Application of the electrometallurgical treatment technique to long-term disposition of DOE spent fuel
The DOE inventory of spent nuclear fuel consists of approximately 2700 tonnes heavy metal (MTHM), containing over 100 different fuel types. The current plan for the disposition of this fuel is to condition it for dry storage until it can be placed in a geological repository. However, the variation in the physical condition and chemical composition of DOE spent fuel complicates the task of qualifying the fuel for repository disposal. Each type or category of fuel must be characterized and certified to meet repository disposal criteria, an expensive and time-consuming process. Some of the fuel types contain chemically reactive components (such as metallic sodium), which must be stabilized prior to long-term storage or disposal. Finally, some of the fuel is damaged or declad, and some has already been altered by its present storage environment, making it difficult to qualify that general type of fuel for disposal. The electrometallurgical (EM) treatment technique developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has the potential to convert many of these spent fuel types into a uniform set of three product streams (uranium metal, metal waste form, ceramic waste form). This treatment would simplify the process of preparing and qualifying these fuels for repository disposal. This paper reviews work done on evaluating the applicability of the EM technique to the treatment of the types of DOE spent fuels currently being stored at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL).
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 561245
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/CMT/SUMM-93851; CONF-971125-; ON: DE97053703; TRN: 98:008607
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1997 American Nuclear Society (ANS) winter meeting, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 16-20 Nov 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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