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Patent Number(s):
US 3022160
OSTI ID:
4844172
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English