Chemical Engineering Division fuel cycle programs. Quarterly progress report, April-June 1979. [Pyrochemical/dry processing; waste encapsulation in metal; transport in geologic media]

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6844515· OSTI ID:6844515

Steindler, M. J.; Ader, M.; Barletta, R. E.

For pyrochemical and dry processing materials development included exposure to molten metal and salt of Mo-0.5% Ti-0.07% Ti-0.01% C, Mo-30% W, SiC, Si/sub 2/ON/sub 2/, ZrB/sub 2/-SiC, MgAl/sub 2/O/sub 4/, Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, AlN, HfB/sub 2/, Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/, BeO, Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/, nickel nitrate-infiltrated W, W-coated Mo, and W-metallized alumina-yttria. Work on Th-U salt transport processing included solubility of Th in liquid Cd, defining the Cd-Th and Cd-Mg-Th phase diagrams, ThO/sub 2/ reduction experiments, and electrolysis of CaO in molten salt. Work on pyrochemical processes and associated hardware for coprocessing U and Pu in spent FBR fuels included a second-generation computer model of the transport process, turntable transport process design, work on the U-Cu-Mg system, and U and Pu distribution coefficients between molten salt and metal. Refractory metal vessels are being service-life tested. The chloride volatility processing of Th-based fuel was evaluated for its proliferation resistance, and a preliminary ternary phase diagram for the Zn-U-Pu system was computed. Material characterization and process analysis were conducted on the Exportable Pyrochemical process (Pyro-Civex process). Literature data on oxidation of fissile metals to oxides were reviewed. Work was done on chemical bases for the reprocessing of actinide oxides in molten salts. Flowsheets are being developed for the processing of fuel in molten tin. Work on encapsulation of solidified radioactive waste in metal matrix included studies of leach rate of crystalline waste materials and of the impact resistance of metal-matrix waste forms. In work on the transport properties of nuclear waste in geologic media, adsorption of Sr on oolitic limestone was studied, as well as the migration of Cs in basalt. Fitting of data on the adsorption of iodate by hematite to a mathematical model was attempted.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6844515
• Report Number(s): ANL-79-99
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
052000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Management
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ACTINIDE ALLOYS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
ADSORPTION
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALLOYS
BASALT
BREEDER REACTORS
BRITTLENESS
CADMIUM ALLOYS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM OXIDES
CARBONATE ROCKS
CERAMICS
CESIUM
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDE VOLATILITY PROCESS
CORROSION
DIAGRAMS
ELECTROLYSIS
ELEMENTS
ENCAPSULATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EXTRACTIVE METALLURGY
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FLUIDS
FUEL CYCLE
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEMATITE
IGNEOUS ROCKS
IMPACT SHOCK
IODATES
IODINE COMPOUNDS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON ORES
IRON OXIDES
LIMESTONE
LIQUID METALS
LIQUIDS
LYSIS
MAGNESIUM ALLOYS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATRIX MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALLURGY
METALS
MINERALS
MOLTEN SALTS
ORES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
PROCESSING
PROLIFERATION
PYROCHEMICAL REPROCESSING
PYROMETALLURGY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
REACTORS
REDUCTION
REPROCESSING
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
ROCKS
SALTS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUBILITY
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
STRONTIUM
SURFACE PROPERTIES
THORIUM
THORIUM ALLOYS
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM CYCLE
THORIUM OXIDES
TIN
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
URANIUM ALLOYS
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
ZINC ALLOYS