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Title: Validation of Flow Sheet for Dissolution and Downstream Processing of Mark 42 Compacts and Sweepings

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/772665· OSTI ID:772665

Unirradiated Mark 42 compact material was successfully dissolved in various laboratory tests. Assuming a dissolver charge of 10,000 grams of plutonium added to 8000 liters, the dissolver solution optimized with the lowest fluoride concentration was 0.25 molar fluoride-2.0 g/L boron-8 molar nitric acid. This 0.25 molar fluoride achieved a successful codissolution of plutonium oxide and aluminum in less than 15 hours. Based on a 30 minute dissolution of aluminum and measured corrosion rates using this dissolver solution, MTS assessed that the impact on the dissolver integrity due to corrosion from this campaign should be small. All dissolution tests in this work were achieved in the absence of a mercury catalyst, and therefore, to minimize waste and reduce chemical exposure to workers, the use of mercury for the dissolution of Mark 42 compact material is not recommended. The purpose of this report is determine an appropriate dissolver solution composition that will dissolve unirradiated Mark 42 compacts and sweepings in an F-Canyon dissolver within a 24 hour heating period

Research Organization:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy (US)
DOE Contract Number:
AC09-96SR18500
OSTI ID:
772665
Report Number(s):
WSRC-TR-2000-00181; TRN: US0100005
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 6 Dec 2000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English