Search Menu
DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Search Scholarly Publications

Title: Criticality concerns of a group actinide co-crystallization separations approach to used nuclear fuel recycling

Journal Article · · Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford)
 [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Center for Nuclear Security Science & Policy Initiatives, Department of Nuclear Engineering
+ Show Author Affiliations

We report the co-crystallization of hexavalent actinides with uranyl nitrate hexahydrate has been established as a viable approach to achieving group actinide separation in used nuclear fuel recycle while avoiding the difficulties associated with the solvent-extraction process altogether. A preliminary neutronics safety analysis has been performed to alleviate criticality concerns associated with this group hexavalent actinide co-crystallization approach. The basic uranyl nitrate hexahydrate material compositions used are representative of used fuel found at commercial pressurized water reactors all around the U.S. This material is subsequently doped with various percentages of either typical reactor grade plutonium or with the total transuranic vector, replacing the uranium atoms in the crystal lattice structure. Infinite and effective neutron multiplication factors were calculated using the state-of-the-art Monte Carlo neutron transport code MCNP in a variety of plausible material configurations, assuming an acceptable safety limit for criticality to be an effective neutron multiplication factor less than 0.95. The results indicate that the crystal structures form a very subcritical intrinsic geometry even with six water molecules being incorporated into the crystal structure. In conclusion, the results of this research suggest that significant opportunity exists for the safe transfer of the group actinide separation approach from a laboratory to an operational scale.

Research Organization:
Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
Grant/Contract Number:
NE0008653; AC0500OR22725
OSTI ID:
1481880
Journal Information:
Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford), Vol. 115, Issue C; ISSN 0306-4549
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Figures / Tables (8)

Table 1(p. 4)table Table 1
Table 2(p. 5)table Table 2
Figure 1(p. 7)figure Figure 1
Figure 2(p. 8)figure Figure 2
Figure 3(p. 9)figure Figure 3
Figure 4(p. 10)figure Figure 4
Figure 5(p. 11)figure Figure 5
Figure 6(p. 11)figure Figure 6

Similar Records

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
Nuclear criticality safety
Actinides
MCNP
Reprocessing
Used nuclear fuel