Review of major plutonium pyrochemical technology
The past twenty years have seen significant growth in the development and application of pyrochemical technology for processing of plutonium. For particular feedstocks and specific applications, non-aqueous high-temperature processes offer key advantages over conventional hydrometallurgical systems. Major processes in use today include: (1) direct oxide reduction for conversion of PuO/sub 2/ to metal, (2) molten salt extraction for americium removal from plutonium, (3) molten salt electrorefining for Pu purification, and (4) hydriding to remove plutonium from host substrates. This paper reviews current major pyrochemical processes from the classical calcination-hydrofluorination-bomb reduction sequence through new techniques under development. Each process is presented and brief descriptions of production equipment are given. 47 references, 5 figures.
- Research Organization:
- Rockwell International Corp., Golden, CO (USA). Rocky Flats Plant
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP03533
- OSTI ID:
- 6168468
- Report Number(s):
- RFP-3686; ON: DE85004971
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
AMERICIUM
CALCINATION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROREFINING
ELEMENTS
LYSIS
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
PROCESSING
PYROCHEMICAL REPROCESSING
PYROLYSIS
REDUCTION
REFINING
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSPLUTONIUM ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS