Method of decladding

Patent · Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5628228

Yosim, S J

A method of decladding an assembly comprising an element selected from the group consisting of uranium, thorium and mixtures thereof, clad in stainless steel, zirconium, or an alloy consisting essentially of zirconium and containing minor amounts of nickel, chromium, tin, iron or combinations thereof. In a first step the cladding is scored or perforated to expose the selected element. Thereafter, the assembly is exposed to a hydrogen atmosphere at an elevated temperature for a time sufficient for the hydrogen and selected element to react and form a hydride. The temperature then is further increased to decompose the hydride back to gaseous hydrogen and the selected element. The hydriding-dehydriding preferably are repeated at least two additional times to ensure complete release of any volatile gases present. The formation of the hydride which has substantially greater volume than the selected element ruptures the cladding assembly and the subsequent dehydriding leaves the selected element in a friable granular form whereby it is readily separable from the cladding material by conventional mechanical means such as sieving or the like.

• Assignee: Rockwell International Corp
• Patent Number(s): US 4296074
• Application Number: TRN: 82-006527
• OSTI ID: 5628228
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 10 Apr 1978; Other Information: PAT-APPL-894678
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
DECLADDING
DEHYDRIDATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
HYDRIDATION
PARTICULATES
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STAINLESS STEELS
THORIUM
URANIUM
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ACTINIDES
ALLOYS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
ELEMENTS
HEAD END PROCESSES
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
METALS
PARTICLES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
STEELS
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing