Proposed plans for the use of soluble nuclear absorbers at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6553195

Lee, J L

Soluble neutron absorbers are proposed for criticality safety control in future processes at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant. Solutions of neutron poisons have been used in the past for criticality control in processing various reactor fuels. No problems were encountered in the safe use of the neutron poisons although dissolution of different types of fuel occasionally required reevaluation of the poison concentrations. Proposed plans include the uses of soluble neutron poisons in the Rover fuel dissolver, the Fluorinel dissolver, and in increased concentrations in the electrolytic dissolver. These proposals are presented and the criticality safety aspects are discussed. The criticality safety of the Rover Fuels Processing Facility is assured by means of engineering design, soluble nuclear poison (boron), and administrative controls. Accumulation of a critical mass in the Fluorinel dissolver is prevented by positive identification of fuel units, administrative controls, procedures, and design of equipment to preclude double batching. The electrolytic dissolution facility is an existing facility at the ICPP for dissolution of stainless steel fuels. Gadolinium is used as a soluble neutron absorber in the nitric acid dissolving reagent and the cooling system. Stainless steel fuels planned for processing in the future will require reevaluation and adjustment of the gadolinium concentration to retain adequate criticality safety. Equipment design, administrative controls, sampling, and procedures are used to assure criticality safety.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1570
• OSTI ID: 6553195
• Report Number(s): CONF-781105-24
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
054000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
42 ENGINEERING
420203 -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
ALLOYS
BORON
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CONTROL
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
CRITICALITY
DISSOLUTION
DISSOLVERS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FUEL CANS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
FUELS
GADOLINIUM
IDAHO CHEMICAL PROCESSING PLANT
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
METALS
MOBILE REACTORS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR POISONS
PLANNING
POWER REACTORS
PROPULSION REACTORS
RARE EARTHS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
ROVER REACTORS
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUBLE POISONS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
SPENT FUELS
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS