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Title: Low temperature chemical processing of graphite-clad nuclear fuels

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1399896

A reduced-temperature method for treatment of a fuel element is described. The method includes molten salt treatment of a fuel element with a nitrate salt. The nitrate salt can oxidize the outer graphite matrix of a fuel element. The method can also include reduced temperature degradation of the carbide layer of a fuel element and low temperature solubilization of the fuel in a kernel of a fuel element.

Research Organization:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC09-08SR22470
Assignee:
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
Patent Number(s):
9,793,019
Application Number:
14/226,458
OSTI ID:
1399896
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2014 Mar 26
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (17)

Production of Sodium Nitrate patent December 1950
Chemical Disintegration and Recovery of Uranium from Sintered Graphite-Uranium Compacts patent November 1965
Processes for the Dissolution of Uranium in Nitric Acid patent-application March 1966
Method of Reprocessing and/or Separating Nuclear Fuels patent May 1967
Method of Decomposing a Nuclear Fuel in a Fused Salt System by Using Nitric Oxide patent July 1968
Method of Treating Coated-Particle Nuclear-Reactor Fuels patent October 1968
Method for the Extraction of Materials Embedded in a Graphite Body patent January 1969
Automatic Toaster patent February 1969
Method of and Apparatus for the Treatment of Graphite-Coated Particles for Nuclear Reactors and the Like patent July 1969
Coated-Particle Fuel and Fertile Element for Nuclear Reactors and Method of Operating Same patent June 1972
Process for a gasification of graphite patent October 1980
Process for the separation of coated nuclear fuel particles from a graphitic matrix and installation for implementing the process patent March 1985
Heat-aided method for separating the graphite matrix from the nuclear fuel of nuclear reactor fuel elements patent March 1985
Method for disposing of radioactive graphite and silicon carbide in graphite fuel elements patent September 1995
Encapsulation of spent ceramic nuclear fuel patent-application January 2004
Process and Targets for Production of No-Carrier-Added Radiotin patent-application September 2011
Block-type HTGR spent fuel processing: CEA investigation program and initial results journal March 2006

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