Technical development of the COPRECAL (Coprecipitation-Calcination) co-conversion process
Every fuel cycle that uses aqueous processes to recover fuel requires a process step to convert the aqueous recovered fuel stream to an oxide powder prior to fabrication into new fuel elements. This paper describes the GE/DOE-sponsored research and development of a particular conversion process and equipment system at General Electric's Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Pleasanton, California. It will include both the initial development, using only uranium as the heavy metal, and the subsequent tests with a mixed feed of uranium and plutonium. The process has been given the acroynm COPRECAL which stands for coprecipitation and calcination. The process involves the coprecipitation of a nitric acid solution of uranium and plutonium with ammonium hydroxide and subsequent calcination to the mixed oxide powder. While conversion in this equipment system can also be accomplished by precipitation with such agents as oxalic acid and hydrogen peroxide or by direct denitration, COPRECAL development to date has focused on co-conversion of uranium and plutonium with ammonium hydroxide because of its well-established behavior and the uniformity of its product. A major advantage of the COPRECAL process is that the mixed oxide product, both sintered and unsintered, is completely soluble in nitric acid. No fluorides are required.
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co., Pleasanton, CA (USA). Vallecitos Nuclear Center
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT03-76SF71026
- OSTI ID:
- 6993713
- Report Number(s):
- GEFR-SP-225; CONF-800802-21
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM HYDROXIDES
CALCINATION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COPRECIPITATION
DECOMPOSITION
FABRICATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
INORGANIC ACIDS
NITRIC ACID
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
PRECIPITATION
PYROLYSIS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM OXIDES