Molten tin reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel elements

Patent · Tue Jul 12 04:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5526404

Heckman, R A

A method and apparatus for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is described. Within a containment vessel, a solid plug of tin and nitride precipitates supports a circulating bath of liquid tin therein. Spent nuclear fuel is immersed in the liquid tin under an atmosphere of nitrogen, resulting in the formation of nitride precipitates. The layer of liquid tin and nitride precipitates which interfaces the plug is solidified and integrated with the plug. Part of the plug is melted, removing nitride precipitates from the containment vessel, while a portion of the plug remains solidified to support the liquid tin and nitride precipitates remaining in the containment vessel. The process is practiced numerous times until substantially all of the precipitated nitrides are removed from the containment vessel.

• Assignee: US Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): US 4392995
• OSTI ID: 5526404
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
CLOSURES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FUELS
LIQUID METALS
LIQUIDS
MATERIALS
MELTING
METALS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PNICTIDES
PRECIPITATION
REACTOR MATERIALS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLIDIFICATION
SPENT FUELS
TIN