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Title: Chemical Engineering Division fuel cycle programs. Quarterly progress report, April-June 1979. [Pyrochemical/dry processing; waste encapsulation in metal; transport in geologic media]

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6844515· OSTI ID:6844515

For pyrochemical and dry processing materials development included exposure to molten metal and salt of Mo-0.5% Ti-0.07% Ti-0.01% C, Mo-30% W, SiC, Si/sub 2/ON/sub 2/, ZrB/sub 2/-SiC, MgAl/sub 2/O/sub 4/, Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, AlN, HfB/sub 2/, Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/, BeO, Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/, nickel nitrate-infiltrated W, W-coated Mo, and W-metallized alumina-yttria. Work on Th-U salt transport processing included solubility of Th in liquid Cd, defining the Cd-Th and Cd-Mg-Th phase diagrams, ThO/sub 2/ reduction experiments, and electrolysis of CaO in molten salt. Work on pyrochemical processes and associated hardware for coprocessing U and Pu in spent FBR fuels included a second-generation computer model of the transport process, turntable transport process design, work on the U-Cu-Mg system, and U and Pu distribution coefficients between molten salt and metal. Refractory metal vessels are being service-life tested. The chloride volatility processing of Th-based fuel was evaluated for its proliferation resistance, and a preliminary ternary phase diagram for the Zn-U-Pu system was computed. Material characterization and process analysis were conducted on the Exportable Pyrochemical process (Pyro-Civex process). Literature data on oxidation of fissile metals to oxides were reviewed. Work was done on chemical bases for the reprocessing of actinide oxides in molten salts. Flowsheets are being developed for the processing of fuel in molten tin. Work on encapsulation of solidified radioactive waste in metal matrix included studies of leach rate of crystalline waste materials and of the impact resistance of metal-matrix waste forms. In work on the transport properties of nuclear waste in geologic media, adsorption of Sr on oolitic limestone was studied, as well as the migration of Cs in basalt. Fitting of data on the adsorption of iodate by hematite to a mathematical model was attempted.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31-109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6844515
Report Number(s):
ANL-79-99
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
BASALT
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
CADMIUM ALLOYS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
CALCIUM OXIDES
ELECTROLYSIS
CERAMICS
CORROSION
CESIUM
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FUEL CYCLE
REDUCTION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOLUBILITY
HEMATITE
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
IODATES
ADSORPTION
LIMESTONE
MAGNESIUM ALLOYS
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
PYROCHEMICAL REPROCESSING
ENCAPSULATION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
STRONTIUM
THORIUM
THORIUM ALLOYS
THORIUM CYCLE
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM ALLOYS
ZINC ALLOYS
BRITTLENESS
CHLORIDE VOLATILITY PROCESS
IMPACT SHOCK
LIQUID METALS
MATRIX MATERIALS
METALS
MOLTEN SALTS
PROLIFERATION
TIN
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
ACTINIDE ALLOYS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALLOYS
BREEDER REACTORS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EXTRACTIVE METALLURGY
FAST REACTORS
FLUIDS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
IODINE COMPOUNDS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON ORES
IRON OXIDES
LIQUIDS
LYSIS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALLURGY
MINERALS
ORES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
PYROMETALLURGY
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
ROCKS
SALTS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SORPTION
SURFACE PROPERTIES
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
052000 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management