PUREX (Plutonium-Uranium Extraction) L-Cell concentrator corrosion evaluation
Problems with solids plugging the piping associated with the E-L7-1 concentrator at the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Plant were experienced shortly after it was put into use in 1971. The transfer line from the concentrator was first plugged in 1972. The PUREX Plant was shut down shortly thereafter after processing of available feed was finished. The plant was restarted in 1983, and plugging occurred again in early 1985. Both times, the transfer line was cleared by pulsing the fluid. The transfer line was replaced because of plugging in mid-1986 when pulsing failed to remove the plug. The concentrator, which is made of titanium, is used for the final concentration of the plutonium nitrate solution. The solids plugging the transfer line were identified as both the rutile and anatase forms of titanium dioxide. Ultrasonic examinations of titanium equipment in L-Cell showed that the concentrator wall thickness was decreasing as the acid refluxing area of the E-L7-1 tower was approached. The PUREX Plant Systems and Technology then requested the Plutonium Process Support Laboratories (PPSL) to set up and perform experiments to determine the cause(s) and possible corrective actions for the E-L7-1 corrosion. After testing samples of titanium and other metals under controlled conditions identical to E-L7-1 concentrator operation, zirconium was selected for long-term testing as a replacement for the tower section. Two long-term test apparatus were then built and tested on a pilot scale. 9 refs., 13 figs., 5 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/DP
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-87RL10930
- OSTI ID:
- 6760605
- Report Number(s):
- WHC-SA-0641-FP; ON: DE90013275, CONF-8910260-6
- Journal Information:
- 1989 Plutonium/Uranium Recovery Operations Conference, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, October 24, 1989, Conference: Plutonium/uranium recovery operations conference, Oak Ridge, TN (USA), 24-26 Oct 1989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
NITRIC ACID
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
TITANIUM
CORROSION
TITANIUM OXIDES
ZIRCONIUM
CONCENTRATORS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
MATERIALS TESTING
PLUGGING
PUREX PROCESS
VAPORS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
METALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TESTING
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
360105 - Metals & Alloys- Corrosion & Erosion