Generation and decomposition behavior of nitrous acid during dissolution of UO sub 2 pellets by nitric acid

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Nuclear Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5650062

Fukasawa, T; Ozawa, Y; Kawamura, F ^[1]

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1. Hitachi, Ltd., Energy Research Lab., 1168 Moriyama Hitachi, Ibaraki 316 (JP)

The generation and decomposition behavior of nitrous acid is experimentally investigated during dissolution of unirradiated uranium dioxide (UO{sub 2}) pellets by a nitric acid solution. The nitrous acid is generated by the dissolution of UO{sub 2} and it then decomposes to nitrogen oxides through the solution surface. The generation rate is equal to the dissolution rate of the uranium pellet and it depends on the nitric acid concentration, solution temperature, and effective pellet surface area. The decomposition rate depends on the solution surface area and temperature. These findings allow prediction of changes in nitrous acid concentration during and after dissolution.

• OSTI ID: 5650062
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; (United States) Vol. 94:1; ISSN NUTYB; ISSN 0029-5450
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DISSOLUTION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS ACID
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
SURFACE AREA
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES