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WO2015061013A1 - Compositions de combustible nucléaire et procédés de fabrication de compositions de combustible nucléaire - Google Patents

Compositions de combustible nucléaire et procédés de fabrication de compositions de combustible nucléaire Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015061013A1
WO2015061013A1 PCT/US2014/058620 US2014058620W WO2015061013A1 WO 2015061013 A1 WO2015061013 A1 WO 2015061013A1 US 2014058620 W US2014058620 W US 2014058620W WO 2015061013 A1 WO2015061013 A1 WO 2015061013A1
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Prior art keywords
silver
nuclear
iodine
nuclear fuel
fuel composition
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Inventor
Edward J. MAUSOLF
Edgar C. BUCK
Jon M. SCHWANTES
Robert Gian SURBELLA III
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Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
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Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/42—Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/42—Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel
    • G21C3/58—Solid reactor fuel Pellets made of fissile material
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/42—Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel
    • G21C3/58—Solid reactor fuel Pellets made of fissile material
    • G21C3/60—Metallic fuel; Intermetallic dispersions
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/42—Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel
    • G21C3/58—Solid reactor fuel Pellets made of fissile material
    • G21C3/62—Ceramic fuel
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the production and/or processing of nuclear fuel. More specifically, this invention relates to compositions and methods of incorporating an iodine-absorption material into a nuclear fissile material prior to irradiation of the nuclear fuel composition.
  • An example nuclear fuel cycle extends from the mining of uranium to the preparation of fuel rods, the use of the fuel rods, and then the storage of the fuel rods.
  • the composition of nuclear fuel such as uranium oxide (UO 2 ) fuel gradually changes as 235 U is fissioned and transuranium elements (Np, Pu, and higher actinides) form through neutron capture by 238 U and its subsequent ⁇ - decay.
  • the UO 2 matrix can retain many of the generated transuranium elements and many fission products within its structure.
  • some radionuclides forming new oxide phases are trapped as high pressure gas bubbles, or they agglomerate as metallic inclusions termed the 5-metal particles, 5-metal alloys, white inclusions or ⁇ -particles.
  • Tc is incorporated into the five metal alloy which contains high concentrations of Mo-Tc-Ru-Rd-Pd and acts as a carrier for Agl.
  • Mo-Tc-Ru-Rd-Pd acts as a carrier for Agl.
  • TcO-f the release of both Mo and Tc (TcO-f) occurs because the metals are unstable against corrosion in high concentrations of nitric acid.
  • corrosion data for these phases in the processes such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 8,506,911 issued August 13, 2013, entitled "Compositions and Methods for Treating Nuclear Fuel.”
  • Tc is extracted with uranyl (UO 2 2+ ) into 30% tri-butyl phosphate (TBP) diluted in dodecane, is then back extracted into dilute solutions of nitric acid (0.01 M HNO3), separated (anion exchange, precipitation, electrodeposition, etc.), converted to the metal (thermal, chemical, and electrochemical reduction), then is envisioned to be incorporated into a robust metallic host phase as an alloy.
  • This alloy may or may not incorporate used cladding from the reactor.
  • This waste form bypasses glass as these types of formers are not the most suitable method to incorporate large quantities of Tc in a comparable volume to the alloy.
  • the ⁇ -phase is much more noble than a zircaloy or stainless steel alloy containing Tc, the argument for leaving Tc in its original host phase is raised much like that of iodine.
  • compositions and/or methods that, according to example embodiments, may be used to limit the amount of stored radioactive waste.
  • a nuclear fuel composition in one embodiment, includes a nuclear fissile material and an iodine-absorption material incorporated into the nuclear fissile material.
  • the nuclear fissile material may be, but not limited to, an actinide oxide or an actinide oxide salt.
  • actinide oxides include, but are not limited to, the following: thorium (Th), uranium (U), neptunium (Np), plutonium (Pu), and Americium (Am).
  • the iodine-absorption material may be, but is not limited to, silver or a salt of silver.
  • the silver or salt of silver is incorporated into the actinide oxide or actinide oxide salt by thermal decomposition and recrystallization.
  • the silver or salt of silver and the actinide oxide or actinide oxide salt are mixed and dissolved in a solution and precipitated as a silver-doped fuel.
  • the silver and actinide are mixed and dissolved in a solution and precipitated as crystals containing silver-doped fuel.
  • the solution may be aqueous or non-aqueous, and the solution is an acidic, neutral, or basic aqueous solution.
  • the nuclear fuel composition includes iodine, wherein the iodine is incorporated into the silver-doped actinide fuel in the form of silver iodide or silver iodate.
  • the concentration of silver may be in the range of about 1 parts per trillion (ppt) to about 700,000 parts per million (ppm).
  • the iodine-absorption material is a coating or homogenous inclusion disposed on or within pellets of the nuclear fissile material.
  • the iodine-absorption material is a coating disposed on an inside surface of a cladding tube containing the nuclear fissile material.
  • a method of manufacturing a nuclear fuel composition includes incorporating an iodine-absorption material into a nuclear fissile material prior to irradiation of the nuclear fuel composition.
  • a nuclear fuel composition in another embodiment, includes a nuclear fissile material, wherein the nuclear fissile material is uranyl nitrate or uranyl oxalate.
  • the nuclear fuel composition also includes an iodine-absorption material that is incorporated into the nuclear fissile material, wherein the iodine- absorption material is silver or a salt of silver.
  • the silver or silver salt is incorporated into the nuclear fissile material by thermal decomposition and recrystallization or by dissolving and precipitation.
  • iodine is incorporated into the silver portion of the fuel.
  • a method of manufacturing a nuclear fuel composition includes incorporating an iodine-absorption material into a nuclear fissile material prior to irradiation of the nuclear fuel composition.
  • the nuclear fissile material is uranyl nitrate or uranyl oxalate.
  • the iodine-absorption material is silver or a salt of silver. The silver or silver salt is incorporated into the nuclear fissile material by thermal decomposition and recrystallization or by dissolving and precipitation.
  • the method further includes incorporating iodine into the silver portion of the fuel.
  • Figure 1 is an example method for preparing nuclear fuel according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
  • Figure 2 is example doped nuclear fuel according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
  • Figure 3 is another example of doped nuclear fuel according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
  • Figure 4 is an example method for processing nuclear fuel according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
  • Figure 5 is an example method for processing used nuclear fuel according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
  • Figure 6A shows actual images of various concentrations of Ag incorporated into uranyl nitrate by the recrystallization route, post fire at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours.
  • Figure 6B shows actual images of various concentrations of Ag incorporated into uranyl oxalate by the precipitation route, post fire at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours.
  • Figure 7A shows images of iodine incorporated into silver-uranium- oxalate in 5000, 10000, and 50000 ppm Ag.
  • Figure 7B shows the resulting phases at approximately 525 °C for about 2 hours under air of the sample of Figure 7A containing 5000 ppm Ag.
  • Figure 8A shows incorporation of AgI/AgCl with the addition of NH 4 I/NH 4 CI via the oxalate precipitation route.
  • Figure 8B shows incorporation of Agl by NH4I after initial oxide conversion via the oxalate precipitation route.
  • Figures 9A, 9B, and 9C show the final morphology of samples containing uranyl nitrate with silver nitrate generated by recrystallization after heat treatment at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours.
  • Figures 10A- 10F show the morphology of 100 ppm Ag incorporated into uranyl by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts, with Figures 10A- 10C showing the precipitate recovered following aqueous phase removal, and Figures 10D-10F showing the sample following heat treatment under air at approximately 550 °C for approximately 2 hours.
  • Figures 11A-C show the morphology of 500 ppm Ag incorporated into uranyl by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts.
  • Figure 11 A shows the sample pre-fire.
  • Figures 11B and 11 C show the sample post-fire at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours under air.
  • Figures 12A-D show the morphology of 1000 ppm Ag incorporated into uranyl by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts.
  • Figures 12A and 12B show the sample pre-fire.
  • Figures 12C and 12D show the. sample post-fire at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours under air.
  • Figure 13 shows an uncalibrated electron energy X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) graph of 50,000 and 100,000 ppm AG in uranium oxides fired at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours and a treated sample.
  • EDS electron energy X-ray spectroscopy
  • Figure 14 is a plot of total halide (X) to Ag ratio as a function of burn- up.
  • Figure 15 is a graphical depiction of the formation of AgI within the fuel matrix.
  • Figure 1 6 is a depiction of the fuel matrix of Fig. 1 which shows the general morphology of the recovered ⁇ -particles from the ACP process by SEM imaging.
  • Figure 1 7 is an elemental map of ATM- 109 leached with ammonium carbonate peroxide.
  • Figure 18 is another elemental map of material leached with ACP.
  • Figure 19 is example SEM-EDS spectra.
  • Figure 20A shows an image of a sample product formed by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts into a single compound as a one phase sample, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 20B shows an image of a sample product formed by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts into a single compound, similar to Figure 20A but with an altered Ag:U ratio, as a one phase sample, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 20C is a side-by-side comparison of the two sample products of Figures 20A and 20B, respectively, which have different Ag:U ratios.
  • a flow chart is provided that includes the doping of nuclear fuel to prepare a doped nuclear fuel.
  • this nuclear fuel can be incorporated into the nuclear fuel process prior to irradiation of the nuclear fuel.
  • the nuclear fuel can be doped with a dopant such as an I-getter.
  • the dopant can include metals such as Ag, Pd, Cd, Sn, and/or Hg.
  • these dopants into the nuclear fuel is commensurate with the recognition that iodine may be formed during nuclear fuel processing, such as during the irradiation of the nuclear fuel.
  • these materials can be doped to an extent of .01 % of the total mass of the nuclear fuel, such as the uranium oxide. These materials can be incorporated during the nuclear fuel preparation process. Somewhere between the actual mining of uranium oxide or uranium and before the actual irradiation of the fuel, these metals can be incorporated into the nuclear fuel that is going to be irradiated. As an example, the material can be incorporated beyond the cladding or commensurate with the cladding of nuclear fuel rods. Toward this end, it may be desirable to incorporate these materials into the nuclear fuel in a homogenous or substantially uniform fashion throughout the fuel rod.
  • the present invention is a nuclear fuel composition made by doping fuel mixtures with excess Ag (100s of ppm) to capture all of the excess iodine in the robust epsilon particulate phase during long-term irradiation.
  • uranyl nitrate can be solubilized into aqueous systems at or below pH's in neutral non-complexing media.
  • the uranyl analog 'yellow-cake' can be a starting material for U 3 O 8 by calcination followed by reduction to UO 2 after hydrogen reduction.
  • the resulting UO 2 can then be sintered at elevated temperatures with a 'wax binder.' During the sintering process the UO 2 pellet becomes densified up to 96% theoretical packing density.
  • Various methods designed to fabricate a UO 2 -doped fuel (such as Ag-doped) are presented here.
  • silver is incorporated within uranyl nitrate [UO 2 ( ⁇ 3 ) 2 ] as silver nitrate [Ag( ⁇ 3 )] on the gram scale.
  • uranyl nitrate is dissolved in de- ionized water (DI H 2 O) and silver nitrate is added by addition of a trace solution containing the dopant.
  • DI H 2 O de- ionized water
  • silver nitrate is added by addition of a trace solution containing the dopant.
  • Recovery of the silver-doped uranyl compound is completed after recrystallization of the sample following dehydration at, in one embodiment, approximately 95 °C for several hours.
  • the sample is heated under air at, in one embodiment, approximately SSO °C for a total of approximately two hours. Then, the elemental composition, general morphology, and silver retention are determined.
  • silver is incorporated into uranyl by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts.
  • silver is incorporated into uranyl by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts into a single compound as a one phase sample.
  • Uranyl nitrate and silver nitrate are combined in a solution, stirred and heated to approximately 55 °C.
  • a second solution containing ammonium carbonate is dissolved in water.
  • the ammonium carbonate solution is added drop wise to the silver nitrate solution, heated, and repeated one or more times and then allowed to cool. Crystals containing uranium and silver will start to precipitate. This one phase sample procedure is governed by equation 2.
  • the precipitation process can remove both U and Ag from solution simultaneously. This may provide a clean blend of the starting materials. During the calcination process the following can occur:
  • the direct incorporation of various alloys of Ag:Pd from 0 to 100 wt% Ag may be utilized by incorporating Ag nano-particles directly into the UO 2 blend prior to pellet formation but after calcination is deemed viable. This would occur by taking metal of Ag or an alloy of AgPd over various compositions and blending powders together. The Ag could also be in the 'wax binder' such that when the carbon is volatilized away the Ag remains in these new void spaces or entrained within UO 2 grain boundaries. Other suitable alloys of Ag may be deemed viable also. While using metal phases might work directly, higher surface area materials such as Ag on carbon nanotubes (CNT's) is also probable.
  • CNT's carbon nanotubes
  • Blends of volatile organic - Ag solutions can be used to prepare the Ag-CNT's. The process can also be used on the back end. See Ag chemical vapor deposition below.
  • gap space that may be used to provide a void space for swelling after the fuel is irradiated and fission product inventory begins to increase. This region is potentially suitable for placing an Ag 2 O charge.
  • iodine is incorporated into the silver portion of the uranium fuel precursor by metathesis after oxalate precipitation, but before thermal annealing of the oxides at greater temperatures on the samples containing Ag at concentrations greater than about S000 ppm.
  • a secondary set was produced to evaluate the ability of iodine to be incorporated into a uranium oxide phase containing Ag after it was thermally heated under air at, in one embodiment, approximately 550 °C for about two hours. These phases were subsequently heat treated at, in one embodiment, 525 °C for about two hours and the retention/presence of iodine was evaluated by elemental dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS).
  • EDS elemental dispersive x-ray spectroscopy
  • silver may be added to the fuel or fuel surface and this does not have to occur during fuel formation, nor during in-reactor discharge, like that proposed in the previous examples.
  • UO 2 fuel pellets are already prepared and are 'coated' by CVD with Ag or the fuel has Ag incorporated by ion-implantation.
  • the depth of penetration of Ag into the fuel would not be very deep relative to the pellet by the process, but diffusion at in-reactor temperatures should enhance diffusion of Ag.
  • the doped nuclear fuel can then be irradiated commensurate with standard energy acquisition techniques.
  • This irradiation can form complexes of the dopant and iodine such as silver iodine, for example, thereby resulting in an irradiated nuclear fuel or used nuclear fuel that can include complexes of silver, iodide, and/or the other dopant-iodine complexes.
  • this doped used nuclear fuel can then be processed according to technologies that include but are not limited to those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,506,911 issued August 13, 2013, entitled “Compositions and Methods for Treating Nuclear Fuel", and U.S. Patent No. 8,636,966 issued January 28, 2014, entitled “Compositions and Methods for Treating Nuclear Fuel.”
  • the irradiated doped nuclear fuel can be processed and a majority of the used nuclear fuel can be recovered and retained for reprocessing and/or regeneration while another portion, such as robust waste portion (RWP), of the fuel can be isolated for storage.
  • RWP can include the dopant-I complex as well as one or more of Mo, Tc, Ru, Rd, and/or Pd.
  • uranium oxide (U3O8 / UO 3 /UO 2 ) fuel precursors that contain various concentrations of silver by direct recrystallization of the uranyl nitrate and silver nitrate salts, and through the precipitation route, using oxalate as an organic complexant for both UO 2 2+ and Ag + have been developed.
  • the general conditions of this study are provided in Table I below.
  • Table 1 General conditions adapted for the formation of silver doped uranium fuel forms.
  • Results indicate that at low temperatures (550 °C or less) silver from the oxalate salts are preserved and evenly distributed within the uranium matrix up to 100,000 ppm Ag.
  • Uranium phases that are precipitated first with Ag 2 (C 2 O 4 ) + UO 2 (C 2 O 4 ) then combined with NH4I/NH4CI show that the precipitation of AgI/AgCl occurs in solution while the existence of iodine and chloride are apparent after heat treatment up to 525 °C under oxidizing conditions.
  • FIG. 6 A shows actual images of various concentrations of Ag incorporated into uranyl nitrate by the recrystallization route, post fire at 550 °C for 2 hours - the resulting observation of the uranium oxide (UO 3 ) phases after heat treatment at 550 °C for 2 hours.
  • Figure 6B shows actual images of various concentrations of Ag incorporated into uranyl oxalate by the precipitation route, post fire at 550 °C for 2 hours - the black oxide phases resulting from the thermal decomposition of the same samples after oxalate precipitation.
  • the color of the material from the nitrate degradation appears to be dependent upon the silver content in the material. All samples were heated simultaneously in a box furnace. Images were taken as received samples following heat treatment.
  • Figure 7A shows images of iodine incorporated into silver-uranium- oxalate in 5000, 10000, and 50000 ppm Ag. Small boats were filled with precipitates of different concentrations of silver and heated at approximately 525 °C, producing silver iodine.
  • Figure 7B shows the resulting phases at approximately 525 °C for about 2 hours under air of the sample of Figure 7A containing 5000 ppm Ag.
  • Figure 8A shows incorporation of AgI/AgCl with the addition of
  • Figure 8B shows incorporation of Agl by NH4I after initial oxide conversion via the oxalate precipitation route. Excess, unprecipitated iodine/chlorine was heated from the sample and rinsed after treatment. Characterization
  • Figures 9A, 9B, and 9C show the final morphology of samples containing uranyl nitrate with silver nitrate generated by recrystallization after heat treatment at 550 °C for 2 hours.
  • the sample shown in Figure 9A contains 100 ppm Ag.
  • the sample shown in Figure 9B contains 500 ppm Ag.
  • the sample shown in Figure 9C contains 1000 ppm Ag.
  • Figures 10A- 10F show the morphology of 100 ppm Ag incorporated into uranyl by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts.
  • Figures 1 OA- IOC show the precipitate recovered following aqueous phase removal.
  • Figures 10D-10F show the sample following heat treatment under air at approximately 550 °C for approximately 2 hours.
  • Figures 11A-C show the morphology of 500 ppm Ag incorporated into uranyl by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts.
  • Figure 11A shows the sample pre-fire.
  • Figures 11B and 11C show the sample post-fire at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours under air.
  • Figures 12A-D show the morphology of 1000 ppm Ag incorporated into uranyl by the precipitation of the silver and uranyl oxalate salts.
  • Figures 12A and 12B show the sample pre-fire.
  • Figures 12C and 1 2D show the sample post-fire at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours under air.
  • Figure 1 3 shows an uncalibrated electron energy X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) graph of 50,000 and 100,000 ppm AG in uranium oxides fired at approximately 550 °C for about 2 hours and a treated sample, same concentration of Ag with the direct incorporation of iodine and heat treated at approximately 525 °C in open air for about 2 hours.
  • EDS electron energy X-ray spectroscopy
  • Table 2 shows uncalibrated EDS elemental results for silver doped uranium with and without iodine/chlorine - sourced from NH 4 I/NH 4 CI - after heat treatment at approximately 550/525 °C, respectively.
  • ATM- 109 is a high burn-up (64-71 MWd/kg U) commercial boiling water reactor (BWR) nuclear fuel that has cooled for approximately 2 decades. Two specimens from this fuel were provided for this study: 1. ATM- 109 l .SM ACP leached and 2. ATM- 109 12M H ⁇ 3 leached. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was completed on these recovered undissolved solids (UDS). Specimens were mounted directly on carbon tape and analyzed for general morphology (FEI Quanta 250 FEG) and semi-quantitative elemental composition was evaluated by electron dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS).
  • SEM scanning electron microscopy
  • the undissolved solids recovered contain high concentrations of ⁇ -metal particles which are exceptionally small and exist as a conglomeration of nanometer sized particles clumped together.
  • the morphological nature of the particles was revealed by observing them at low energy (2.00 kV) and with secondary electron imaging. Under low magnification the general morphology of the particles from the ACP process did not differ significantly from that of the acid leached undissolved particles.
  • FIG. 17 and 18 depict an elemental map of ATM- 109 leached with ammonium carbonate peroxide (ACP) (left). Agl is represented as green highlights at the surface of the fuel. Elemental map of metal particles showing the occasional particles of Agl (yellow-green) from the nitric acid dissolution process (right). Most regions exhibit high concentrations typical of the ⁇ -phase (Mo-Tc-Ru-Rh- Pd) while some regions show depletion of the 5 metal alloy and enrichment of Ag and I .
  • ACP ammonium carbonate peroxide
  • Table 4 Estimated ratio of the total iodine present in the ⁇ -phase recovered from the ACP process and 12M HNO3. Estimations on the total iodine inventory are calculated based on total noble metal phase present in UNF. High standard deviations in measurements are due to the scarcity of the Agl phase across the elemental map.
  • the ACP process retained approximately l Ox the quantity of radioiodine versus that of the nitric acid sample. This was simultaneous confirmed by neutron activation Because Ag is strongly associated with Pd there is little evidence to support that some of the nucleation sites for I are generated in the dissolution process while nitric acid destroys nearly all evidence of these phases existing. For example, at higher burn-ups, 239 Pu results in a fission production equivalent to 80 ppm Ag while that from 235 U only produces 8 ppm.
  • the large error associated with the concentration of I in the fuel samples may be attributed to single point selections in measurements. Some regions of the metals are highly enriched in I and others are completely devoid. Even less I is present in the nitric acid treated samples as observed by elemental mapping. If noble metal mass present in spent fuel in g ⁇ -metal / g u is estimated and the total quantity of I sequestered is considered from these calculations, at a burn-up of 68.5 MWd kg -1 U and a noble metal mass of 1 wt%, nearly 50% of the iodine post dissolution will exist in these fuel remnants recovered from ammonium carbonate peroxide solutions. These phases will no longer exist after nitric acid dissolution, no matter the burn-up. The quantity of Ag in the fuel is far exceeded by the total iodine inventory, but these results indicate a strong implication that insoluble phases like Agl pre-form in the fuel and are destroyed by traditional reprocessing methods.
  • silver is incorporated with the uranyl cation by the reaction of the silver and uranyl nitrate salts, resulting in a single phase compound.
  • the top of the beaker was covered with parrafilm wax which holes were poked, such that evaporation could occur.
  • the solution was left to evaporate under ambient conditions over a two day period.
  • the product formed is shown in Figure 20A.
  • the yield was approximately 0.510 g.
  • Example 3 is a minor modification to the previously described process in Example 3 of incorporating or doping silver into uranyl by the reaction of the silver and uranyl nitrate salts into a single phase compound.
  • Figure 20C is a side-by-side comparison of the two sample products of Figures 20A and 20B, respectively, which have different Ag:U ratios.
  • the synthesis can be optimized temperature by maintaining a temperature of 55 to 70 °C during the addition of carbonate to the U/Ag solution. Upon formation of the yellow precipitate concentrated nitric acid can be added to destroy the yellow precipitate. Further additions of carbonate will increase product yield.
  • the pH can be expected to range between 3.0 - 6.0 during the synthetic procedure.

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Abstract

L'invention concerne des compositions de combustible nucléaire et des procédés de fabrication de compositions de combustible nucléaire. La composition de combustible nucléaire comprend un matériau fissile nucléaire et un matériau d'absorption d'iode incorporé dans le matériau fissile nucléaire avant l'irradiation de la composition de combustible nucléaire. Dans un mode de réalisation, le matériau fissile nucléaire est un oxyde d'actinide ou un sel d'oxyde d'actinide, et le matériau d'absorption d'iode est l'argent ou un sel d'argent.
PCT/US2014/058620 2013-10-24 2014-10-01 Compositions de combustible nucléaire et procédés de fabrication de compositions de combustible nucléaire Ceased WO2015061013A1 (fr)

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GB2527140A (en) * 2014-06-15 2015-12-16 Ian Richard Scott Improved fuel salt chemistry and fission rate control in a molten salt nuclear reactor
WO2018064572A1 (fr) * 2016-09-29 2018-04-05 Elysium Industries Ltd. Forme de déchets de chlorure d'argent et appareil associé
US10126231B2 (en) 2017-03-15 2018-11-13 Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Llc High speed spectroscopy using temporal positioned optical fibers with an optical scanner mirror
CN109036592A (zh) * 2018-06-12 2018-12-18 中山大学 用于嬗变的掺杂燃料-包壳组合

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US10126231B2 (en) 2017-03-15 2018-11-13 Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Llc High speed spectroscopy using temporal positioned optical fibers with an optical scanner mirror
CN109036592A (zh) * 2018-06-12 2018-12-18 中山大学 用于嬗变的掺杂燃料-包壳组合

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