Process options and projected mass flows for the HTGR refabrication scrap recovery system

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6326886· OSTI ID:6326886

Tiegs, S. M.

The two major uranium recovery processing options reviewed are (1) internal recovery of the scrap by the refabrication system and (2) transfer to and external recovery of the scrap by the head end of the reprocessing system. Each option was reviewed with respect to equipment requirements, preparatory processing, and material accountability. Because there may be a high cost factor on transfer of scrap fuel material to the reprocessing system for recovery, all of the scrap streams will be recycled internally within the refabrication system, with the exception of reject fuel elements, which will be transferred to the head end of the reprocessing system for uranium recovery. The refabrication facility will be fully remote; thus, simple recovery techniques were selected as the reference processes for scrap recovery. Crushing, burning, and leaching methods will be used to recover uranium from the HTGR refabrication scrap fuel forms, which include particles without silicon carbide coatings, particles with silicon carbide coatings, uncarbonized fuel rods, carbon furnace parts, perchloroethylene distillation bottoms, and analytical sample remnants. Mass flows through the reference scrap recovery system were calculated for the HTGR reference recycle facility operating with the highly enriched uranium fuel cycle. Output per day from the refabrication scrap recovery system is estimated to be 4.02 kg of /sup 2355/U and 10.85 kg of /sup 233/U. Maximum equipment capacities were determined, and future work will be directed toward the development and costing of the scrap recovery system chosen as reference.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6326886
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-6625
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ACTINIDES
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
COATED FUEL PARTICLES
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
FLOWSHEETS
FUEL CYCLE
FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS
FUEL PARTICLES
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
REACTORS
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
SCRAP
SILICON CARBIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SOLID WASTES
URANIUM
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES