Effects of air oxidation on the dissolution rate of LWR spent fuel

Conference · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6782566

Gray, W J; Thomas, L E; Einziger, R E

Dissolution rates for air-oxidized spent fuel were measured in flowthrough tests. Results from two types of specimens, separated grains and multigrain particles, both in oxidized (U[sub 4]O[sub 9+x]) and unoxidized (UO[sub 2]) conditions indicated only minor effects of oxidation on the surface-area-normalized rates. Similar results were obtained for unirradiated specimens in three different oxidation states (UO[sub 2], U[sub 3]O[sub 7], and U[sub 3]O[sub 8]). These observations have important practical implications for disposal of spent fuel in a geologic repository as well as implications regarding the oxidative dissolution mechanism of UO[sub 2] fuel.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6782566
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-21027; CONF-921206--5; ON: DE93005095
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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