scholarly journals AECL/U.S. INERI - Development of Inert Matrix Fuels for Plutonium and Minor Actinide Management in Power Reactors Fuel Requirements and Down-Select Report

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Carmack ◽  
Randy Fielding ◽  
Pavel Medvedev ◽  
Mitch Meyer
Nukleonika ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 871-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena L. Ebert ◽  
Andrey Bukaemskiy ◽  
Fabian Sadowski ◽  
Steve Lange ◽  
Andreas Wilden ◽  
...  

Abstract This work focuses on the reprocessability of metallic 92Mo and ceramic MgO, which is under investigation for (Pu,MA)-oxide (MA = minor actinide) fuel within a metallic 92Mo matrix (CERMET) and a ceramic MgO matrix (CERCER). Magnesium oxide and molybdenum reference samples have been fabricated by powder metallurgy. The dissolution of the matrices was studied as a function of HNO3 concentration (1-7 mol/L) and temperature (25-90°C). The rate of dissolution of magnesium oxide and metallic molybdenum increased with temperature. While the MgO rate was independent of the acid concentration (1-7 mol/L), the rate of dissolution of Mo increased with acid concentration. However, the dissolution of Mo at high temperatures and nitric acid concentrations was accompanied by precipitation of MoO3. The extraction of uranium, americium, and europium in the presence of macro amounts of Mo and Mg was studied by three different extraction agents: tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP), N,Nʹ-dimethyl-N,Nʹ-dioctylhexylethoxymalonamide (DMDOHEMA), and N,N,N’,N’- -tetraoctyldiglycolamide (TODGA). With TBP no extraction of Mo and Mg occurred. Both matrix materials are partly extracted by DMDOHEMA. Magnesium is not extracted by TODGA (D < 0.1), but a weak extraction of Mo is observed at low Mo concentration.


2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Carmack ◽  
Randy D. Lee ◽  
Pavel Medvedev ◽  
Mitch Meyer ◽  
Michael Todosow ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 1078-1081
Author(s):  
Toshiyuki Usuki ◽  
Katsumi Yoshida ◽  
Toyohiko Yano ◽  
Shuhei Miwa ◽  
Masahiko Osaka

2009 ◽  
Vol 1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting Cheng ◽  
Ronald Baney ◽  
James Tulenko

AbstractSilicon carbide is one of the prime matrix material candidates for inert matrix fuels (IMF) which are being designed to reduce plutonium and long half-life actinide inventories through transmutation. Since complete transmutation is impractical in a single in-core run, reprocessing the inert matrix fuels becomes necessary. The current reprocessing techniques of many inert matrix materials involve dissolution of spent fuels in acidic aqueous solutions. However, SiC cannot be dissolved by that process. Thus, new reprocessing techniques are required.This paper discusses a possible way for separating transuranic (actinide) species from a bulk silicon carbide (SiC) matrix utilizing molten carbonates. Bulk reaction-bonded SiC and SiC powder (1 μm) were corroded at high temperatures (above 850 °C) in molten carbonates (K2CO3 and Na2CO3) in an air atmosphere to form water soluble silicates. Separation of Ceria (used as a surrogate for the plutonium fissile fuel) was achieved by dissolving the silicates in boiling water and leaving behind the solid ceria (CeO2).


Author(s):  
R. Calabrese ◽  
F. Vettraino ◽  
T. Tverberg

The inert matrix fuels are a promising option to reduce-eliminate worldwide plutonium stockpiles by burning it in LWRs. These fuels, where plutonium is hosted in a U-free inert matrix phase, may reach high burning efficiency while preventing new plutonium build-up under irradiation. A specific investigation on CSZ and thoria inert matrices has been developed by ENEA since several years. In-pile testing on the ENEA-conceived innovative fuels is ongoing in the OECD Halden HBWR since June 2000 (IFA-652 experiment). The registered burnup at the end of 2005 is about 38 MWd·kgUeq−1 vs. 45 MWd·kgUeq−1 (40 MWd·kgUOXeq−1) target. Fuel pins are equipped with fuel temperature thermocouples, internal pressure transducers and fuel stack elongation sensors, with the task of studying thermal conductivity and its degradation with burnup, densification-swelling behaviour and the FGR. In this paper, the response at low burnup (&lt; 7 MWd·kgUeq−1) of CSZ-based fuels loaded in IFA-652, is analysed by means of the TRANSURANUS code. To this purpose, a comprehensive modelling of the above mentioned un-irradiated fuels, mainly relying on the thermophysical characterisation performed at the JRC/ITU-Karlsruhe, has been implemented in a custom TRANSURANUS version (TU-IMF). A comparison of the code predictions vs. the experimental data, aimed at evaluating the early-stage under irradiation phenomena, particularly densification and relocation, has been performed.


2003 ◽  
Vol 317 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 217-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A.C. Neeft ◽  
K. Bakker ◽  
R.L. Belvroy ◽  
W.J. Tams ◽  
R.P.C. Schram ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 319 ◽  
pp. 118-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.P.C Schram ◽  
R.R van der Laan ◽  
F.C Klaassen ◽  
K Bakker ◽  
T Yamashita ◽  
...  

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