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The mission of the Decommissioning and Environmental Sciences (DES) Division is to promote the development and use of those skills and technologies associated with the use of nuclear energy and the optimal management and stewardship of the environment, sustainable development, decommissioning, remediation, reutilization, and long-term surveillance and maintenance of nuclear-related installations, and sites. The target audience for this effort is the membership of the Division, the Society, and the public at large.
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Molten salt research is focus of ANS local section presentation
The American Nuclear Society’s Chicago–Great Lakes Local Section hosted a presentation on February 27 on developments at the molten salt research reactor at Abilene Christian University’s Nuclear Energy Experimental Testing (NEXT) Lab.
A recording of the presentation is available on the ANS website.
T. A. Gens, R. E. Blanco
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 11 | Number 3 | November 1961 | Pages 267-273
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE61-A26002
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A Modified Zirflex process was developed in the laboratory for dissolution of 1–10 % uranium-zirconium alloy fuels clad in Zircaloy-2 to produce a nitrate solution from which uranium can be recovered by conventional solvent extraction methods. A flowsheet is presented for dissolution of 7% uranium-zirconium alloy in 5.4 M NH4F-0.33 M NH4NO3. Enough 1 M H2O2 is added continually during dissolution to yield 0.13 M H2O2 in the final solution, neglecting the amount reacting. Dissolution of a 70-mil thick sample is complete in 1 hr. The solvent extraction feed is prepared by adding aluminum nitrate and nitric acid to the dissolver solution to yield a stable solvent extraction feed solution of 0.0075 M uranium, 0.25 M zirconium, 1 M aluminum, 2 M fluoride, and 1 M nitric acid. The off-gas is approximately 98.5% NH6, 1% H2, 0.3% O2, and 0.2% N2. Conventional stainless steel such as 309SNb or Hastelloy F appear to be suitable materials of construction with corrosion rates varying from 0.1 to 3.0 mils/month.
