Decontamination and melt densification of fuel hull wastes

Conference · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:6703382

Dillon, R. L.

Ongoing work in the United States on treatment of cladding hull residues from nuclear fuel dissolution is described. The report proceeds to the description of the Pacific Northwest Laboratories melt densification and decontamination program. On a laboratory scale, a two-step process, initial treatment with 600/sup 0/C HF--Ar mixtures followed by aqueous decontaminating, has produced effective decontamination. The Inductoslag process has been selected for densitifcation of the predominantly Zircaloy waste stream. The process provides for direct melting of the low density fuel hull residue without intermediate preparation of a consumable electrode. Current efforts are addressed to the design and fabrication of decontamination and melting equipment to be installed in a hot cell and remotely operated.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 6703382
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-6643; CONF-771208-6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ALLOYS
CLEANING
DECLADDING
DECONTAMINATION
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAD END PROCESSES
HOT CELLS
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
MELTING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS
TIN ALLOYS
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS